WIP Blue frigate

[Sebeus I]

Initially I did not intend to start a WIP thread for the ship I've started, I'm not really looking for advice as I know quite well how I'll do it.

(That being said, suggestions are welcome).

But I figured It would be a good way to provide some insight in my building style, considering I've had a couple of requests for building instructions for my ships. I made some promises I could not fulfill unfortunatly...

Maybe I just like to share my progress .

Anyway, after building absolutely nothing for a month I managed to get myself back on track.

This pile of bricks may not look like much but I'm convinced that it will eventualy become one of my finest battleships.

At first I considered transferring my old frigate Farore's WInd onto this white hull.

Instead I decided to make a completely new ship that may replace my old frigate if it prooves to be the more beautiful ship.

I'm using the same techniques I used for my previous ship, the Christine.

As usual when I start a new ship I began with assembling the hull and use that hull as a container for gathering all the parts I think I may need.

The white prefab hull has 5 midsections, in the past I've always found this to be too long and narrow for any ship.

However I've come to understand that the narrowness of a ship depends not only on how many midsections you use.

As you can see I have already determined the location of the fore-and main masts and also the cannon ports (the blue 2x3 bricks).

Looks like I'll be building a 22 gun frigate.

Because the white prefab hulls are of the new type I had some trouble fixing a decent stern.

Unfortunatly my white wedge bricks seem to be a bit yellow .

After determining the position of the cannon ports I start on a broadside prototype.

It takes some trial and error before the curve is right.

The whole broadside will be connected to the hull by two hinges.

The next step is to fill in the gaps between the angles broadside and the hull.

For the moment I'm taking a break to think about the features I want in the ship.

This ship will never beat my old frigate without a working capstan and lighting cabin.

It goes without saying that this ship will be crewed and commanded by bluecoats .

I still have to choose a name for her as well, one of my aunts or nieces will have the honor.

By the way, I don't like the new prefab midsections (with technic holes instead of the old 2x4 brick connection), it's much less sturdy, It broke a couple of times.

Edited May 4, 2014 by Sebeus I

[Sir E Fullner]

I figured that the Friends white hulls would be a great source of inspiration to Pirate maniacs. So far, so good, Sebeus.

[Capt. Stabbin]

Thank you for this. I always love insight into a builders building process. I'm looking forward to the next installment. I know it's going to be a beautiful ship. I might just have to try my hand at your technique on of these days.

[kabel]

The broadside looks really cool and somehow I've turned into building full broadsides now too! Anyway, she looks really great so far!

[Matteo1130]

Looks promising. Thanks for sharing your techniques!

[mrsniady1]

Looking nice so far. I bet she'll only get better

Anyway - I know you're not looking for advice, so maybe I should just shut up - but: don't you think, that this wedge could help with smoothness of a stern?

Keep it up!

Edited May 5, 2014 by mrsniady1

[Sebeus I]

I figured that the Friends white hulls would be a great source of inspiration to Pirate maniacs. So far, so good, Sebeus.

Thank you, a pirate ship was the first thing that came to mind when I saw the Friends cruiser .

The broadside looks really cool and somehow I've turned into building full broadsides now too! Anyway, she looks really great so far!

The big advantage is that a ship becomes much simpler (opposed to CGH's frigate),

only one angle to consider.

This angle does heavely influence the width of the ship throughout its length,

the more you angle the broadside inwards, the more variation you get in width.

I hope the proportions turn out good on this one .

Looking nice so far. I bet she'll only get better

Anyway - I know you're not looking for advice, so maybe I should just shut up - but: don't you think, that this wedge could help with smoothness of a stern?

Keep it up!

Suggestions are welcome .

My first tries included that piece but I could never place it right, a specific part like that seems hard to be implemented .

Update time:

So far I'm happy with the width, the ship doesn't appear too narrow for now.

The broadsides are now attached to the hull, the current set-up is only temporarely.

Untill I have some more plates to build the deck and made a decision about wether I'll include a working capstan or not.

I have a pretty good Idea about the stern now, just have to find a way to fill in the gap between stern windows and galleries.

So far everything is going well.

Unfortunatly I can't do much more for the moment, I'm almost out of plates, it's time for a bricklink order.

Although, I could dismantle my old frigate...

But I'd still need to make an order anyway so I'm not going to do that.

Bricklink it is!

Edited May 5, 2014 by Sebeus I

[LegoPanda]

Looks great, I personally think the white on it looks awesome

[TheLegoDr]

Looks good so far. I do like that white hull piece. I did plan on buying some extras to make my own white ship.

I can't wait to see how yours progresses.

