Wellesley

Just found it on Youtube. I'm sure most of you know the replica by now, so I don't write much about it. I'll post the existing forum threads about her below, if someone wants to read them. Laurent Le Berre talks about his LEGO model of the 1779 Hermione French warship at Paredes de Coura Fan Weekend in Portugal. The Hermione is famous for carrying General Lafayette to the United States in 1780 during the American Revolutionary War:

The standing rigging is nearly finished. Im just not happy with the headspars. Will extend the bowsprit and therefore shorten the jibboom. Overall length is good in my opinion. The positions of the stays of course will change too. @TomSkippy and @Professor Thaum: From here on I will show pictures of how I do the ratlines. Could take a while, because I need some bricks first before I continue with rigging. Please tell me, if there are any other parts you want photos of. Instead of using a single dolphin striker, I might go with this splayed version, seen on the USS Constitution. I don't know, if it has the exact same function or even is called the same. Couldn't really find a lot of information about it so far. The reason, why initially I had to splay it, no longer matters, but I wanted to try it anyways. Another thing that bothers me is the mounting of the spritsail yard on the USS Constitution. Being a sail, that is only used on a quiet sea and maybe around 2 or 3 Bft (that is only my speculation!), it could be working when easing the rig below. Many of the models and paintings I've seen rigged it like seen below, which makes more sense to me. I will rig it again like this, still the question remains. @Legostone Any new preview shots of this project?: @TomSkippy What is the part used for the muzzles of the cannons?:

All sorts of tea I guess. Not a big fan of alcohol anymore and coffee almost counts as a meal for me. But actually I simply go with water. After a day or more without drinking everything and just walking, the first drops were the most tasty stuff and the best drinking experience I've ever had. @tavern room: Just found this cute little picture: Edit: Now I'm hooked!

Thanks for the recommendation. Perhaps it works, if I put the fort more into the middle of the island, near the mountains, for it is not built on stilts. It was supposed to stand alone anyways, just being under the administration of the nearest city. But now I'm keen on building on stilts!

Thanks everyone! That is a good advice. I never thought about others maybe having another reading mentality, not wanting to click the links to look at the pictures on flickr. I could start having a big teaser picture and putting the rest into a spoilerbox, as long as it is not relevant for storytelling. It also was the most fun to build. Actually no, they are supposed to be little carronades, mounted on a sledge-like carriage. They are shrunken versions of @Admiral Bejaune's simple carronade.

@The Neighborhood Merchant That is a truly wonderful start. The colour scheme will be no problem as we are in a fantasy universe and every owner can paint its ship like he wants. The train gates were one of the first details I spotted and I like them. The beakhead could be just a little bit thinner in my opinion. Also I wouldn't stretch the gap between the gunports because of the ladder. You would have to be very sure about it, if wanting to change it though, because you would have to shorten the entire hull for two studs or lenghten it for four and adding another gunport. I don't know about the internal structure but that could mean some time-consuming work. The mast placements seem a bit odd to me. But I think placing the main mast just one or two studs more towards the bow would do the trick. Would like to have some comparable pictures of that. You also could change the angle of the bowsprit, lowering it. But overall, a very solid frigate, Glad, you're joining the Redcoats:) @LM71Blackbird Also a very neat "frigate" (a few guns more and we could call her that in real life, but I think we can keep the term for the BoBs). I'm a bit confused about the first gunports. Could we have some pictures from the front? Maybe setting back all gunports by two studs could work. Thus the last one would also be closer to the cabin. The mast positions look fine but for the fore- and mainmast some extra height wouldn't hurt. @Roadmonkeytj is right, the black panther as a figurehead can work, but not this way. Unfortunately I can't give you a good idea how to integrate it more right now. @The Neighborhood Merchant and @LM71Blackbird For both of you I just followed my guts and I tried to give advice that is more or less easily integrable, while not destroying your own building style. Oh yes, I have seen some. I would never had expected it to work, especially with two decks, but some managed to pull it off.

This is my second entry for the Oaken Shield task "Gunboats for the Colonies" of the GoC-challenge. To Rear-Admiral Fletcher Commander of the Royal Terra Novan Fleet In regards to your call for a naval arms race I have been experimenting with different vessel types that can mount a heavy 32-pounder gun on an turnable traversing carriage. The result is a vessel with immane firepower that can protect harbours and patrol rivers due to its small draft. Behind the mast is enough place to further carry up to four additional carronades or cannons. Unfortunately the vessel is not able to make open sea voyages. That is why enclosed you will find the plans as well as an extra copy to give to a shipwright in reach of the location, where it is needed. I hope the design meets with your approval. Your humble servant, Jorin Farrensman Shipwright of Hvalfanghimr The carriage can easily be turned by just changing the positions of the Clip Light Plates (4081b):

Thanks! Forgot to give credit to bricktothepast.com for the goats. But I gladly take the compliment on the sock and the windows:)

Location: Arlinsport, Tiberia Type: Medium Artisan. After weeks at sea Nathaniel Stienhouwer arrives in Tiberia. Though not knowing the land, he is not aimlessly waiting at the docks. A neighbouring family back from Hvalfanghimr had given him his first "small mission". To carry a package to their daughter Annetta Farrensman, working in the "Juniper's Inn". Asking locals he was guided landwards to the grassy parts of the island, where a lot of the plantations and ranches are placed. The last days he mainly looked forward to meet his old childhood friend again, even forgetting his dreams of becoming a medalled soldier. A joyful reunion. Also introducing my third minifigure, Annetta Farrensman. The "Juniper's Inn" was founded by a Corlander, who lost his home in the Juniper Provinces during the war. I'm sorry for not having any ground texture, will have to destroy some other builds soon to create better scenery. Also there is no interior:/

Hey, I've taken some photos of this fortification for the "Redcoats Rule!" task. It is supposed to be more like a camp or base than an armed fort. Sitting deep in the jungle, it serves as a safe resting place for troops and a supply station. My question is where to best put it? I need a (preferably rather uncharted) region with a lot of tropical jungle. I included a Myzec scout, but that doesn't mean it have to be on Cascadia. Also I would like to know, if it will be accepted before making its own entry.

