Place the cork on your work surface so that the smaller end is facing down. The wider or larger end of the cork should be at the top.
Draw a 2-inch-by-2-inch square on a plain piece of paper. Cut out the square and draw a straight line between two opposite corners. This divides your square into two triangles. Cut along this line.
Decorate one of these triangles with any pattern or design of your choice. You could write your name or draw images that are associated with ships, like a skull and cross bones or an anchor.
Make a mark 1/4 inch in from each point of the two corners on the longest side of the triangle.
Use a cocktail stick to pierce a hole through a mark in the paper. Push the cocktail stick back through the paper at the second mark at the other end of the paper triangle. The beginning and end of the cocktail stick will be visible on one side of the paper and the middle of the cocktail stick will be visible on the other side.
Hold on to the cocktail stick with your left hand and use your right thumb and index finger to push the paper up the stick slightly so it forms an arc shape. This will be your sail.
Push the end of the cocktail stick that is not covered by the sail into the cork base. It should be inserted through one-third of the width of the cork. This is your mini ship.
Place the mini ship in a tub of water to sail it.