Beginner building pirate ship

[MiloNelsiano]

So I have recently become an AFOL and have really been getting into the pirate theme. I haven't really built much since I was a kid until recently so I probably don't have the greatest techniques. I also don't have. Whole lot of money to pour into my hobby so getting bricks is difficult at times. I have never owned a pirate set--all my pieces have been bought from various stores on bricklink. Anyway I love what so many members here have done in their own ships so I'm looking for tips, advice, secrets, whatever you've got for me. I have pictures to post of my ship so far and they will be posted in the not so distant future (whenever I can figure out how to post pictures on this site). Thanks in advance for any help you have for me.

[Sebeus I]

Hi, welcome to Eurobricks!

Are you using prefab hulls (hulls from official lego ships)?

As for some practical advice I suggest the first thing you do when building a ship is to decide where its masts are going to be and the location of the cannon ports (an appropriate distance between cannonports is 4 studs (the cannon ports being 2 studs wide)), that is atleast if you're building a ship with cannons.

I'm planning to make a tutoral on 'how to build a good-looking but economic ship' but I can only really begin with that next month (and I'll need to work on that title as well).

To post pictures...

To post pictures here you first need to upload them somewhere, Flickr and Brickshelf are very common.

Then you can deeplink those pictures and add them in a comment here. There's a tutoral on deeplinking images but it might be a bit outdated since Eurobricks renewed its looks.

Flickr is the easiest, when you upload an image you can click a small icon ("more ways to share"), then you select "BBCode", copy and past it here.

Also note that the max size of a picture in the forum is 800x600 pix.

(I just tried it to see if it works, if you can see this image it does.)

[MiloNelsiano]

Sebeus, thank you for the reply and quick run down on posting pictures. I am currently trying to get Flickr figured out. I am using a prefab hull. I had already placed the cannons at the same space you suggested. The masts seem ok except the front one--it seems too short to me. Other cosmetic issues include mismatched colors (mixing of brown and reddish brown, some out of place colored bricks, etc.). I'm also going to try my hand at making sails, but I feel like I would need a basic template for lego made sails. I've found a few basic tutorials on making sails and plan to use them as a basic guideline.

[MiloNelsiano]

We shall see if this works:

First attempt by milo.nelsiano, on Flickr

First attempt by milo.nelsiano, on Flickr

First attempt by milo.nelsiano, on Flickr

[MiloNelsiano]

What I will probably end up doing is covering the cannons and hold area with a deck. I am a huge fan of what a lot of people have done below the deck as far as incorporating their minifigs in daily pirate routine, but I feel like as a first attempt I should keep it basic at first. After looking at the pictures again, I remembered another thing I'm not quite satisfied with, which is the bowsprit--I've been having difficulty attatching it effectively.

[Sebeus I]

Ah, you figured it out, great.

The cabin seems to be too tall for this ship, it starts very abrubt as well.

If you want to keep a two level cabin I suggest you split the levels and place the upper one a bit more to the back (so there is small deck on top of the entrance door).

As for attaching the bowsprint, I'm not very good at that too, it's still a weak point in most of my ships, I usually just look at the official lego ships to see how they have the bowsprit attached.

You use the new type of masts, I think it will look better if you attach it with some technic parts via the cross axle hole on the base.

[Elephant Knight]

A while back I made a sort of tutorial for making sails. I only took pictures, though. Never got around to writing anything up. Maybe I should get on it. Here are the pictures, anyways, so maybe you can figure out what I did.

[Axis600]

I'm in the same position, so Sebeus, can't wait til you post that tutorial.

[Matteo1130]

@Sebeus: I can't wait for your tutorial!!

@Milo: welcome! First I have to make my compliments with you, because you already have a ship made by your own (I don't), second I would like to make some basic tip: look at the master index (moc, sorted by type) and you'll get some interesting idea how to make a realistic look saving money, because you need a lot of pieces to create, but a lot less if you have some idea of the final shape. This doesn't mean you have to copy 100%, but you might like the bow from a ship, the stern from another or the sides ecc..

Looking at your moc: Looking at the shape you made I think you may change it in a beliavable galleon in a few steps: lowering the stern you can use those pieces to rise the sides and the gunline at least a couple bricks, You may also put the center mast in the place of the foremast, the backmast is good looking in that place and place the actual thin foremast on the stern. By this way, with the center and the foremast square rigged and the backmast with a lateen triangular sail you have an historically correct galleon.

Obviously: IMHO. But you have a GOOOOOD start here

[MiloNelsiano]

Sebeus and Matteo, thank you for the advice. Looking at pictures I always thought the sterns looked a lot higher than I expected them to be, so I tried to capture that but I think I went too far. I am still playing with some different styles on attatching the bowsprit that seem fairly sturdy, just trying to pick the most cosmetically appealing one. Elephant knight, I will take a look a those, thank you. When I have more of a chance to redesign a little I will post more pictures. Thanks again!

[Matteo1130]

Yes, the bowsprit on your pictures seems "floating", in a ship it would sink into the bow. You may try to build a bowcastle and hide the bowsprit connection into it..

Edit: Don't be afraid to rebuild :)

My main project is a WIP since September 2009, I can't say how many times I've completely destroyed and rebuilt it from a 5 small midsection hull into a 8 large midsections.. have fun!

Edited June 21, 2013 by Matteo1130

[MiloNelsiano]

Here are some updated photos. I am posting from a mobile so it is not letting me deeplink the photos so you will have to follow the link this time. I made various adjustments--some of which I am satisfied with, while others will probably get changed again. The Stern is far from finished as it is not even attached at this time. I am satisfied with the strength if the bowsprit but will probably end up hiding the base of it a little better. Let me know what you guys think again. Thanks.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/97581016@N03/

I've now added a couple more pictures of a better looking stern I'm nearly satisfied with.

Edited June 29, 2013 by MiloNelsiano