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Great to see another official office in Arlinsport - hopefully the upcoming MRCA results will give him plenty to count and administer! I like the idea, and I think the execution is good too. It is on the simple side, but it works well. For future interiors, you could try the corner approach, where you build teo of the walls. That gives you more options for decoration, and we have seen many nice examples so far.

I like the three-tired approach, with the open storehouse on the ground floor, the closer, more liveable second floor, and the roof filled with wares. It is a very realistic setup. And of course, the colour works really well. It is nice to see commerce is booming! I approve!

"Other things"? What madness is this?

Good job with the index, Maxim - I doubt any of us could have foreseen the amount of ships growing so fast here! I will try to do as you propose for my next vessels.

Well, I see how that would make the choice seem rather obvious... Well, on the upside, I am not smart enough to realise how stupid I was not to see that...

I must be stupid - I was most definitely surprised at this choice...

Ah, I follow. Something like this? Certainly, I take most of my reference at a later period. However, I do find that most of the vessel here look more like those from the later ages, probably due to their more less curvy hulls and straighter lines. But of course, this is lego afterall!

I don't think she can be a snow, without the "third mast", but there are some confusion about the way you damned colonists have misused a number of terms... You raise an interesting point with the foremost mast being the mainmast, though - I had overlooked that. I should say that actually makes her ketch-rigged, putting an end to the discussion! And I am going to ask for some pictures or links or something on the sterncastle discussion. I can't find anything under frigatesize with anything approaching a sterncastle, except for carracks, cogs or caravels.

Sounds good, Ska. I would like to give some inputs on the ship-list - thanks! And you are most welcome to copy my charter write-up, which was used on the Sulky Harlequin and the Purple Rain. (Maybe I should start charging people for my services... ) About the spanker: Yes, it is controlled from the Quarterdeck. And as it swings out (and has a large area), carrying it too high has some unhealthy consequences for stability and stiffness! It would be fun to see her re-rigged, but don't feel obliged. I would suggest custom sails though. Simple paper answers fine, I find. And I do have plans for how to spend the excess money I have in the bank, so no worries - They do depend on the outcome of the MRCA, though!

Really? I thought you had plenty of spare time... Sarkasm aside, I think we can do with anecdotal evidence, and our experience from here and GoH, for instance. Too little activity sucks, but too much can be a headache too, at least if you want to comment on all builds!... Well, if you want comments and critique, waiting might be an advantage... However, in the next few days we might see another influx - from all the people, who, like me, delays their posts until the new month, to get the 10 dbs!

Interesting design, Titus. I like the tiled decks, and small door to the cabin. Further, from the back, the cabin is very well integrated, and it is good that you did not raise the quarterdeck with the full height of a minifig, but instead have the cabin lowered into the hull. This would work very well on a larger vessel. Typically, though, small vessels (up to frigate, or indiamen-sized vessel) would all be flushdecked, i.e. with no sterncastle. (Exceptions are very few brigs, and the older types like carracks, caravels, and cogs) It seems to me that people are generally very keen on building sterncastles, even though they are a rarety on many shiptypes! You have also tried to give the bow a nice shape, but I think this is more a valuable lesson for you, than a perfect result. She is rather boxy, and the missing bowsprit underlines this "boxy-ness". In fact, I disagree with you. The cabin issue (described above) aside, the stern looks more right to me than the bows. I think you should work more with the general shape of the hull (KB's vessels are great examples - I am not saying we all need to reach his level, but they give a very nice view of the typical shapes), which I am also sure you will do in the future. And now, the rigging. In short, that sail would get her next to nowhere. It most of all looks like a jury-rig. (Something set up after the real rigging has been lost in battle or a storm, made from whatever spars and sailcloth is available.) First thing to note is the location of the mast. That far back, it is going to work like a spear heavy in the wrong end - it wont fly straight! You will need to consider the total sail pressure and the forces it puts on the hull. It sounds complicated, but it really isn't - the sail plan simply need to be balance. You will need to push the mast forward. For a sloop, it would have to go almost to the foremost soldier, while a cutter (with more emphasis on foresails) would carry it around the position of the other afmost knight. For a lateen rig, or a single square sail (a cog, basically), the mast should be in between those two positions. For your next vessels, I would probably start with either a sloop or a single lateen rig, as they are the simplest. (Apart from a single square, but that is no good for anything but sailing before the wind) You will need a bigger sail, and a taller (and slimmer ) mast. I would suggest looking here, and at some pictures of the type you are trying to replicate. And of course, to take inspiration from the builds of others, and the feedback they get. (Yes, with all these builds I do feel like I am reusing the same comments a lot! ) It occurs to me that while buildings and vehicles are very familiar to most people, most people have next to no idea of how a sailing ship works! (Which is perfectly ok, of course - I was raised by a sailor, and have sailed abit myself, so I am probably the true freak here! ) I don't think I ever realised this before entering BoBS

