HMS Bounty Work Boat - The Launch

[Milton Shupe]

Reviving discussion of the Bounty's work boat - the Launch - as Nigel is getting back to texturing this infamous craft.

I started this project back when HMS Bounty was awaiting her exterior colors - thank you very much Nigel.

The plans for the Launch came from Anatomy of the Ship - HMS Bounty by John McKay, published by Conway Maritime Express. (Available thru a web search)

After the Admiralty purchased the Bethia on 27 May 1787, she was moved to Deptford yard to begin fitting for her purposeful voyage under her new name, HM Armed Vessel Bounty.

Lt. Bligh was assigned to command the vessel on 26 August and began to supervise her fitting.

Skipping forward to the topic at hand, I have attached an excerpt from the publication regarding the ship's boats, and the drawing from which the Launch was modeled.

 

[Milton Shupe]

In addition, I found a few nice model pictures and drawings online of the Launch and used them for casual reference.

 

[Milton Shupe]

With these things in hand, I felt I could proceed with modeling.

Here are a few wireframes of the Launch that show basic construction bones.

 

[Milton Shupe]

Once the basic model is completed, I explored texture mapping techniques and got her in the sims (FS9 and FSX) with a working FM similar to the one used for HMS Bounty. She has has the same basic sail management program and requires winds to move.

Textures shown are temporary from an earlier mapping.

 

[zswobbie1]

Great to see this happening.
Thanks, Milton.

Cheers,
Robin

 

[Milton Shupe]

We have since added provisions, oars, anchor, and other necessities to the interior, remapped to Nigel's specs, and now she is in the paint shop.

We also created a variant with asymmetric sails as are commonly used in the northern regions.

 

[nigel richards]

We have since added provisions, oars, anchor, and other necessities to the interior, remapped to Nigel's specs, and now she is in the paint shop.

We also created a variant with asymmetric sails as are commonly used in the northern regions.

She is indeed now in the paint shop, and once again; all that remapping of individual interior formers must have been a major 'chore'!

Much appreciated, Skipper; will add enormously to light/shadow potential and woodgrain variations.

 

[Wing_Z]

Quite a leap of faith, modeller to painter, to embark on that revision!
Well worth it by the look of it...

Nice to see the model progression, how many polygons go into a Work Boat?

 

[Motormouse]

Now to recreate the journey 3500 miles in the launch methinks.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mutiny_on_the_Bounty

Ttfn

Pete

 

[Milton Shupe]

Quite a leap of faith, modeller to painter, to embark on that revision!
Well worth it by the look of it...

Nice to see the model progression, how many polygons go into a Work Boat?

Poly count is just under 7000 right now ... without a human contingent. Have not decided what to do there yet.

EDIT: Suggestions welcomed. I have poly room for 4-6 figures at least, maybe up to 10 but that would be one heckuva texturing challenge.

 

[Milton Shupe]

Here are some similarly rigged boats to the asymmetrical sail variant. There are also some interesting YouTube videos of these boats in operation.

 

[Milton Shupe]

Now to recreate the journey 3500 miles in the launch methinks.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mutiny_on_the_Bounty

Ttfn

Pete

Pete, oh my, with fair winds I can see averaging 10 knots or 350 hours, or 14.5 days. Hmmmm, who has the tiller, Mate?

 

[vonernsk]

In the doldrums short of grog and watching endless mallards

How about a crew of:

Cap'n Bligh hisself
Ships cat
Matelots x 3
and open bullion trunk filled with 'pieces of eight'

?

And name it the 'Jolly Shupe'

Anyone got groats for grog . . . . ?

Nicely executed Milton!

Mal

 

[Milton Shupe]

How about a crew of:

Cap'n Bligh hisself
Ships cat
Matelots x 3
and open bullion trunk filled with 'pieces of eight'

?

And name it the 'Jolly Shupe'

Anyone got groats for grog . . . . ?

Nicely executed Milton!

Mal

Thank you Mal. I had to look up Matelot (shows where my career was not)

I seriously doubt Christian Fletcher would give up the only working feline aboard ship. His female companion was more about pleasure than housekeeping.

Models for humans are difficult to do, and hard to texture well, but I will investigate the possibilities.

As for the grog, 'tis stowed just forward of the main mast on the starboard side.

 

[vonernsk]

Milton,

T'is all but a jest. A cask of grog will suffice and a following wind to the Spice Islands.

Love your work and talent.

Mal

 

[Milton Shupe]

Now to recreate the journey 3500 miles in the launch methinks.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mutiny_on_the_Bounty

Ttfn

Pete

Pete,

Thinking about that 3500 mile trip with 19 souls aboard, the article states:

" ... 19 men were crowded into the launch, leaving it dangerously low in the water with only seven inches of freeboard."

Can you imagine only 7" above the water-line in open seas? Not sure how they weathered the storms.

 

[Sascha66]

Pete,

Thinking about that 3500 mile trip with 19 souls aboard, the article states:

" ... 19 men were crowded into the launch, leaving it dangerously low in the water with only seven inches of freeboard."

Can you imagine only 7" above the water-line in open seas? Not sure how they weathered the storms.

Literally bailing and pumping for their lives I suppose. Did the launch have a deck over the bow section?

 

[Sascha66]

Poly count is just under 7000 right now ... without a human contingent. Have not decided what to do there yet.

EDIT: Suggestions welcomed. I have poly room for 4-6 figures at least, maybe up to 10 but that would be one heckuva texturing challenge.

How about Captain Bligh standing at the tiller, one sailor in the bow standing up with a telescope, scanning the horizon, two sailors manning the lines (assuming the boat is sailing) and2-4 guy just sitting (maybe with an optional sun-sail)?

Alternatively there could be six guys rowing, + tiller and lookout (I wish!). Rowers could all be the same, but of course the animation would be nasty.

Sascha

 

[Milton Shupe]

Literally bailing and pumping for their lives I suppose. Did the launch have a deck over the bow section?

Apparently the plans for the model ship and boats showed the deck over the bow section.

The plan I used, supposedly the original launch plan, did not show the deck. However, the launch was redesigned by Bligh when the 3 boats were replaced by two and they made the Launch slightly longer as a work boat.

 

[Milton Shupe]

How about Captain Bligh standing at the tiller, one sailor in the bow standing up with a telescope, scanning the horizon, two sailors manning the lines (assuming the boat is sailing) and2-4 guy just sitting (maybe with an optional sun-sail)?

Alternatively there could be six guys rowing, + tiller and lookout (I wish!). Rowers could all be the same, but of course the animation would be nasty.

Sascha

LOL Yes, that would be a 30K poly challenge for sure. Probably take 3 months to get it all together, textured, and animated, with appropriate custom xml to show/hide figures. Of course, some would rather have a kid and fishing pole casting off the bow, and Dad at the tiller. Others just want quiet seclusion leisurely cruising around the lake.