Building a Pirate Ship - Part 7

Part 7:

Strengthening the ship.

In previous sections, I have covered adding wood grain, planks and details to your ship.

In this installment, I will demonstrate how to add wood and clay supports that will help strengthen your ship.

Strengthen the gunwales:
Roll a long thick lump of clay about 3-4 inches in length. Cut this into the shape shown in the picture.

This piece will then be sliced in thin layers to add the vertical support between the deck guns.

=> The piece shown is about 3/4 inch in height.

Slice thin pieces and place each support piece on the gunwales, centered between each gun port.

Blend the clay into the side and main deck for each piece.

=> Take care not to damage the wood grain details on the gunwales, deck or outer hull.

Also place a piece left and right of the last gun ports.

Notice how I have cut and adapted one of the support pieces near the base of the steps

=> Detail each piece with vertical wood grain, and a rivet at the top and bottom of the support.

Add wood supports:

You will need several wood coffee stir sticks and small skewers.

Cut off the sharp end of the skewers, since we will not need them for this build.

Create wood posts:
Measure and cut wood posts for supports. You will need only two for this section. My posts are 1-1/4 inch in lenght.

=> In total I will use 26 posts on this ship.

I have added some character to the post by carving a grove at one end and sanding the tip to make it round. Customizing the post is tedious work, yet the finish results are worth the effort.

Add the mast support:

From the coffee stir sticks, measure and cut two trapezoid shaped planks. Cut the angle on the first, then set a second stir stick on the cutting board. Cut the next piece by following the angle of the first trapezoid plank. The result will be two matched trapezoid planks that fit on the face of the foremast post.

Place two of the skewers posts at an angle, gently pushing them into the main deck.

=> Do not push them all the way thru the deck. In case you do push them too far, just remember to sand them a bit after you bake the model. The ship will have a felt bottom, so you do not need to concern yourself too much.

Main mast supports:

Cut more coffee stir sticks as in the last step, with three planks for each side. You may then use round posts as above or use flat craft sticks as shown in the photo.

=> I like using the the flat sticks on the main deck so I have a flush support column for the main mast. This helps with figure placement it you intend to use the ship for historical gaming.

Measure and cut the craft sticks and gently push them into the deck. Again try not to push them all the way thru the deck.

The added wood supports will allow the mast to be removed for game use without the worry of damaging the clay support post.

=> Later in the build after baking, you will remove these wood pieces, then glue them in place after you prime and start to paint the model.

Adding a flag staff:

Using a thick skewer, measure a 4 inch flag pole. I have clipped the sharp tip, then carved a tappered "spear" like shape for the flag pole.

Notice the bottom end is also slightly tappered. This allows easy removal of the flag.

Push the flag pole into the stern.

Do this gently to avoid damage to the stern. A slight twist while pushing works great.

=> You may need to add an interior support post. My flag pole poked into the captains cabin. Remove the flag, add the post, then reinsert the flag pole.

Do not forget to add wood grain details to the new support piece.

Set aside the tappered flag pole for baking and insert a skewer of equal size, without the tappered end.

This way the flag pole hole will accompidate similar flag poles, regardless if they are tappered or not tappered.

Add wood posts:
Carve up a collection of wood posts, you will need 24 more posts, cut 1-1/4 inch in lenght for this step. I'm sure you could find ready made posts if you search the web, or you could just use standard skewers without the custom end.

Either way, custom posts or standard post, you will insert them into the stern, gently pushing and twisting them in place.

Add four left, and four right of the flag staff. Use the dental compactor tool to make a pilot hole for each post. Notice that I insert the stern posts about half of the length.

Add two additional posts, left and right of the quarterdeck. The posts are inserted no more than 1/3 of theier length into the clay.

You could also make these four quarterdeck posts a touch longer, as needed to ensure they are inserted at least 1/2 inch into the clay.

=> Later I will show you how to create a guardrail between these two posts.

Skull Markers:

Gaming Note: This ship has eight posts across the stern, used to mount skull marker beads. The skull beads are used within The Pirates Code - No Quarter Given, Fast Play Rules system 2008 ©, by Battlefield Hobbies. The skull markers are use to track the speed of the ship. Each skull represents 1-knot of speed, which equals 10cm of movement for navigation.

=> You can use the skulls to track damage, speed or just add them for effect.

Add posts for effect:
Add additional post on the gunwale aligned with each vertical gunwale support. Five on each side in total, again inserting them with a slight twist about 1/2 inch into the clay.

=> For my ships, these extra posts are used to tie off ropes, or to store the skull beads when the ship slows below 8-knots of speed.

Add as many additional wood posts or supports to help customize your ship. The extra posts can be for show, or have a specific function as needed.

Historical note:

Ruse de guerre: Most pirate ships would carry an assortment of flags. A common ploy used by pirates would be to raise the national flag of the merchant vessel that they are approaching to trick them into letting down their guard. The pirates would then approach the target vessel, getting in close enought to bring their deck guns into range. The pirates would then host up the Jolly Roger, and firing a warning shot across the bow, thus letting their true intentions be known. The pirates do not want to shoot up thier intended prey, and many times the only shot fired is the warning shot, and Woe to any merchant that ignores the warning. Pirates forced to fight for their spoils, are more likley to offer No Quarter in combat. For this reason, a wise or defenceless merchant vessel would often strike their colors, surrendering to the mercy of the pirates.

• NOTE: You can make a variety of pirate flags and national ensigns. This will allow you to swap out flags as needed. De Wolven for example, is a Dutch name, so you could add a Dutch VoC or a standard Dutch flag and quickly turn her into a merchant vessel in disguise.

The VoC :
Vereenigde Oost-Indische Compagnie, which translates as United East Indies Company but is also known as the Dutch East India Company.

In the 1600's the VoC dominated navigation and world trade.

=> In a future post I will cover making flags with canvas, or with 110lbs card stock.

Concluding part 7:

This will conclude part SEVEN of the Pirate ship build.

In the next installment I will cover the final steps before baking the clay.

• Stop by my Flickr or Picasa photo pages for pictures of other completed ships, pirate, privateer and naval vessels.

John T Cusack

http://www.battlefieldhobbies.org/