A Pirate Parade Float In the Making!!!

[TalesOfTheSevenSeas]

The boat itself is 17 feet long, not counting the trailer. Here is the latest update on the progress:

Saber and I made a lot of progress on Sunday- The entire aft cabin is complete, needing only the addition of the railings. The cabin is now enclosed with a door, so we'll have a place for storage inside the cabin. The cabin is very sturdy and three pirates can sit side by side along the front of it during parades.

I found a fog machine on an after halloween sale, so our cannons will be wafting smoke and trailing it in our wake!

The gargoyle heads idea has been scrapped. I didn't get them in time before the trick-or-treaters got every last one of them off the shelves. However, I found something even better- There are a couple of perfectly-sized cherubs at the local craft store that will make great-looking supports for the aft cabin. More along the line of what I've seen on the more ornate ships anyway.

I made an on-the-spot change of plans at the paint store when looking at the colors. I got the dark brown for the main color- I found a good shade with a slight hint of mohogany to it that looks like rich dark wood. But instead of going with the metalic gold trim as planned, I went with a rich gold-colored paint.

It was about then that I realized I'd selected the colors of the Royaliste, LOL, but with the trim and primary color reversed- gold trim on rich brown. That ship just gets under your skin in funny ways, I tell ya!!

We should have the last of the construction finished this weekend- If the weather holds. We should be completing the foredeck and the rails. Then we get to start the fun part- painting and really making it all come together! I'll have photos up after this weekend.

[TalesOfTheSevenSeas]

I finally made a web page showing the progress on the Land Shark, so you can go here to check on our progress and see all the photos in chronilogical order.

Click for the Land Shark Web Page

There are two new photos showing the cherubs which will be supporting the back cabin. I took the photo with one cherub painted and the other not, so you could see the difference before and after. The gold paint on the robe of the painted cherub is the color that the trim on the ship will be. As I was painting the robe tonight, Saber walked in and said "Hey! That looks like the color on the Royaliste!"

[Zephyr]

Sounds great! Heading to the site next.....funny, while reading colours thought...hmmm sounds familiar....spent the weekend......! can't wait to see the pictures.......

It's great! The little windows are perfect!

[the Royaliste]

"Hmmm, (looks at paint scheme),....If'n it ain't broke, don' fix it, eh wot??"....Grins, and goes back to rain duty.....

[Hellava]

It's shaping up wonderfully!

You and Bob have done a great job! :)

Can't wait to see the finished product.

*smiles*

[TalesOfTheSevenSeas]

Yeah we've been laughing over what a heavy influence the Royaliste is having on the Land Shark's colors, LOL. But being that we have a lot to hide with dark paint on the Land Shark, where as the Royaliste has beautiful lines to accentuate in gold, the colors are reversed on the Land Shark. The body will be deep brown with the golden yellow trim.

The work that was done since the last set of pictures has made a big difference. I'll have more photos at the end of this weekend and you should see quite a difference and the Land Shark's "inner pirate" beginning to emerge. *crossing fingers very tightly*

And when she's all built and painted, we're going to hold an on-line naming of the Land Shark party here at the Pyracy Pub, since nautical tradition requires a ship be properly named with a celebration among friends!

[Zephyr]

got a' bottle a champagne chilled in anticipation....

[TalesOfTheSevenSeas]

The lastest photos of the Land Shark are up....

Click here to see how the Land Shark is progressing

[Captian Wolfy Wench]

Mate, the Land Shark looks great so far! Ye 'ave put in a lot of thought 'n effort into this. I just knows she's gonna turn out better'n imagined! Just remember, lots of paint and seal are the key for raw wood such as the stuff yer usin'. Sandin', too. There can be no cuttin' corners here.

I'm sorry ye've been havin' rainy weather. On'ly one day of rain fer us here in LA, and tha' was Halloween. I wish I could help ye wif such a creative project. From everyone's 9 to 5 list, sounds like many of the pyrates here are the creative type. Wish I could draw ye somethin'.

Captain Wolfy Wench

[TalesOfTheSevenSeas]

Thanks Wolfy, it looks like we'll have good weather for the next week or so according to weather.com, so I'm pulling the tarps off to let it dry tonight and hopefully we will get the painting started and the rails completed next weekend. We'll also buy the PVC, ropes and the sheet for the sail.

