Pirate ship finally out of the garage and ready for rigging.

[lothar4550]

This is the first real boat we have ever built. We have 4 kids, and always wanted to build a small staysail schooner (with square course on the foremast) for treasure hunts near our cottage. Been working on it for about 14 months now, with an estimated launch date of mid June.

I will attach a test picture if I can figure out how.....so far no luck.

http://i1329.photobucket.com/albums/...ps92432f4a.jpg

http://i1329.photobucket.com/albums/...psac7076f3.jpg

http://i1329.photobucket.com/albums/...ps532dc3a2.jpg

[Phil Y]

Post to a picture hosting site, then right click, copy and paste over here

[lothar4550]

http://i1329.photobucket.com/albums/...ps92432f4a.jpg

Thanks Phil. Just tried it above. It seems to work, but not like the other posters whose pics don't need a link. Any other pointers for a techno-zero?

[Breakaway]

Here's one. I open the photo in a separate tab, then drag and drop it into the tab with Forum after starting a post, like....



...this!

Kevin

[lothar4550]

http://i1329.photobucket.com/albums/...ps532dc3a2.jpg

Breakaway;

Thanks. Maybe the trouble is I am using an iPad. I probably should go grab one of my children to help, eh?

[Phil Y]

Copy the pic, not the url-or drag and drop Edit-hmm, photobucket doesnt seem to allow that. There is a more complicated way, where you click on the little mountain icon here, and copy the url into a dialogue box.

[Phil Y]

[Phil Y]

Looks fun.

[Phil Y]

That time i did just right click in photobucket, copy image, then pasted here.

[brucemoffatt]

This looks like a great boat toy, and hopefully will be a rewarding boat to sail. This kind of crazy is my kind of crazy, all power to you! I'm looking forward to more pics as the build is completed and the launch happens.

[George Ray]

VERY VERY Cool Boat, thanks for sharing.

[lothar4550]

VERY VERY Cool Boat, thanks for sharing.

Thank you very much. Just always wanted to build a pirate ship and it had to, of course, be in wood.

The gunports, belaying pins, dead eyes, and a bunch of other items (soon to be added) all have pictures too. I'll put them up if people are interested. The cross trees took about as long as anything....

[brucemoffatt]

Yes I'm interested. Please post more pictures

[kc8pql]

http://i1329.photobucket.com/albums/...ps532dc3a2.jpg

Breakaway;

Thanks. Maybe the trouble is I am using an iPad. I probably should go grab one of my children to help, eh?

You can just add tags like this: [img]your photo URL[/img]

[capefox]

Fun project. The kids will remember that forever.

[Hwyl]

Did you design her yourself. What are the dimensions. Will you ballast her. I use the [img] brackets[/img]

[Rich Jones]

Did you design her yourself. What are the dimensions. Will you ballast her. I use the [img] brackets[/img]

These are my questions also! Looks like a great project. Probably impossible to sell in the future, but if it's for your personnal satisfaction, more power to you.
Centerboard? Aux. power? Pictures of construction?
I think there's lots of curious people here who would like to know. From the photos, she looks well built.

[MiddleAgesMan]

Great looking little ship. If you did your own design please be very careful and give it a good testing before letting the kiddies on board.

[Arizona Bay]

Very cool! More pictures and details please.

Looks to be a flat bottom pram similar to John Welsford's 'Swiftsure' design.

[Tom Wilkinson]

I like it! Can't wait to see the whole rig.

[donald branscom]

Why should we be kind when you have a dream house and a perfect boat?

Lets see now..... LOL...lol

[Bob Cleek]

Looks like a great job there! She reminds me a lot of my first bigger boat, a plywood 25' gaff ketch with deadeyes and lanyards, center cockpit with aft cabin with gallery windows. I fixed her up, sailed her a bit, and sold her for three times what I paid for her. She sold in a flash, too. There's always something about those "character boats" that catch people's eye.

Arrrrrgh! Matey, now get yourself a swivel gun and go take out a few jet skis!

