@dlancast,
Dennis, thanks for this thread, finding it great.
Your efforts are not wasted in posting, let me assure you. I am currently building for an "Eco Challenge" where one has to built a boat that will sail from recycled material.
Inspired by your build and with quite a bit copied from a kit for USS Constiution that I have laying around here, I have got the hull to the point where it would float, and in the last couple of days have got the masts up and just about finished the standing rigging. The hull is 12 x 600ml milk bottles, decks are corflute from an old real estate sign. I am yet to build a bow and stern shape.... Most of it is held together with 50mmm tape - no glue used at all yet...
Doing the standing rigging was just SO much fun...... loved it...
This is definitely NOT a static model it has to sail..