From here on out it is mostly cosmetic, once the rails are on the primary construction is complete. I'm really looking forward to putting some paint on her, as no matter what the construction is, until the paint goes on she still looks like a 1971 "fiberglassic" with plywood nailed on, LOL.

[Mad Woman Cheryl]

Aaahhh, tis lookin' great there Quill.

[Zephyr]

she promises to be a wonder!

How do ye say "shark" in french?

anyone else looking at the moon just now? beautiful!!!!! A perfect pyratical moon!

[TalesOfTheSevenSeas]

Thanks mates...

French for shark is "le requin", so Land Shark in French is "le requin de terre", LOL now that sounds sooooooooo very posh!! I love it!

[RyannMacGregor]

I've been enjoying the photos you have been posting. Most bang up job!!! And the name!!!! I love it!!! Wish I could be there to see her christenin'.

[TalesOfTheSevenSeas]

Well, we'll throw the naming party on-line before she is "launched" in the parade, so you CAN come after all!!

[Blind Rhoid Pyle]

I ain't posted nuthin'ere yet, but I been silently watchin'. Them silly Tee Vee folks ought be makin' one of them reality shows about buildin' the Land Shark. It be more entertainin' than what they shows on the telly.

Best o'luck to ye, and I'll be watchin'.

[the Royaliste]

"Hmmm...Pomme de terre,...'bomb de terre????"

[RyannMacGregor]

'Ere ye go....some reality show....like "This Old Boat"... "Dock Appeal"..."Wave Rules"? Alrighty ye square box producers....'ere be the next big thing....get yee's to it!

Aye....online namin party.....I be there, lass. Guess I could e'en see meself providin' some cyber libations.

[TalesOfTheSevenSeas]

LOL!!! A reality show about the Land Shark?!! Better get the censor ready with his finger on the button during the construction scenes!!

*imagines a scene*

"With only 7 hours to go until parade time, Team Land Shark is frantically racing against the clock. Let's see if we can get a word with one of the team.... Excuse me, do you really think you can make a &*$@# old fiberglass junk boat look like a pirate ship?"

*pulls out flintlock, shoots announcer*

"Yes, as a matter of fact I do!!" *smiles with satisfaction*

"All right pirates we gotta deadline!! Lets roll!!!"

[Lucky Penny Hawkings]

"Monster Ship"

Er...yeah. Right!

*blink*

Whaaaaaat?

[TalesOfTheSevenSeas]

I got some paint on the Land Shark today... it's not lookin' half bad! Starting to shape up nicely. The dark brown is blending the hull and the plywood together pretty well. The formed "boards" of the hull look very nice painted brown. I'm going to go with a suggestion by Royaliste, and imitate that look on the plywood with some darker brown or black to create false board edges. I should have photos this weekend.

[Blind Rhoid Pyle]

"Monster Ship"

More like "Shipyard Wars" I reckon.

[the Royaliste]

"The updated photos RRRR great!..Any word from Jack 'n Nyre 'bout this weekend?..Wanna pull the Lady Liberte' off the beak board, but, not without confirmation, eh?"....looks at figurehead, forgetting how beautiful She is......

[TalesOfTheSevenSeas]

Nay Cap'n. No word. Best leave Lady Liberte where she is for now. Saber had some emergency dental work yesterday and is feelin' poorly, so we're kinda up in the air about comin' Saturday, dependin' upon how he feels. We'll keep ye' posted.

Looks at Lady Liberte and smiles. Aye, she is a beauty Cap'n. A fine beauty indeed.

[TalesOfTheSevenSeas]

Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!

T'was not a good night for the Land Shark. I painted one side yesterday afternoon, but living in a coastal mountain redwood forest, we had a very damp night and I have wet runny paint this morning. Not good. I just saw Royaliste's post that rain was forcast for tomorrow, and according to weather.com we'll have showers all weekend.

Arrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!! *wrings paint-spattered hands in frustration* wish I had a warehouse or that I were a-painting in summer!!!

Looks like the solution is to go home at noon, get a layer on with the afternoon to dry and tarps for the night.

Ohhhhhhh this is not good. *makes mental note to double check the paint lable and make sure the scurvy pirate at Home Depot actually sold exterior laytex house paint*