17 replies to this topic

[cb4]

Well, it has been ages since I've posted anything, but I finally have been working on a new project - and now that it floats, I'm prepared to post a few pictures.

This time I'm building something much more european, and it is intended to be a new cruiser for Captain Redbeard to replace the venerable but aging Black Seas Barracuda. In keeping with that theme, I'm going to try to base the colour scheme on the BSB.

The hull is pretty much complete (the upperworks should be considered a work in progress and the rigging does not exist yet), so here is the buoyancy and stability test. Naturally this won't be possible once the ship is finished, but in the meantime it is a fun exercise and an interesting photo opportunity.

Currently the ship has an extreme beam of 25 studs, and has an overall length of 100 studs.





A couple of the wall panels near the stern got a bit knocked about. Oops.





She floats surprisingly high and has a nice righting moment.

[Sebeus I]

Awesome! I love fact that it's going to be a pirate ship but more than that, this ships looks stunning already .
At first I thought you meant "floating design" figuratively but this is crazy, keep it up!

[Grimmbeard]

Wow, very nice! Cool that it actually floats.

Can't wait for more!

[Yawgmoth]

Incredible design! I had to look twice to realize it really were floating! imagine my surprise when I saw the background was inside a bathtube and it was clear water below decks! :O !!!

Edited by Yawgmoth, 18 February 2013 - 03:54 PM.

[TheLegoDr]

That looks like a very promising start. I don't know much about building my own hull, but this looks awesome. I can't wait to see the finished project.

[Frank Brick Wright]

You are back I'm very happy to see you active again!

Great curves, great shape, great idea and it even belongs to pirates! You have everything to make it a true masterpiece. The way you attached the tumblehome to the hull is specially clever, although I think she would look better tiled. I actually like studs but because you have 4 different colours I think that's a bit too much and tiling could help in terms of smoothness in both shape and colours.

It floats and that is great! It really does float in a high-level. Are you planning to keep the final model floating? How stable is her? For a ship to be stable the CI and CM ought to be as close as possible but you probably know that already (Centre of Impulsion, the center of mass of the displaced fluid, and the overall Centre of Mass). Haven't you felt the need of adding weight near the keel to help that? The more you build in height the less stable she will get though… at least without extra-weight

I'm curious about the outcome of this!   

[Mr. Townsend]

This is very impressive looking.  The shape of the hull from the birds eye looks very nice.  I'll have to agree with Frank that tile would look better, but I'll admit I'm a stud hater.
I very much like the BSB color scheme and enjoy that you'll be keeping to it.  She looks cute in the tub and it makes me wonder if a floating final product could be possible.

I look forward to updates.

[Legonardo]

You are amazing.

[cb4]

Unfortunately I seriously doubt if I can keep the ship stable once it has rigging. The rigging just weighs too much in proportion to the ship. I'm going to try to make everything as light as possible, so there's always hope, but I don't think I can keep the centre of gravity deep enough.

Since you can't see below the water line anything due to optical effects, here are some out of water pictures so that the bottom part of the hull can be seen.











As you can see, the hull is very deep. There is plenty of room for a minifig to stand up down there.

[Perfectionist]

A very nice surprise to have you back; and that is a great project at a nice scale!
I really believe in your hull technique as it seems rather smooth and in many respects most similar to a real ship. I haven't tried it mysel so far though.

The floating test made me laugh, very funny idea.

What I'd like to criticise is the hull shape. The bow is far to sharp and the frigate is lacking the "belly" that is so typical for age of sail ships.

Good luck with her!

[Frank Brick Wright]

I'd agree with Perfectionist on both bow and belly, at least a belly would look nicer (IMO), it indeed is typical but I don't think it is mandatory. The bow though really looks sharp. May I suggest adding another section at the bow? I know you are using sections apart by 8 studs (the perfect distance! ) but perhaps you could place another, just 4/5 studs apart to make the bow look smoother? I think that it is preferable to build sideways as forward as possible. The sheer is stoping at the bow and it should increase, I've used jumpers with some success to keep the vertical curve and soften the horizontal transition.

I really like the frame, it is terrific! How are you planning to access the gundeck once completed?

Edited by Frank Brick Wright, 19 February 2013 - 06:19 PM.

[Sebeus I]

I didn't notice at first (I was to amazed by what I did see   ).
About that sharp bow, perhaps it looks sharper than it is for real ?

cb4, on 19 February 2013 - 07:45 AM, said:

In this picture it looks very sharp but I can imagine that this picture gives a wrong picture, if you know what I mean.
Judging from the pictures I would also think she lacks the belly, maybe I don't see it because great part of the hull is black.
...a cross section would be useful .

Edited by Sebeus I, 19 February 2013 - 06:40 PM.

[kurigan]

Good to see you back, she looks great!

[cb4]

I guess this is what I get for taking closeups!

Allow me to clear up some confusion.







I she still doesn't seem the most bluff-bowed of ships, that's because she's not. I took the lines off the Rattlesnake, an American privateer. Apparently, she was very fast.

I think it's an appropriate model for a ship commanded by Captain Redbeard. This ship will be bigger than the Rattlesnake, but that's only to her benefit due to a higher hull speed.

[Frank Brick Wright]

I guess I've also expressed myself erroneously. I'm not saying the shape is wrong for being too sharp, I'm saying it is too pixelated. Although the thing for me here is that the black line is getting parallel to the waterline while it shouldn't be, the ship's sheer should be increasing and not stabilizing.

[Bart]

it feels like ages that I've been on here myself, and I feel very lucky that I came back during a time that you started a new build in your technique, I certainly will be following your build.
It's already amazing to see that your bare hull is floating so good, and still with some space to spare to increase the draft, as weight adds.
I would love to see an experiment if she floats when you finish her. My personal expectation is that it will sink, but still curious.

about the shape, when you lengthened the design did you lengthen the space between all the frames? or only in the midsection?
and from the stern view it looks to me like she has belly enough.

I'm really looking forward to the continuing of this build

Bart

[Commander Red Hat]

The floating pictures really do it for me, doe you sit with it in the bath every night?

As much as I admire your building skill, I still feel there are 2 things that are not really correct about this ship. But it is of course your ship, it is Lego and it doesn't always have to bee 100% correct. Here are my views:

1. The waterline should be straight, the black line is now curving on the hull.
2. The bow is much to sharp for a frigate of that period, this would be a typical bow for an early 19th century cutter or a late 19th century clipper for example.

Good luck on your second build!

[Admiral Norrington]

Looks great. It's will be a merchant ship?