Customizing Playmo SHIPS to be more SEAWORTHY

[Jimbo]

Do you mean the ghost pirate ship? Why are you moding the bottom?  Same reason?   

Yup, it is the ghost pirate ship.  I wanted to test the idea on a less expensive boat!
And I wanted the cool pirate with the long coat .

I'm heading to the sander right now......
Jimbo

[Andy R]

(give it a true lower hull, add more ballast with your steel keel for stability and aquadynamics?)

The word is “Hydrodynamics.”
Jimbo, let us know ASAP how this went… My own Ghost Ship has a tendancy to capsize before I’m ready for her to.

[BlackPearl2006]

The word is “Hydrodynamics.”
Jimbo, let us know ASAP how this went… My own Ghost Ship has a tendancy to capsize before I’m ready for her to.

I'm still trying to figure out why the new line of Playmo pirates looks so fisher-pricey.  I thought 4290 was so kiddish, but the ghost pirate ship is even moreso, stock.  Is this for the U.S. market only?  I ask because I also collect Japanese mecha toys, and I notice the U.S. versions (even of the same exact moulds) are somewhat lacking and "dumbed down" for not only U.S. safety standards, but also U.S. age-appropriate complexity ratings (in other words, they lower the safety hazzard and complexity levels both to appeal to a younger age so that the product can be sold to a wider market, not just older kids or collectors.  In a way, such practices almost seem to say to me that marketers (both domestic and abroad) seem to think American kids are too dumb to "get it."  It really annoys me!  If the previous generation could have ships with real rope rigging and realistic metal bells and tiny little parts, why should the current generation be dumbed down?  (plus everyone's always ready to start a law-suit).  Sad sign of the times.    Sorry to be off topic.  My mind's on a roll today.

[Jimbo]

Jimbo, let us know ASAP how this went… My own Ghost Ship has a tendancy to capsize before I’m ready for her to.

Hull is trimmed off at the "water line" (about 1/4 of an inch)..
I am going to cut the wooden lower hull right now!
Our camera is not working, but hope to get some pics. soon.

Jimbo

[BlackPearl2006]

I will make it ASAP (and send a PM) .No, so far I only REALLY need them for Emma B Ryan (she capsizes every cruise due to extensive modifications, much more than those shown).

Hey Andy!  Still waiting for your video, man!

[BlackPearl2006]

Hull is trimmed off at the "water line" (about 1/4 of an inch)..
I am going to cut the wooden lower hull right now!
Our camera is not working, but hope to get some pics. soon.

Jimbo

Ironic that I cannot get more work-in-progress pics of my pearl due to computer problems, still waiting on Andy for his vid, and Jimbo's camera isn't working......

Leads me to this much needed internet acronym:

TTIUWP!    (This Thread is Useless Without Pics!)


We so need pics, ladies and gents!

[Andy R]

Ah crud, ya…
Ok, the pool is broken own for winter, and the kidy pool is useless for thes purposes. I did try to get the vdeo, but over the night she did capsize (it rained that night, and she got swamped). Let me try and get another pool to video her all night long…

[playmofire]

Looking forward to seeing the end results of the different approaches.  My only experience was with the 3174, Red Corsair.  It was a gusty day and the rigging lines were taut and in deep water she overturned straight away.  In shallow water so she could turn turtle, she was OK.  I never had the chance to try again with slack in the rigging.

It's ironic that the 3050/3750 is the most seaworthy  because of it's wide beam and heavy ballast when it cannot take the optional motor.

I found the 3750 was my favourite of the Red Corsair, the schooner, the black corsair and the 3940.  I built a brand new 3750 a few years ago from parts from UK DS and still have an unfinished conversion of a 3750 to take four cannons on deck rather than two.

[BlackPearl2006]

Looking forward to seeing the end results of the different approaches.  My only experience was with the 3174, Red Corsair.  It was a gusty day and the rigging lines were taut and in deep water she overturned straight away.  In shallow water so she could turn turtle, she was OK.  I never had the chance to try again with slack in the rigging.

It's ironic that the 3050/3750 is the most seaworthy  because of it's wide beam and heavy ballast when it cannot take the optional motor.

I found the 3750 was my favourite of the Red Corsair, the schooner, the black corsair and the 3940.  I built a brand new 3750 a few years ago from parts from UK DS and still have an unfinished conversion of a 3750 to take four cannons on deck rather than two.

That is odd that the most stable ship 3750 doesn't take the motor.  I was looking at the "keel" of the ship, however, and it wouldn't be hard to cut some notches in there to get it to accept the motor.  I just haven't gotten around to it yet.

When you built yours to take on 4 cannons on deck, what did you do to it exactly?   I added 6 cannons on deck on my 3940 by cutting gun port notches and adding pegs for them to snap on to.  I added 4 cannons on my 3750, but I haven't cut any notches or added any pegs on them;  they're just hot-glued in place for now. 

[Jimbo]

We so need pics, ladies and gents!

I should be able to post some pics this evening.  I have the lower hull shaped, and the
steel keel/ballast installed.  I might toss it into the water Sunday!