WIP: El Centurion (Galleon)

[Captain Braunsfeld]

[pid][/pid] 159C

Buenos dias!

This time my first attempt based on Greenhair's wisdom has been manned with Spanish troops, so it probably has to be called a Galleon.

I also think that an "HMS Centurion" has already been done. Therefore here we have "El Centurion"!

You may ask, why I call this "work in progress" while all key ingredients are there?

The key reason is that I am quite unhappy with the sails but frankly, I do not have a good idea what they should look like...

(And it may be a reference to my missing skills in photo-editing )

I have chosen Spanish soldiers from different sources and times:

As you may notice I have varied from the famous tutorial in places.

That is, I go outward by half a stud and also by one full stud (using inverted slopes underneath).

This look ok to me (could have been worse...) - let's hear your feedback.

Some features, which might not be visible at first glance:

There is a hold underneath the lower deck which is accessible (floor covered with tiles) and which then can hold the Spanish silver.

The roof of the captain's cabin is removable so you can see his desk, etc.

By the way, this is of course one key element of my ships: My children must be interested in playing with them. Therefore I have cut down on rigging, etc. which would make playing and access to the lower deck, etc. more difficult.

So, there you go with "El Centurion".

Once I have a good idea regarding the sails, I will post an update.

[kabel]

There are definetely some nice features in this, like the bow section or the cabin. Anyway, I think for a Galleon it is too short and a tiny bit too chubby.

[Kolonialbeamter]

I agree with what Kabel said. One key feature of a galleon design is the latin rigging of (at least) a third mast. Also, the hull to me more resembles that of a frigate (since you sticked to CGH's tutorial), but it's too short. Adding Spaniards as a crew is not enough to call it a galleon. I suggest you have a look at the Pirates' Master Index, there are some nice galleon MOCs out here for further inspiration! Apart from that, she's a decent little ship! Did you go for custom midsections? If so, would you mind to present your solution? Looks like a promising idea!

Keep it up!

[C-Had18]

I agree that it is too short to be a galleon. But to me, it looks like a Sebeus' Intersector style brig, not a frigate. I really like the stern. It looks like the same one used in the CGH tutorial.

[Captain Braunsfeld]

Ok, ok, I agree - it is not a galleon.

So I probably need to remove all the Spanish guys on board...

Still, the main thing for me was to try out something based on the famous CGH tutorial (hence the stern...).

And I need to do something about the sails (especially as they also differ in colour....)

[kabel]

The Spanish soldiers are actually rather 16th century whereas CBB's tutorial is more 18th/early 19th century. So if you want to build something for these Spanish guys you should focus on a caravel or carack which is doable with two midsections. For example Columbus' Santa Maria (a carrack) wasn't any longer than 25/26 meters and had a width/lenght ratio of more or less 1/3. She's actually what I based the carrack on you can find in my signature. However, it does follow CBB's tutorial as well!

[Sebeus I]

Nicely done,

as for the ship's type I think it classifies as a brig, which is generally defined as a two masted ship with square sails,

the ship MOCs are indexed according to sail plan here at Classic Pirates.

Yet, by the general shape of your ship it could indeed go for a Galleon if it had the third lateen rigged mast.

Either way, don't worry about it too much, it's only terminology.

The ship, whatever the type, looks nice and that's far more relevant .

Overall shape looks good, a decorated stern.

I would have liked to see the jib attached properly, the Imperial flagship is a very bad example for that matter .

...But to me, it looks like a Sebeus' Intersector style brig...

All Ship-moccers remember this term; a Sebeus' Intersector slyle brig

[Captain Braunsfeld]

I need to answer some of your questions:

@Kolonialbeamter: "Did you go for custom midsections? If so, would you mind to present your solution? Looks like a promising idea!"

Yes, apparently I did. I just did not have the standard midsections, so I had to improvise.

This is what it looks like (and I also ran out of inverted red slopes which you might tell from the picture )

I used technic bricks and disguised them with red tiles. Then I applied my half-a-stud one-full-stud approach.

@Kabel: I just love your "Rose of Asgard"! How did you stabilize the mast?

[kabel]

Hey captn,

Your lack of midsections explains a few things. I could trade you two old brown ones if you'd like to. As for the mast, stabilizer one are technic axles and secondary enforcement is the rigging. Overall so stable it even survives Belgian motoways!

[Kolonialbeamter]

... Belgian motorways...

Clever way to improvise! Sure, it sucks not to have all the necessary parts at hand, but you managed your way around this obstacle quite successfully. Thanks for sharing!

Regards

[MassEditor]

I love the color scheme on this ship. Very striking! I might have to "borrow" that middle lamp design too...

Great improvisation on the hull too!

Edited February 3, 2014 by MassEditor

[pcvando]

It is always hard to build around a lack of the right parts, I have found myself in this situation before...

I like the ship, it has a "cute" but deadly look to it ;)

I would suggest maybe giving it red sails? Maybe to compliment the red hull.

Keep up the great work!

[larsyuipo]

I like it

[Captain Braunsfeld]

Hi guys, here is an update.

I managed to find a solution for the missing sail design - I used the TLG approach as presented by the Sea Cow.

I think I will apply this approach to other ships of mine.

Another addition: custom made cannons:

(they had been missing on the lower deck)

One more picture:

So, what do you think?

[Sebeus I]

Although I don't think the sea cow's sails are actually meant for sailing, their rounded shape make it look as if the wind is actually blowing in them.

It enhances the dynamic appearance of the ship.

However, If you would want a historical accurate ship they are not suitable at all I think.

But sails like this certainly make a ship more play-able and robust for swooshing around,

this approach may be interesting for the pirate subtheme in the current ambassadors' program.

Either way, it's an interesting experiment.

By the way, your costum midsections look pretty effective, I have a complete set of Red Beard Runner hulls but for my schooner bark I needed 4 midsections so I was short on two.

As It turns out, red midsictions are quite expensive on bricklink so I had to plunder my collection of red slopes as well .

[Mr. Townsend]

I missed this until I saw the new picture in your comment. I like the custom cannons now in the belly of your ship but I'm not 100% sold on the sails. I think they look really cool in your signature picture because it is so small but with closer inspection it they just don't look right. This I think, is because of the size of the bits available. Since the bits are so small you had to make too many individual sails to make the masts look full. I like your brick build sails on your other ships and I in my opinion you should keep with that style. They are simply more full and offer more accurate options. Still, as I said it looks very dynamic in that tiny picture and I always enjoy seeing you ships.

[Captain Braunsfeld]

Thanks Mr. Townsend. You are probably right, I should try something else for the sails.

Or I could just continue with miniature pictures