WilliamWalls

I am very busy lately but I did find a small window and started experimenting with my ship. I added 2 midsections (wrong collor, I know) and it's starting to look like a sixth rate warship. The gunports were build after those of "Achille" by EB-member "Perfectionist". The curve is not yet right, does anyone know where I can find an accurate plan or topview of a warship to improve it? WilliamWalls

I see some good ideas in this MOC! I like the combination of a brown and black hull mold, and the front constucted with hinges in layers! Making the side white is not only historically correct, but also makes decorating the interior easier (I used a combination of white tiles and special plates to make the interior white and the exterior yellow). Some suggestions: >Add a longitudinal curve in the white stripe, by that I mean: let the white stripe be lower in the middle that it is in the front and back. >Add gunports, black or white, as you prefer. >Make the deck brown or tan, with plates, or with tiles if you like. >I would leave the combination of black and white hull, but lower the deck in the captain's cabin (and perhaps the gundeck too), right now your captain is not be able to look out of his windows. Since it's still under construction, you might had planned some of these things already. Will you build this ship with real bricks? Keep up the good work, I would love to see it finished! WilliamWalls

Here you are: It's actually build upside down, so it only works well on tiled decks due to the studs, unless you use another wheelbase. It will look better with a red base I think. WilliamWalls

The brig version of Aurora was an attempt to make a nice, short ship, but I noticed not everyone liked it. The uncommom lenght/width ratio made her look plump I guess. I'm glad you like this version better. I have fine tuned the building technique with many hinges to give her the right shape, and I want to add as many details as possible. The wheel and bell are my idea, but credit for the grates goes to EB member Perfectionist (in my "planning version" I placed 1x1 plates upside down on a 6x6 plate to create a simmilar affect). I have seen both the 2 and 3 mast version and I think the 3 mast version looks better. The third mast will also look better when I add the back deck (poop deck I think it's called). That gear is an ugly thing indeed, but she does not come in different colors and I think that a gear articulating with the dents of the steering is the only way to make it functional. Maybe strings bound to the steering are an alternative. I thought of it while designing the captain's cabin. Because I'm so busy lately, I might not be able to update until February. But by then I will have the budget to make a decent frigat of Aurora (as I wanted in my first post). I'll make her even longer! I don't know yet if I will build her like the Grand Turk (which she starts to resemble now) or a historical frigat. Thanks for commenting! Regards, WilliamWalls

I must say: I ADORE this ship, just like the previous one you made. The shape is just right, the collors are great and they both excell with nice details like the headlight bricks in the side. Great work! When I have the time and money, I will build my own galleon. A nice decoration for the balcony at the stern might be this: Turntable 2 x 2 Plate, Base. (I will probably use it in my galleon.) Keep up the good work!

That's some creative use of parts in the bagpipe! You made a fine kilt yourself. I think you could also make a good-looking Scotsman with a redcoat torso combined with the legs from the highlander in collectible minifigures series 6 (due January).

I have added the left side of the ship. The following updates will probably come at a slower pace because the academic year has taken off and that means I will be busy studying the coming months. Maybe I'll build a longer version of this ship later, the frigate version if you like. The Aurora apparently was a sixth rate ship of war. Another project I want to build is a galleon, using the same smooth techinque and more decoration, but that will be for after the completion of Aurora. Comment is always welcome Regards, WilliamWalls Ps: @skipper: Paris was great , thanks

The coming five days I'll be exploring Paris, but before I leave I want to give you some new pictures of my ship under construction. She will be named "Aurora". She is becoming bigger than planned: I just wanted to add a third mast, I think it looks better this way. Did you notice the steering wheel and the wheels that retract the anchor? They all work! Regards, Willem

This is one of the ships that made me want to build my own. A true source of inspiration and motivation! I hope my "Aurora" will one day equal this refinement.

FIRST UPDATE: After some puzzeling and brainstorming I found a good way to use the round new stern mold. I sharpened the curve of the ship and added a side window. I think got the shape right this time. Next step is waiting for my BL order to build the other side of the ship, and then making another BL order for the stern I showed you an LDD model of some days ago. Here are a few pictures:

I had one new stern mold left, I am using that to make the ship longer, or at least I try to use it. The new molds are very unhandy to use as a stern since they are too round. To make the transition from a half-round stern mold to a flat stern I used hinges, however it still needs some fine-tuning. I also have some difficulties making the side window because most designs I made are too big to fit in the low side of the ship. Nothing I can't solve. Right now the side narrows to the stern from 17 studs to 12, the picture you posted came in handy. I myself use images from an encyclopedia written by John Batchelor and Christopher Chant, and animations from the videogame 'Empire: Total War’. I saw some pictures of the Lady Washington but she was not my main inspiration, I am not building a replica, although I am sure she has influenced some of the design. I also changed the capstan – already before posting the pictures –she is moved to the upper deck, resting on a frame, without too much decoration. Thanks for the comments everyone! As soon as I fixed the stern and sidewindow I'll give an update. Willem

Here is an image of the design for the back of the ship made in LDD, I'll order the bricks I need later on BL:

Excellent galleon! I especially love the round gunports you made with the life buoys. Great!

Hi, I intended to build a frigate but due to a budgetary restriction (series 5) I had to cut back my ambitious plans, or at least postpone them. I am building the brig with a simplified version of the new building technique I demonstrated earlier this month. I simplified the base (just some tiles) and the side is not build upside down. I hope you like it already. Comment is welcome. I used a golden goblet to represent the bell: And the first crewmember: a surgeon (works well with the blacksmith's outfit too) EDIT: I resized the pictures. I already changed the masts and the capain's cabin. Right now I am designing a round window to replace the last gunport in the side. The next BL order is on its way, it will be used to construct the left side of the ship. @Bjornu: I will finish the ship, only the plans are restricted to a brig, and not a frigate.

Thanks for all the constructive comment and advice! I understand it might be difficult to see what exactly I did inside the ship. I hope the pictures help. When I have some more time I'll make a more complete walktrough. The wheel behinde the back mast will be connected to the rudder by ropes and to the steering by an axle, so moving the steering will move the rudder. (The other pictures I posted on brickshelf earlier are from a castle I have build a few years ago with parts from hogwarts and lego castle sets before I discovered Bricklink. I did the best with the parts I had but it's not that nice, I might better remove the pictures.)