[Kolonialbeamter]

Ah, great to see your white hull pieces being put to good use! Big fan of that color scheme and your brick built stern. She'll surely become a splendid Bluecoat vessel.

Thanks for sharing your progress on this MOC, keep it up!

Regards

[Frank Brick Wright]

This is a most exciting project!! I believe she will end looking absolutely great, maybe your best prefab ship!

Now a few things: great brick-built stern, very accurate and spot on.

I have a pretty good Idea about the stern now, just have to find a way to fill in the gap between stern windows and galleries.

Without wanting to advertise myself, what you are needing here is this

I'm just messing with you here but I honestly think the 2x4 inverted slope should do it in your case.

Now here:

Your last hinge 1x2 brick appears to be way more outwards than the bow hinges, I'm not very sure how you would solve this. I still want to make a final comment as regards your technique. This picture shows another problem: the hull appears to go almost straight from bow to stern. I think this turned out just great in smaller ships but a 5 middle-sections hull is pretty large…

Anyway I'm quite excited with this project so keep up the excellent work!

[Sebeus I]

This is a most exciting project!! I believe she will end looking absolutely great, maybe your best prefab ship!

Now a few things: great brick-built stern, very accurate and spot on.

Without wanting to advertise myself, what you are needing here is this

Well played

Now here:

Your last hinge 1x2 brick appears to be way more outwards than the bow hinges, I'm not very sure how you would solve this. I still want to make a final comment as regards your technique. This picture shows another problem: the hull appears to go almost straight from bow to stern. I think this turned out just great in smaller ships but a 5 middle-sections hull is pretty large…

Complications indeed,

I don't know yet how I'll solve the bow hinges, the new prefab hull type is more dull than the old type I'm used to work with.

Although the hinge bricks should be more outwards (because the bow has no tumblehome angle), it just needs to be more subtile .

The ship is quite straight lengthwise for now, indeed a consequence of this technique.

I figured I'd only really know the limit when I actually reach cross it.

(Yet I'm sure I won't build a longer ship than this one with the technique).

The end result will still be a surprise, even for me

Edited May 7, 2014 by Sebeus I

[kabel]

@sebeus: bending the broadside is possible though, s. my schooner topic.

[Captain Braunsfeld]

This is going to be great!

Keep posting the progress - and good luck!

[Mr. Townsend]

Exciting to see a WiP thread from you Sebeus. I like the way you've done the stern above the prefab. It will look excellent once its no longer yellow. I also enjoy that you are using the smaller windows at this point and hope you'll keep them. I do think closing that gap on the galleries will be difficult. I too would love to shamelessly plug in my solution to your thread.

The way I did it here is to have the side galleries attached directly to the back rather then the hull. This gave them a rather pleasing angle I think, and completely eliminates the gaps. (I apologize the photos aren't more direct on the subject matter.)

I hope you include a working capstan and maybe some lighting as I've come to admire and expect these functions in your ships. Seeing as this one will be the jewel of your fleet I think it deserves the effort.

I agree with Frank about the weather deck being straight from bow through stern and I'm interested to see if you'll keep it this way. I do think this will offer a very stable deck, though it may not be as dynamic as the standard CGH method provides.

Edited May 9, 2014 by Mr. Townsend

[Captain Golden Hook]

Nice variation of the classic broadside tecnique :D

[Sebeus I]

Thank you for the nice comments.

My BL order has been placed, large amounts of plates are on their way .

Exciting to see a WiP thread from you Sebeus. I like the way you've done the stern above the prefab. It will look excellent once its no longer yellow. I also enjoy that you are using the smaller windows at this point and hope you'll keep them. I do think closing that gap on the galleries will be difficult. I too would love to shamelessly plug in my solution to your thread.

The way I did it here is to have the side galleries attached directly to the back rather then the hull. This gave them a rather pleasing angle I think, and completely eliminates the gaps. (I apologize the photos aren't more direct on the subject matter.)

Thanks a lot for your feedback,

What you did on the matterhorn is a very smooth and elegant sollution.

However I demand from my ship that the galleries should radically go with the curve of the ship, meaning that I want the windows to be placed higher the closer to the stern.

Many ships here at CP have galleries going downwards near the stern or staying flat.

In my opinion these constructions reduce the overall sleekness of a ship, I want mine to be sharp and agressive .

I hope you include a working capstan and maybe some lighting as I've come to admire and expect these functions in your ships. Seeing as this one will be the jewel of your fleet I think it deserves the effort.

I agree with Frank about the weather deck being straight from bow through stern and I'm interested to see if you'll keep it this way. I do think this will offer a very stable deck, though it may not be as dynamic as the standard CGH method provides.

I definitely intend to inplement these features although it will be difficult as there's not much of a hold.