While actually it is another ship, they are quite the same. They are probably based on the same instruction files. It really is a beauty. To build a first rate ship is one of the dreams I have. But I will probably have to let another decade pass before even planning to do so. What I always wanted to do (also changing it on other models:P) is using different gunports for the first guns of the second battery. Like seen here. Small black shutters and yellow holders work perfectly, already tried.

Now I stumbled across this on e-bay: https://www.bricklink.com/v2/search.page?q=duplo mast#T=A Since Duplo is semi-compatible I thought I post it. Maybe someone can benefit from the mast pieces for a bigger vessel.

And already another one:) Great Gunboat, I like that the bow works that well with the rectangular angle. Also a nice flag (at least in the digital version:D) Though you actually wouldn't need a rudder with a rowing crew, I would recommend you a side-ruder(?) like this: Nice hats, they look as if the are from some grandma-figure?:D Good use, sailors often had a stripe with their ship's name written on tied around their hat. I'm just not sure, how common that practice was and when it really started.

@The Neighborhood Merchant 6 mid hulls are perfectly fine. Don't think, I would go with more. I wanted to use 7 on my frigate, but it became too long and narrow. I had to brick-build some broader sections. I would appreciate, if you'd send me some photos and thanks for the kind words.

That's a neat little anchor. I like it. I'm glad the GoC-challenge bears fruits. Time that Our Navy gets hegemony over the sea.

Here is a little preview of the upcoming Gunboat for the Oaken Shield task: I will add a spanker and maybe a gaff topsail. The gun is a prototype, I will try to build a turnable sledge.

Oh yes, didn't see that. Looks great.

Great build! Good to know our rum supply is backed. Don't have to worry then, if posting new ships.

Thanks @all, I will consider it (leaving it as it is). So far my self-criticism worked out in my favour. Otherwise I wouldn't have had such development. Still I sometimes look at the frigate from the side and wonder, if the foremast is placed a bit too much astern, the beakhead maybe extends about one stud or so too much, making the headrails a bit pointy and so on. On the other hand there are certain design flaws or changes I don't mind at all. Yes sure, that works as well. The good thing is, that you are not limited with the height. I tried to use some for the Ymir but encountered another problem. I usually build my tops with the studs pointing towards the bow. Thus I need the cross-shape of the axle to hold their orientation. If you build them out of plates, connected directly to the studs of the mast, it won't be a problem. Are there any pictures so we can get some idea about the scale? I would use (one of) the 1x1 solution(s). To be honest, I'm also a big fan of the old LEGO mast pieces. Maybe I will use them on a smaller ship once, will have to see, what I still got, gifted most of the prefab ship elements to a nephew. On my old frigate I had a solution to use two of the middle parts above one another: Don't know, if you can see it, but I made the tops bigger and the second middle part is simply held by the shrouds. @topic A while ago I built this little felucca: I wanted to wait with posting it as long as I only had one dark grey ladder. But I can't find another one, maybe it is the only one I got. So here you go. I had a lot of different ideas and tries with the Fabuland Rowboat and so far this is the best I could come up with.

The closer I get to the end, the more I am concerned about the mast colouring. Right now I don't have black round 2x2 bricks, that is why the masts are held completely in yellow. Should I buy some black bricks to change it more towards this?: Here you have a full view for better impression. I should start using crosstrees on the topmasts for the next projects.

This is looking great! The colours, the shape, the railing... and not to forget the nostalgia aspect of it. Only concern I have is the one that usually pops up, when someone is using a prefab bow. It is just too thick and destroys the continuity of the white curvature. Though this dark brown one already is the new version, right? Isn't the bottom part flat? Maybe there is a more elegant solution. And what I just have spotted, you stretched the gap between the gun ports where the ladder is. I personally wouldn't do that. Overall, really beautiful, hope to see more of it soon!

Don't confuse yourself with your wallet:P I'm in the same boat though.

For the Ymir I used axles of up to 32 studs length, which I just discovered. This way the masts didn't break even without rigging. For taller ships, when I have to use several axles (on my SoTL actually because I didn't know such long axles exist) I often glue the segments where the axles meet. You made some great progress on your ships! That should work. I have bad experience with only using rigging. Because of their angle the rig always have some tension towards the side, breaking the mast really fast. The flex tube would permit that and once you have a more complete rig, with ropes to several points, the mast should be held in place. If you use flex tube on 1x1 masts, you also can add some curvature.

A belated welcome @DonRamon1981!

@Roadmonkeytj I have no answer to that, other than it might be more clear, when having a set routine. I myself use other rules. I always belay the inner ropes first, and the outer ones according to their placement, so I never unnecessarily have rope getting in the way. If I rig starboard or portside first, depends on the position of the yards I intend, starting with the side, where there will be the tension. In this case I first belayed the pins next to the mainmast on starboard, because here are the braces that pull the yards of the foremast back. On the other hand I belayed the pins next to the foremast first on portside, because here the braces would pull the yards of the mainmast forward.