Merchant Brig 'Nonlibre Billet'

[Legeaux]

20a

Ahoy all,

I've been absent from these waters for a while, but the shipwrights have been busy at their trade, so I present the merchant brig, Nonlibre Billet:

More pics here, post moderation.

It didn't quite turn out as well as I hoped, but I did impose some fairly tight design limitations... anyway, I'd be pleased to hear any comments or suggestions for improvements.

(Incidentally, I haven't tested it, but I'm reasonably certain it doesn't float - at least, not the right way up ;))

[El Bucanero]

Welcome back Mr Legeaux!

The ship looks very interesting, I've never seen it done on that type of hull before.

(Incidentally, I haven't tested it, but I'm reasonably certain it doesn't float - at least, not the right way up ;))

I think your hull is perfectly suited to put in some weights.

I've never used them before, but I think they work quite well..

Mr Tiber

[Legeaux]

Welcome back Mr Legeaux!

The ship looks very interesting, I've never seen it done on that type of hull before.

I think your hull is perfectly suited to put in some weights.

I've never used them before, but I think they work quite well..

Mr Tiber

I don't think more weights would make the Nonlibre Billet float, but they might make it sink the right way up. ;)

Thanks for the welcome back, too. I'll have some more vessels to share soon.

[Mister Phes]

Ahoy all,

It didn't quite turn out as well as I hoped, but I did impose some fairly tight design limitations... anyway, I'd be pleased to hear any comments or suggestions for improvements.

It looks fine enough to me in these pictures, so what didn't turn out as well as you hope and what were you design limitations?

It does look as though its missing an aft sail though...

[Bonaparte]

This is an incredible result considering the hull that was used to build this ship.

I have never seen this been done before. Very original idea.

Was this the one you used?

[Asuka]

A very cool idea to use that kind of floating hull for a sailing vessel and it

really works out amazingly well!

Now I regret a little that I missed that black police ship....

A very interesting work! *y*

[El Bucanero]

I don't think more weights would make the Nonlibre Billet float, but they might make it sink the right way up. ;)

Does that mean you already have weights in the hull?

And since I don't have one of these hulls, I'd like to know how the underside looks... Is it possible to attach bricks on the underside of the hull?

Thanks for the welcome back, too. I'll have some more vessels to share soon.

That's good to read!

Mr Tiber

[Capn Frank]

This is an incredible result considering the hull that was used to build this ship.

I have never seen this been done before. Very original idea.

Was this the one you used?

Hmm, i've got a few hulls like that laying around.

Never even considered using them on a piratey ship before.

I'll have to give it a whirl.

Thanx Legeaux!

P

[Mister Phes]

I don't think more weights would make the Nonlibre Billet float, but they might make it sink the right way up. ;)

Without actually testing the ship's current buoyancy aren't these assumptions just speculative? Wouldn't it be easier to just fill the bath tub and put the ship in, then see how it performs so you can decide what is required to give it the appropriate buoyancy?

But I write this with little knowledge of buoyancy... :S

[ZCerberus]

I always like all the different hulls you used on your ships!

[SkaForHire]

I always like all the different hulls you used on your ships!

was that hull an old fire ship or a new fire ship? i have the old police one i havent tried to do much with... i have thrown the idea around but have enough of the other hulls to have not done it yet...

[Legeaux]

It looks fine enough to me in these pictures, so what didn't turn out as well as you hope and what were you design limitations?

Simply put, I hoped it would look better (more 'piratey' I guess) than it did. It's too long, too narrow and too tall. I really hoped to be able to widen the hull a bit, but the hull geometry doesn't match standard LEGO geometry very well (eg the sides of the hull are off-vertical, but they are far more vertical than a tall slope).

The design limitations I used were simple - no pirate parts. (Just to see if it could be done).

It does look as though its missing an aft sail though...

It is... I borrowed the calico sails from l'Ambassador Rouge for the pics, but didn't have a gaff sail/spanker to suit (and didn't want to modify one either).

This is an incredible result considering the hull that was used to build this ship.

I have never seen this been done before. Very original idea.

Was this the one you used?

That's the one! And the fireboat set provides a reasonable number of 2x2x2 tall slopes - a most useful piece for ship building.

Does that mean you already have weights in the hull?

No, it just means the superstructure is way too heavy for the bouancy of the hull.

And since I don't have one of these hulls, I'd like to know how the underside looks... Is it possible to attach bricks on the underside of the hull?

Not directly, but things can be attached by way of a technic axle and parts - the motor that comes with the fireboat set attaches to the hull via a technic axle included in the motor moulding.

Without actually testing the ship's current buoyancy aren't these assumptions just speculative?

Well, that is the nature of speculations ;-)

Wouldn't it be easier to just fill the bath tub and put the ship in, then see how it performs so you can decide what is required to give it the appropriate buoyancy?

Um, no, not the least because I don't have a bath tub. :-D

However, I have observed the performance of the fireboat model in a swimming pool, and I can compare how much the Nonlibre Billet weighs compared to the standard model, and I can conclude to my complete satisfaction that it is too heavy to float, in any reasonable way.

But I write this with little knowledge of buoyancy... :S

Bouancy is about mass and volume - what the Nonlibre Billet needs is more volume, not more mass.

[Mister Phes]

Simply put, I hoped it would look better (more 'piratey' I guess) than it did. The design limitations I used were simple - no pirate parts. (Just to see if it could be done).

Adding some pirate parts would have to make it more 'piratey' - wouldn't they?

Well, that is the nature of speculations ;-)

Well duh, what a silly thing for Mister Phes to write! :S

Um, no, not the least because I don't have a bath tub. :-D

Me either, so we definitely won't be tested it at my place.

[Legeaux]

Adding some pirate parts would have to make it more 'piratey' - wouldn't they?

Yes. But you can get pretty piratey without... I was seeing how far.

(And I think you can go a lot further, but probably not with that hull ;))

[Dreamweb]

The hull fits pretty well. I agree she's missing an aft sail, I also think she needs a string or two. I like the clever use of red and black slopes.

It was one of my biggest mistakes not to buy (or take) a hull from this set (I think), when my friend was trying to dispose of one. I could've taken it and tried to make a pirate MOC with it (something would have to be done with the printings though). He finally gave it for free to a young cousin of his. I regret that ever since.

BTW I made an attempt at making a pirate-era ship with the Viking longboat hull. It's already built, I just didn't have time to take photos, maybe this week... :)

[Mister Phes]

Yes. But you can get pretty piratey without... I was seeing how far.

Ah yes, I get you. Rather than a literal display of "pirateyness" you want to use subtle nauances in architecture and style to implicate it.

[Wout]

Nice ship,

I like the way you used a modern hull for the ship :)

[Mister Phes]

A while back I acquired some modern hull pieces to eventually build a ship with. But alas, I have not got around to doing so.