Small 8 Gun Snow Rigged Fun

[Marion vanGhent]

Looking nice! Although I never mind being able to see geometry

One small comment: Technically speaking, you appear to be mixing masthead styles. The mast cap is a great French-style "rounded" cap (rounded so the ties that lift the yard can pass over it, in grooves over the hump after passing through holes in the fore par of the cap). Most French (and other Continental) mastheads -- the part sticking up above the crosstrees -- were round in cross-section.

The masthead here, however, is square in cross-section: typical of English ships (though they would sometimes use octagonal mastheads, or square-with-cutoff-corners instead). English mast caps were invariably flat, as they used a different arrangement of ropes (called jeers) with which to raise and lower their yards. The jeers went through blocks suspended from the cap, rather than passing through the cap directly.

All told a minor detail, but it would be a good moment to stop and consider the history of the ship you're making. Where's she from, what is -- or was -- she used for? Is she fitted out for war or for trade? These kinds of questions will inform a host of little details like this, and may eventually help inspire your decoration scheme.

Keep up the good work!

[twentytortures]

Lol. I guess I wasn't thinking about history as much as I was picking my favorite parts from all the drawings I had seen. I assume she's danish as when Michael first gave me the plans he had them in danish feet (and the translated to meters). She was originally a snow rig but after a short discussion we changed her to a bilander so I guess that makes her a bit of a merchant ship. She has several swivels so that makes her a man-killer as well. I guess she's a fighting merchant ship. Maybe I should go with a more continental masthead style then (since she's not English). I rather like the rounded cap anyways .

What do you guys suggest?

Oh and sorry about making you dizzy Michael . Here's a better render for you :P.

[Michael O'Dwyer]

Well don't feel constrained by the fact that the plans are danish, that doesn't mean the ship was, those sneaky danes may have stolen the plans from someone else.

I like the direction your taking, nothing wrong with continental tops. All of my ships thus far are either French or Dutch inspired.

[Xaphod]

Originally Posted by Michael O'Dwyer All of my ships thus far are either French or Dutch inspired.

Nothing wrong with that at all; all mine have been English.

[twentytortures]

Would there be anything wrong with having a mix of the two styles? I rather like having the mast square at the top, it makes it feel more secure .

[twentytortures]

I'm not dead, I just haven't been working on it as much.

[twentytortures]

I took be me a bit to make up my mind, but I decided to go with an English style. I just love the masts being square at the top .

[twentytortures]

I need some feedback. I feel uncomfortable with continuing until I get these mastheads right. I took several viewport renders so hopefully it's enough to see everything you need to see.

As you can see the mast tapers towards the top but only tapers longitudinal to the ship. Is this correct? Should the cheeks be longer? And as for tops: I've been looking into the rigging and every reference I find there are tops on at least the lowest masthead. Should I include tops as well? If I don't include tops with this create a problem with the rigging? And lastly, how is my texturing?

[Michael O'Dwyer]

I think your current set up looks very good. The tapering is not very noticeable and I am fairly sure all mast taper slightly. You should have tops on each of your lower masts, almost all ships did, only small fore and aft rigged ships tended not to have them.

The texturing looks nice, while the screen shots are not great I can see a general grain patter to the wood which looks nice.

Overall I think your doing a great job.

[twentytortures]

Here's a better look at the textures.