[lothar4550]

These are my questions also! Looks like a great project. Probably impossible to sell in the future, but if it's for your personnal satisfaction, more power to you.
Centerboard? Aux. power? Pictures of construction?
I think there's lots of curious people here who would like to know. From the photos, she looks well built.

Rich;

Will try to upload some build pictures from our pc. The iPad just won't cooperate. User error, I am certain.

The pirate ship (working name of "Fang" for reasons that will become obvious when you see the figurehead the boys picked) was designed for us by a retired sailboat designer who was beyond helpful. The process took about 6 months, and was well worth it. The kids wanted a stern cabin, so he took a small staysail schooner design, added a course for the square sail pirate-y type look, and came up with it after multiple back and forths.

Centerboard: A large daggerboard sits slightly to port,about 18" lateral to the keel. It drops a good 3 feet below the keel when fully down.

Auxiliary power: we bought a powerful electric initially, but were told by some experienced local boaters that a 5-10 horsepower outboard is the smarter route. Once we locate one, it will fit nicely into a motor well built inside the stern cabin. I am open to advice in this area from all that are willing to offer it.

Sell in the future: you are correct......probably impossible, but this was never intended to be a logical thing!

stern cabin: mostly open at the top for safety, but can button up pretty snug with a neat cover. It has two bunks 6' 2" in length, and will sleep 2 very easily just in there. Overall, the 6 of us could spend the night aboard if 3-4 don't mind being forward and in the night air.

general comments: the design is intended to be more safe and steady, as opposed to speedy. The boys are counting on the figurehead to paralyze their intended prey while she sails leisurely up to them. Once Grandpa finishes the cannon, it will add a whole other element. We have no intention of ever sailing more than a mile or two offshore.

here's a couple more using the iPad method of uploading (if it works this time it is because one of the kids did the uploading):

Figurehead on bow from early in construction:




early internal pic, showing ship's bell (grainy pic):




Oldest son holding mainmast up (no cross trees yet):




Grandpa made the belaying pins:





crosstrees ready to mount:




one of the islands where treasure is supposedly buried (Grand Traverse, West Bay):

[lothar4550]

Looks like a great job there! She reminds me a lot of my first bigger boat, a plywood 25' gaff ketch with deadeyes and lanyards, center cockpit with aft cabin with gallery windows. I fixed her up, sailed her a bit, and sold her for three times what I paid for her. She sold in a flash, too. There's always something about those "character boats" that catch people's eye.

Arrrrrgh! Matey, now get yourself a swivel gun and go take out a few jet skis!

Now THIS is our kind of guy. Grandpa's in charge of the cannon foundry, but the swivel cannon idea sounds perfect! Consider it done, Bob!

ps: making the deadeyes was hard and slow....

[Hwyl]

The best looking deadeyes I ever saw came from a restaurant supply company.

[James Corduan]

Very cool boat, love the aft cabin. Can't wait to see her in the water.

[riversailor92]

What a gorgeous home, and a gorgeous project! I'm so jealous! You better post as many nice sailing pictures as construction photos. What are the chances we could see some "down below" photos? I want to see what a captain's great-cabin looks like on a mini-pirate ship. She just looks plain cozy for camping by an island shore

[WX]

I want to see her rigged and sailing full and by.
What will her stability (righting moment) be like, how far can she heel before you hit trouble?

[beernd]

How come I missed all this

I am really curious how this will work out.

[Tangusso]

Very cool project. More pics please!

[Dan Lyke]

This is the sort of crazy I aspire to! Awesome, and, yes, I want to see pictures of it rigged and sailing!

[Ann Noble's Dad]

This is so cool! My youngest son and I came up with a family treasure and buried it on one of the Florida Keys. We have a treasure map and will one day go back for it.

[Jay Greer]

Avast there Cap'n! I charge you with having too much fun. What a great project. I wish my Dad had the forsight to build something like this when I was a kid!
Jay

[BrianM]

I love it! That's a Bolger isn't it? Phil had a small Pirate ship in one of his catalogs of similar layout and purpose.

Great build!

[Curt G]

This just makes me smile.