Skalandia Major and Minor, Occident and Orient? Skania? Skandia? We need search no more - we have all the names we will ever need right there! ;) Edit: I thought I had done a pretty good job on commenting, but now half the builds on the front page are as yet uncommented :O I might have to limit myself somehow, to be able to keep up! :/

Another impressive vessel from the Ska-shipyards! I really wasn't expecting to see all these large ships so soon, and my class 4 will be dwarfed by many of the ships already licensed now! (In fact, I have felt inclined to already now start drafting up a 28 gun frigate...) It may soon be necessary to expand the vessel-classes available! (Let me know if this is a task you should like some assistance with. I think I can contribute to that, if needed ) And now to the vessel itself: I quite like the red hull, with the dark grey sides - it goes well together. And while the log bricks somewhat suggests vertical planking, I think they give the hull some nice texture. I like the sterncastle, with its two tiers of windows, and the arches, slopes, and general shape of the cabin is really nice. It looks very stately, and I am sure it offers a lot of comfort for the captain! I do think it is on the high side, but it doesn't strike out near as much here, as it did on the Bull Shark. As to rigging, I like your explanation of buying spares from other ships, and I won't comment much on this. The spanker sail is carried very high though, and I would definitely bring it down far enough only just to leave headroom for the helmsman. There are few issues with the proportion of the squaresails, but I put that down to the issue of finding fitting sails - typically for an Eslandolian settlement not to have a proper sailmaker! Great ship anyhow! A shame I wasn't fast enough to by a share!

That is a nice little sloop. I really like how you have kept her whole build low to the water, and your slightly raised quarterdeck over a low-roofed cabin is basically what I have suggested others to do to improve the look of their vessels. A few, hopefully useful, comments on rigging. I would like to have a better overview picture from the side, but I will comment based on what I see. Basicly, you have done very well in rigging, and that brown paper works rather well, both in texture and stiffness. However, on proportions: I think your mainsail (the fore-and-aft sail/spanker) is on the small side. I would bring the boom down to only just leave headroom on the quarterdeck, and probably extend it to reach at least the position of the wheel. As this is a sloop, the main propulsion comes from the mainsail, so it should be larger. Alternatively, you could move the mast backwards, and add more jibs up front, and it would be a cutter, which relies more on a balance between the main sail and foresails (jibs). You squaresail, on the other hand, seems to be too large. I would suggest raising the lower yardarm, so that it only has half the current size. Then you could possibly add another squaresail below it, as some sloops and cutters did. All in all, nice sloop, and I like the cargo on deck, and the crew (and dog ) too. Well done! I approve!

She would have been a brig if the square had been a square - a snow is technically a three masted vessel, as it carries a small trysail mast just abaft the main-mast, on which its spanker sail is carried. Without the trysail mast, it is brig rigged.

