WIP: Medium sized vessel, advice needed

[ScurveyJ]

Hi All,

I am a little new here, but I was once a lego fanatic as a little kid. I remember I used to make a new lego model of my own design and bring it to school each week for show and tell. Now that I am an adult, I am getting back into it. However, my lego collection is still at my parents house, a 12 hour drive away, so I am forced to work with limited means. That of course means the LDD. I do have a few models currently gracing my bookshelf, but I need to broaden the fleet:

Since I don't have many bricks at my disposal right now, I have been designing mostly using LDD. My original plan was to use the 'buy model' function, but it seems like people are like using bricklink more. My first question is how would I take the information in my LDD model and find out what part numbers I need to order? Is there like an 'export piece list command' or something? If not, that would be handy.

In any case, I am sort at a sticking point with my ship. I had originally planned on using some old prefab Skull's Eye Schooner hull pieces I bought at a yardsale for the hull, and then buy everything else new. I had planned on a 2 deck, 2 mast Schooner or Ketch. I made a template that would stand in place for the pre-fab hulls that I would NOT need to purchase, since I would be using the pre-fab hulls. The reason the colors are soooo... odd is because I wanted them to be unavailable colors for purchase, so that I could easily delete them all at once, and I wanted to see the different layers.

When I started building more, I imported the model into the regular non-extended mode, so that I would be sure that I could buy all the pieces. That explains why the bottom of the boat is missing in the pics below.

First off, most of my inspiration for this ship has come from you guys on this site. I have aimed to be realistic, but haven't really been trying to replicate any particular design or anything. There is still a lot to be done obviously, but I wanted you guy's advice.

I built a pretty large storage area below decks, but I realized that my hatch was in a bad place, so I took it out and will have to put another in. Building up another deck above what I have now seems like maybe the wrong idea, so maybe I will just have one deck and the storage deck below. I also have been trying to make the whole thing easily disassembled to show the interior and such. The extra pieces on the sides are just there for easy access, or little things I will add on later. Anyways, take a look and let me know what you think.

[Hiawatha]

It's looking good! I can't wait to see the finished product!

[Sir E Fullner]

Are you thinking about adding some brick-built cannons?

[ScurveyJ]

Are you thinking about adding some brick-built cannons?

I definitely think I will add some cannns. I need to figure out where I am putting the hatch to the 'storage deck' below, and how big it will be. I also need to decide if it will have one gun deck, or if I will be able to make it look decent and have another on top.

Thanks guys. I will post more when I have worked on it more.

[Skipper]

Looks pretty good so far. I do have a few suggestions.

Even if you're not trying to replicate a specific ship, they all had the same basic characteristics. I'm no expert either but my main suggestions here are to condense the stern gallery and change the red bricks below cabin level to black or brown, usually brighter colors like red would be used in the gundeck stripe. If you're planning to make a two decker you'll probably need to increase the length to avoid stubbiness.

Just some suggestions. Welcome back to the hobby, enjoy your first ship, and I can't wait to see it in brick.

Is there like an 'export piece list command' or something?

Superkalle made one here.

[ScurveyJ]

I have been pretty busy lately and haven't had much time to work on my ship. However, I made a push today, and thought I would share the results. I still plan to do some reworking of colors and stuff, but I have been trying to work with the Red and Brown hull pieces I have. Of course they are not in the LDD pictures, but they will be there when I make the ship for real.

A shot of the windlass and where the foremast will go. I am undecided if I will use a brick-build mast or use the prefab ones. Iwill just have to see what I think looks better.

That is what I have so far for the headrails. When I actually make it, the figurehead will be at a different angle, but it was hard to do in LDD.

Lastly, an image showing how the decks have come along. I obviously decided that one gundeck was enough. I think with the large stowage bay below decks (and the opening hatch) 1 deck is plenty. I like to think that maybe this ship will be a merchant vessel, though larger and more heavily armed than any of the other ships currently in my fleet. My largest concern for the moment is that you can see through parts of the bow. That might be a problem I have to solve when I get it built.

As of right now, the LDD price is just over $200, so once I finish I might design some more modest boats before taking the leap and buying this sucker.

[Sebeus I]

The red and brown hull parts you have, are those the ones from the Skull's Eye Schooner ?

If so that's good, colors would work well then I think

[ScurveyJ]

The red and brown hull parts you have, are those the ones from the Skull's Eye Schooner ?

If so that's good, colors would work well then I think

As a matter of fact they are. I bought them off of ebay on the cheap as I am trying to build up a supply of piratey bricks.

[ScurveyJ]

Update Bump

I put in some more time on it today. It is pretty close to being a finished design. I think I like the look of three masts. I used brick built masts so far, just so I could see what I was working with. When I actually build it, I will probably use a combination of brick built masts and prefab ones.

I did put a basic interior in the cabin, with two tables, two chairs, a cabinet, and a bunk for the captain. I hadn't ever seen a bunk in the cabin before so I don't know if it is historically accurate or not, but it just sort of happened when I was designing it. There is also a staircase that goes below to the storage area.

Speaking of historical accuracy, I am not sure what you would call a ship with three masts, one behind the wheel, or if that even makes a difference. I guess depending on the sail setup I use, it could be a Brig or a Clipper?

I am not really that obsessed with making it into a specific type of ship as long as it looks plausible. The LDD price is $265 so I am going to have to think real long and hard about whether or not its worth purchasing. I might just buy a bunch of bricks off BL and use this as an inspiration for something else... Or I may actually just build this one because I do like the way it looks.

Let me know what you guys think.

EDIT:

I just realized it might make more sense to have the wheel on the main deck. Do you think that would be too far forward?

Edited November 5, 2011 by ScurveyJ