I find the "wheat" color soaked for 1/2 hour in pure bleach very real.

thank you Vic for this information.

NO - no bleach. Bleach EATS things.

are you saying it will damage the sails?....if so, it is definitely something to consider.......maybe you can elaborate? i didn't think it would affect nylon...cotton yes...
by the way after bleaching, i soaked material in vinegar to neutralize......
the fellows here (not me) have the most experience and i will definitely leave off bleaching and use as is, if the consensus supports that....

Bleach eats everything - even you - never use it undiluted. It will weaken the fibers in the cloth and make nylon brittle.

sorry lucc....going to take jerrytodd's advice and leave it natural.....i think it will look fine....i think i'm tiring of experimenting ....i just want to lay down in the middle of the field and smellllll the flowers......firdinand

If it's "Vic" ya want them "Vic" it shall be. I think Grant Walker maybe has no sense of humor. Too bad as any bikini is just wonderful to see anytime. Part of the scenery around here.
I think I'd lighten up on the bleach Vic. As mentioned earlier it will weaken the fibers in the cloth. You might try putting the sail cloth in a washer with 25% bleach. It will bleach the cloth evenly with the agitation action of the washer. I would prefer the darker color but the lighter looks good too. Flip a coin if ya can't decide. Damn the torpedos and all that. Pete

Why white? I just visited the Chicago Museum of Sci and Industry. Every ship model had very dark tan, even brownish sails. Even the lightest sails showed deep tan "stains" etc.
I'll be spending next week on the brig Niagara and will get sail pics up close.
Every indication is that sails were generally not white or even light tan.
Forget the bleach.

done....i belched the bleach...... hope lucc catches this.....

thx Vic, I receive the message.

I've also done a message back to thank you.

about the sails:

one restaurateur told me last days that sails never were white but rather a gray or brown color had.

He uses coffee to color his sails.

have anybody tried with an airbrusch coloring his sails ???

i just heard from grant walker at the us naval academy... i sent him some shots of the ship on my gmail, and he was happy to hear from me...i guess my yahoo mail never got through and i thought he was upset with me...that's a relief....i always love harmony....

I'm in the museum model shop almost every Thursday night rebuilding the USS St Lawrence. It seems they were short a few "sticks & strings guys" and recruited me

I attached some pics of the Royal Bill that was in Grant's office back in November 09.

yes...that's the one from the roger's collection at the naval academy....grant sent me photos of this and i based half the model on these photos, and half from the plans i had.....a royal mish mash ....what a great model!.....wow...so you know grant....!!!

Grant has a much nicer camera than I do

just thought i'd throw this in for laughs