And good harbours and great mineral wealth inland. In fact, probably only a scientific empire like Corrington has the means to exploit this, in a place where doubloons or Gods will be od no use.... ;)

We Corlanders do not fear rumours, and should a disease show its ugly face, we see it as an opportunity for research. (And to drink ridiculous amounts of G&T ;) ) I am certain we shall tame the island to serve our designs! Regarding names, I am still in the thinking box, but will return once that yields something. @Ska: I would probably have liked to invest in your vessel, but you really didn't give much leeway in terms of deadline ;) Glad Mike could reply with such short notice! (Although that Coyle shipping company seems to get involved in almost everything these days :P)

That is a nice looking vessel, Ska, and definitely one with a bite to match its bark! I am sure she is what would have been termed a gun-brig. Are those long guns or carronades? For long guns, a brig would probably carry 8 or 12 pounders, while it could be 18 pounders for carronades. I like the two-part bowsprit, and the placement of the masts look pretty much spot on. (The mizzen could possibly be placed a little further forward.) I wonder a bit at her rigging. You state yourself that she is a brig, but she seems to carry a lateen yard over the spanker sail on the mizzen. I have never seen this configuration before, but it might simply be a squaresail-yard that hasn't been squared and braced properly? For your next vessels, I would suggest doing away with the cabin, at least as long as they are not shiprigged. Most smaller vessels were flush-decked. (Exceptions are the early types: Caravels, cogs, carracks) Flush-decked vessels would of course still have a cabin, but it would be below deck. Overall very nice recovery from your childhood(?) - and as always, nice to see an addition to the Royal Navy of Corrington!

This is a beautiful building, and it took me a while to figure out how you did the big grating on the front! The overall architecture is really nice, and I will be looking forward to seeing it furnished, when the surgeon moves in. And the white glove ornament is cool too, although it seems to me odd that the order would advertise their involvement... I would say this is an artisan, as it is a craft more than a commercial service. Montoya will probably check in, should he be on An Tolli, since he is always interested in meeting other surgeons! I approve.

I like the simple facade for a workshop, and the interior is good too. The wagon under construction is a great touch, although I hope they have a larger gate at the back, as I doubt it will get out through the door!

Nice cutter, Faladrin! I like her colourscheme, and I think you have achieved a pretty good hull shape, especially around the bows. The middle section of the hull (with the snot and tumblehome) does look a bit rough compared to the smoothness of the rest. You have also managed to integrate the cabin better into the hull. However, I think it will be very hard to find a real life example of a cutter with a cabin over the deck. The smallest vessels with these were brigs, and for brigs, it would still be out of the ordinary. Normally, everything below ship rigged would be flush decked (Thus having the cabin below deck). Within creative license, though, this works pretty well. I wonder at the two "gunports" at her side. You write specifically that she only has the one gun, but still, there seems to be ports for another two (per side) You have captured a lot of nice details with your rigging, for instance the topsail above the gaff. A few comments are in order, though. 1) The bowsprit has a very steep angle. Without increasing the size of the jibs, I would suggest steeping it much closer to horisontal. 2) The gaff (the spar on the top of the mainsail) should probably be steeper (20-30 degrees), and the mast a bit higher. Fixing those two issues would make her rigging seem more natural and balance, I think. Overall, nice build - I like how you are trying a different technique from the poor Appleseed, and I will be looking forward to seeing where your experience and the feedback you get will take you! I approve.

Cool little vessel, Nivremis. Those wings work surprisingly well for wings, although it is a somewhat unorthodox vessel! I like the inclusion of "non-european" vessels and characters, and I am really looking forward to seeing the flagship! The brickbuilt hull looks nice, and that dragon's head looks very imposing - I half expect its mouth to open and fire to spew out! (Greek fire, perhaps?) I think 1F would be a suitable license for a vessel this size. Well done!

Nice idea and well executed. As this is your fifth freebuild, the requirements for my approval are a bit steeper, but I like this one. I approve

Considering the modest amount of fox holes I have dug myself, (and more so ordered dug...) I really like this entry. You have executed it very well, and the idea is great too. I don't really have any suggestions for improvement, other than that it could be cool to see on a larger scale, if we ever get into a war! :)

Erhm... Whoops! Then I don't approve, but I still really like it! ;)