WIP: Galleon or Frigate?

[Hammerhand]

Edited to revise my question

Hey guys, this is my first topic in the pirate forum! Anyways, I wanted to show you guys my current WIP, and ask your opinion on whether it should be a galleon in the manner of the Black Pearl, or if I should lower the stern and make it a frigate? Anyways, the pics aren't the best (seems like I'm always saying that LOL), but I didn't have a big enough background for the ship.

And here's a shot of the custom cannon I made. I haven't seen anyone else use this technique, so I'm pretty proud of it.

Edited August 7, 2014 by Hammerhand

[Moomin]

Looks great! Super build so far - my gut says more galleon than frigate, given the fairly high stern, but I'm a novice!

[plew2000]

The ship looks great. However the cannon really took me by surprise being as you are the first to do that.

[ummester]

Very inventive cannon design - well done

As to galleon vs frigate - I think it depends on the type of sail you put on the mizzen mast.

[Hammerhand]

Looks great! Super build so far - my gut says more galleon than frigate, given the fairly high stern, but I'm a novice!

That's what I was thinking too, but then I was wondering if it would look better if I took off the stern and re-did it more as a frigate?..

The ship looks great. However the cannon really took me by surprise being as you are the first to do that.

Thanks man. I too was surprised that I couldn't find any one else that had used this cannon design (that I've seen anyways).

Very inventive cannon design - well done

As to galleon vs frigate - I think it depends on the type of sail you put on the mizzen mast.

My bad, I realized I didn't word my question quite right. What I meant to ask was would it look better to take off the stern and make it low like most frigates, or to keep it high and make it a galleon?

[Matteo1130]

The ship, as is, looks pretty much like an early 700 frigate. To turn her into a galleon there is a lot of work to be done.. first you have to separate bowcastle and sterncastle by demolishing the middle part of the weather deck., then the overall look has to be rounded, bowsprit pointing higher and possibly with a crows nest.

To me she's beautiful just the way she is, like a frigate..

[Captain Braunsfeld]

I like the overall design.

(and the historical experts may decide what type of ship it might be)

Custom cannon is good!

And there is a monkey

[kurigan]

Though you could continue to build her up in to something like a galleon she seems a bit small for that. A pinnace, which is similar in shape and configuration to a galleon but on a smaller scale, would seem more the thing (re: Kalmar Nyckel). I could be I'm bias, but to my eye, this seems a hull better suited to something more modern. Perhaps not quite a frigate but something in the 18th/19th century line for sure. If you take the modern tack, I'd suggest moving that formast back making more room for head sails to create a convincing profile. I might also suggest eliminating the mizzen altogether and going for a brig. If earlier vessels interest you more I'd suggest easing the transition from stern castle to waist with more steps down. As she is, the abrupt upward ark feels awkward and back heavy. As stated above, a forecastle is also required, even if it's only slightly higher. If your lazy, like me, the modern approach seems like less (re)construction.

Of course this question depends heavily on your ship's employment. There are a host of questions, that if addressed first, would cause the answer here to fall much more easily in to place. Simply speaking, having a vision ahead of time is paramount and reference material is indispensable. 

Questions like: What is your vessel's role, I.e. merchant or man-of-war? For that matter what manner of war ship, privet, illegal (pirate) or national? Then consider, of what nationality, era and area of operation? Is there a story you're trying to tell, fantasy to portray or historic ship you seek to replicate? 

Answer these such questions for yourself and make a plan. If your adjusted vision doesn't match what you already have, fret not. The beauty of Lego is that it can be rebuilt with ease and at little cost. 

[Mister Phes]

A frigate all the way!

My knowledge of MOC ships is fairly limited however.

[Matteo1130]

Apparently this MOC comes just in time, considering the post I wrote elsewhere:

http://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=98453

In your shoes I would try a "flint's walrus" images search

Maybe with a balcony on the stern and opening part of the weather deck...

[Hammerhand]

The ship, as is, looks pretty much like an early 700 frigate. To turn her into a galleon there is a lot of work to be done.. first you have to separate bowcastle and sterncastle by demolishing the middle part of the weather deck., then the overall look has to be rounded, bowsprit pointing higher and possibly with a crows nest.

To me she's beautiful just the way she is, like a frigate..

Thanks man! I've decided to eliminate the galleon option now.

I like the overall design.

(and the historical experts may decide what type of ship it might be)

Custom cannon is good!

And there is a monkey

Glad you like the cannon and the monkey!

Though you could continue to build her up in to something like a galleon she seems a bit small for that. A pinnace, which is similar in shape and configuration to a galleon but on a smaller scale, would seem more the thing (re: Kalmar Nyckel). I could be I'm bias, but to my eye, this seems a hull better suited to something more modern. Perhaps not quite a frigate but something in the 18th/19th century line for sure. If you take the modern tack, I'd suggest moving that formast back making more room for head sails to create a convincing profile. I might also suggest eliminating the mizzen altogether and going for a brig. If earlier vessels interest you more I'd suggest easing the transition from stern castle to waist with more steps down. As she is, the abrupt upward ark feels awkward and back heavy. As stated above, a forecastle is also required, even if it's only slightly higher. If your lazy, like me, the modern approach seems like less (re)construction.

Of course this question depends heavily on your ship's employment. There are a host of questions, that if addressed first, would cause the answer here to fall much more easily in to place. Simply speaking, having a vision ahead of time is paramount and reference material is indispensable.

Questions like: What is your vessel's role, I.e. merchant or man-of-war? For that matter what manner of war ship, privet, illegal (pirate) or national? Then consider, of what nationality, era and area of operation? Is there a story you're trying to tell, fantasy to portray or historic ship you seek to replicate?

Answer these such questions for yourself and make a plan. If your adjusted vision doesn't match what you already have, fret not. The beauty of Lego is that it can be rebuilt with ease and at little cost.

Wow, this actually really helps a lot, thanks Kurigan! My vision for this ship was that she would be a privateer vessel, probably in the employ of England in the mid 18th century, but beyond that I hadn't really thought about it much. The reason for the galleon/frigate dilemma was that I wanted it to look somewhat professional, like a British Navy ship, while having something to distinguish it, so that it looks like it was a bit "customized", hence the high stern, if that makes sense? But maybe I should just cut the high stern and go completely frigate? Some of my inspiration for this ship was the Edinbourgh trader and the HMS providence from POTC if that helps. At least, I was going for their overall shape, minus the stern.

One thing I have decide I need to do is lower the sides of the ship, along with the gun ports, as they're a bit to high, making her seem too squat. And you're definitely right about the stern being to abrupt, so I'm going to take that off.

A frigate all the way!

My knowledge of MOC ships is fairly limited however.

Thanks Mister Phes, I'm definitely leaning toward frigate.

Apparently this MOC comes just in time, considering the post I wrote elsewhere:

http://www.eurobrick...showtopic=98453

In your shoes I would try a "flint's walrus" images search

Maybe with a balcony on the stern and opening part of the weather deck...

This is actually more what I was originally going for, so that's pretty helpful!