At the center (the place where the deck is closest to the waterline), there's not even a 2 bricks height (opposed to the 4 bricks height I had on Farore's Wind).

This means I'll have to locate the battery box for the lights somewhere else, closer to the stern probably.

That on the other hand will make the batterybox difficult to be accessed .

The capstan will be placed between fore-and main mast.

As for the straightness I'm considering Kabel's suggestion, pushing out the broadsides a little bit in the center while pulling them in at bow and stern.

I'm currently reworking the bow section, I decided to leave out the cannons in the bow (she will be a 20 gun frigate after all).

This way I have room to implement my favourite detail of my old frigate .

Miauw! The catheads!

Now it's waiting for my BL order.

I hate waiting but fortunatly there's Brickmania Wetteren this weekend so I'll manage to keep myself occupied .

There's no pirate layout this time though , otherwise I would promise a detailed picture-illustrated report about the naval activities...

Edited May 9, 2014 by Sebeus I

[Matteo1130]

Have you already a plan about how the theadrails will look?

[kabel]

too bad you guys aren't doing a pirate layout anymore, otherwise I would have pushed myself to finish the shooner until November ...

[Captain Edward]

God, Sebeus, I always love your ships. I am thinking by myself: "I need only those parts to get such a ship like that to be proud of." It's always I'm missing parts. DO you buy yours online or from many different sets? Also, for me you are very famous with your capstans, keep up the good work!

[Sebeus I]

Have you already a plan about how the theadrails will look?

Not yet, I never did a very good job on those in my previous ships, I may look for some inspiration in the ship index .

too bad you guys aren't doing a pirate layout anymore, otherwise I would have pushed myself to finish the shooner until November ...

Well, for november I am very eager to do a pirate layout, I know Bonaparte is in for it too,

Since Hornblower isn't joining the layout would be considerably smaller (The massive armies, fortress and a huge load of blue, tan and green baseplates were contributed by Hornblower).

Also, I'll have to organize it myself this time, I'm figuring things out.

In the mean time, do not slow down on your schooner!

God, Sebeus, I always love your ships. I am thinking by myself: "I need only those parts to get such a ship like that to be proud of." It's always I'm missing parts. DO you buy yours online or from many different sets? Also, for me you are very famous with your capstans, keep up the good work!

Thank you, I buy both sets and seperate parts (via Bricklink), I'm always looking for good deals and cheap lots.

This can be seen in some of my creations, a while ago I used white on some of my ships instead of tan just because it was cheaper .

[kabel]

Okay, lets do some sort of pirate colab for BMA then, I'd be in!

[Sebeus I]

Okay, lets do some sort of pirate colab for BMA then, I'd be in!

Yesss .

Update time:

My parts have arrived.

I filled in the gaps under the angled broadside, It didn't work out completely the way I wanted but it works well enough.

Cheese!

I also determined the position of the gun deck throughout the ship.

Although I probably won't use tan (need it somewhere else), a white deck will do just as well.

The ship is slightly less straight than earlier, I think I can improve it still when I build the bow section and poop deck.

Well, that's it for now,

To be continued...

...Right now

I tried closing the gap between the stern/galleries.

The dark blue is a bit strong, perhaps white would be a better choice.

Although I like the effect of the dk blue in this angle.

Integrated capstan, unfortunatly I don't have any technic shift gears left, nor shift rings .

I spent enough money on lego for the rest of the year already so I'll have to do it with what I do have.

So the mechanics are a bit simpler, both anchors will be raised at the same time, no independancy or locking mechanisms.

Now that I think about it, Why would a ship like the Christine need a sophisticated capstan like that?

If only I could get it out without having to break open the deck .

I'll look for some other consructions to improve the bow.

What I could really use here is a 2x1x2 dk blue slope brick.

So far so good,

It's going quite well, I don't expect many complications, except for the rigging channels perhaps.

But that's for later, first I will lay out the gun deck.

Edited May 13, 2014 by Sebeus I

[Captain Golden Hook]

Nice progress! I appreciate how hard it is (at least for me) to transition a good stern with the new style hulls that have no stern looking piece.

[Sebeus I]

And the deck is ready.

Still have to do the bow.

Lights in the cabin, the cable isn't hidden as well as on my old frigate, I didn't have as much room in the hull this time but it works.

(Still have to cover the lights with lanterns).

Capstan, I'm not sure if I will make it a double one (on the upper deck).

Something different now, In my order there were also some new cannons.

I noticed there's a color shade difference.

It's not so easy to see on the pictures though.

I assume the left one is older, used in 2009 pirates and the right one came from POTC.

Either way, Bricklink doesn't distinguish the two.

It doesn't really bother me, I was just surprised for a moment .