Topic: Piracy on the high schools... (Read 4149 times)

TugCowboy · « **on:** May 03, 2017, 10:31:51 am »

Modellers, I've come to you for help.

Finally my son has come home with some homework I can look forward to getting stuck into. He's only 7 but they are learning about pirates and smugglers and a term long bit of homework he has to build a 3D functional model of a Pirate Boat, pirate or pirate island.

Me being me I immediately and gently steered him towards the idea of a RC boat. It'd be something fun we could build together and then sail later...also it means he gets to build his own boat and I help.

Any ideas of where to start building a pirate ship though?! It's going to need a prop as doing a fully working sail system would be too much for him but is there a kit or something we might be able to use for a start, or even ideas on where to get a hull that might fit the bill?

Many thanks in advance!

Alex

Martin (Admin) · « **Reply #1 on:** May 03, 2017, 12:05:12 pm »

Dop you want to build from kit, from plans / scratch, convert a toy boat?

dougal99 · « **Reply #2 on:** May 03, 2017, 12:16:22 pm »

Be very careful here. The school probably expects the work to be 99% that of the child so a RC boat is probably a bit OTT. I would check with the school and see what the training objectives are before committing to anything with your son.

Many years ago a colleague's son, who was in early education, was tasked with building a bridge. My colleague got involved with his son and built a model bridge to fit their model railway (to his father's standards). When it came to appraising the work the boy's teacher gave it no marks saying it was obviously his father's work. Result one very upset little boy.

TugCowboy · « **Reply #3 on:** May 03, 2017, 12:18:14 pm »

I'd like my son to, obviously, do it all himself so I think scratch/plans are probably a bit much (Like Dougal has said)

A kit would be ideal as I think that unless we heavily modify a toy it's not going to really count has having "made" the pirate boat.

Failing that perhaps a suitable fibreglass/plastic hull to build on and then some other customisation to fit the bill?

I'm a bit stumped as to how to approach it so after ideas as much as anything else!

Alex

grendel · « **Reply #4 on:** May 03, 2017, 12:34:28 pm »

when my daughter did the spanish armada many years ago she roughly sanded boat shapes from balsa, stuck in 3 masts and stuck them on a blue board with lots of cotton wool as gunsmoke. I showed her how to do one model then she made a whole bunch more.the other factor to look at is the timescale, is this something expected next week / next month?

tony52 · « **Reply #5 on:** May 03, 2017, 12:42:32 pm »

In the July 1964 Model Maker magazine a easy build pirate ship was built from card, hardboard, papiermache. Although it was 40in. long, it could be re-sized and brought up-to-date. If a copy would be of any interest, please pm your email and I will scan.

BFSMP · « **Reply #6 on:** May 03, 2017, 05:10:38 pm »

a pirate boat comes in many different ways, from the traditional square rig galleon we all immediately think of, through Chinese junk type vessels used in Asia to the more modern small Somali type fishing boats with outboards or inboard motors as used in modern day piracy.

if you were to go with the latter two, being less complicated both in detail, rig and possible r/c, you could build or your son could with your help from artists card and board using simple knives, scissors and pva glues then waterproofed.

Jim.

Big Ada · « **Reply #7 on:** May 03, 2017, 05:49:07 pm »

A Pipe lagging Galleon should fit the bill.
See posts 45 and 46 on the Mayhem at Wickstead 2017 Thread.

Len.

Skimmer Fan · « **Reply #8 on:** May 03, 2017, 05:58:22 pm »

Big Ada
Should that be posts 37 38 ?

Martin (Admin) · « **Reply #9 on:** May 03, 2017, 06:23:59 pm »

See: http://www.modelboatmayhem.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,55032.msg592400.html#msg592400

ballastanksian · « **Reply #10 on:** May 03, 2017, 10:39:19 pm »

The lagging Galleon could have more than one mast and sail set.

When you say 'Functional' does that mean it has to sail or just have elements that make a pirate ship a pirate ship (Skull and Crossbones, plank for walking off, feisty pirate figurines made from Fimo etc?)

If he painted the Lagging Galleon with brown paint and then painted some details then he would have the double benefit of an attractive model that was easy to make.

Umi_Ryuzuki · « **Reply #11 on:** May 04, 2017, 08:06:14 am »

Pick up some colored clays and turn him loose.

Or pick up a paper model and help him assemble it.

Klunk · « **Reply #12 on:** May 04, 2017, 08:22:09 am »

Playmobil used to make a pirate ship that could easily be converted then "decorated"

Brian60 · « **Reply #13 on:** May 04, 2017, 09:05:40 am »

Think outside the box and come bang up to date with piracy - build a skiff and mount a couple machine guns and fill it with somali looking characters, then you can build a freighter that they are attacking!

Tug Fanatic · « **Reply #14 on:** May 04, 2017, 10:06:49 am »

It might be a good idea to find out what they are being taught about pirates. Unfortunately my experience is that it is probably very simplistic based on a cartoon version of history (Pirates of the Caribbean era) & Somali pirates simply are not part of that. I hope that I am wrong.

Big Ada · « **Reply #15 on:** May 04, 2017, 06:05:54 pm »

From a different Thread...

46

Mayhem at Wicksteed ! / Re: Mayhem Weekend 2017
« on: January 11, 2017, 06:59:01 PM »
Photo of some racing at the Southern Model Show a couple of years ago.

Len.

kinmel · « **Reply #16 on:** May 04, 2017, 06:36:17 pm »

My grandson had a similar task, he used Lego parts; he can build that almost on his own with artistic input from parents.

Brushing it over with plastic weld makes the model waterproof, and every one of us has the bits to fit a working prop.

scout · « **Reply #17 on:** May 04, 2017, 08:27:46 pm »

Hi when my granddaughter had to do this, this time last year she had to have it in by the end of term that being the end of this month
It had to sail across a small inflatable boat filled with water blown by a small fan and carry a couple of gold foil chocolate coins
Hope this is of some help Yours Scout

malcolmfrary · « **Reply #18 on:** May 05, 2017, 08:25:18 am »

Quote

He's only 7 but they are learning about pirates and smugglers and a term long bit of homework he has to build a 3D functional model of a Pirate Boat, pirate or pirate island.

Not sure about how much functionality you might get in a pirate (re-dressed Action Man?) or Island, but since he is a 7 year old, the pirates are more likely to be somewhere between Pugwash, Long John Silver and Captain Hook. Maybe a simple pond yacht in black, with a skull and bones flag. Maybe a crew with a selection of eye patches, wood legs and the odd hook.

TugCowboy · « **Reply #19 on:** May 05, 2017, 11:54:29 am »

Thanks guys, all the help is very much appreciated. Reckon we've got something together workable now. Will see if I can get him to post a build log when he starts!

ballastanksian · « **Reply #20 on:** May 06, 2017, 07:52:29 pm »

Cor that will be great to see Mr Cowboy

News:

Author Topic: Piracy on the high schools... (Read 4149 times)