How to Make a Basic Wood Toy Ship

If you live near the water, or spend a lot of time at the lake, a wood toy ship is a great toy for any girl or boy. Providing hours of fun and imaginative play, this ship is a winner!

You Will Need:

• Piece of Wood - 12" x 4¼" x 1½" Thick
• Piece of Wood - 12" x 4½" x 5/8" Thick
• Piece of Wood 2½" x 5" x 2½"
• 2¼" of 1" Dowel for Funnel
• Piece of ¼" Dowel for Mast
• Thin Dowel or Stick for Flag Mast
• Non-Toxic Paint or Polyurethane Gloss
• Wood Glue - Coping Saw - Small Plane - Files - Sandpaper
• Electric Drill with 1" & ¼" Flat Bit (or Hand Brace)
• Ruler - Pencil

On each of the large wood pieces draw a simple boat outline (see solid line in Figure 1) and use a coping saw to cut out the two shapes.  The wood grain should run the length of the boat.

On the thicker boat piece mark the inside boat outline (see broken line in Figure 1), cut this piece out, leaving you with the shape shown in Figure 2.  Do this by drilling a hole near the outline, threading the coping saw blade through it and then fixing the blade back in the saw frame.

Glue this piece on top of the solid boat shape.

When the two are firmly stuck together, start to refine the boat shape by making the bows sheer and reducing the height of the sides except where they should rise towards the bow.   The stern can be flattened underneath as in Figure 3 if you like.

Paint all surfaces of this hull or apply gloss.

To make the bridge structure saw the chunk of wood to shape similar to that in Figure 4. and smooth all surfaces.  Drill a 1" hole in the bridge to take the funnel and a ¼" hold for the mast (Figure 4).

Paint or gloss the bridge, funnel and mast and then assemble.  The mast and funnel can be just glued into their respective holes or screwed in through the bottom of the boat.  Glue bridge to deck, drill a hole for flag mast and assemble.

This completes the instructions for how to make a wood toy ship.

Until next time,

Happy Crafting!