HMS Bounty Work Boat - The Launch

**Milton Shupe** · August 7th, 2016, 05:36

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** · August 7th, 2016, 05:41

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

**Milton Shupe** · August 7th, 2016, 05:45

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** · August 7th, 2016, 05:51

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** · August 7th, 2016, 05:55

Great to see this happening.
Thanks, Milton.

Cheers,
Robin

**Milton Shupe** · August 7th, 2016, 06:00

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** · August 7th, 2016, 07:33

Originally Posted by 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.

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** · August 7th, 2016, 12:21

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*** · August 7th, 2016, 13:49

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** · August 7th, 2016, 16:11

Originally Posted by 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?

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** · August 7th, 2016, 18:31

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** · August 9th, 2016, 06:43

Originally Posted by Motormouse

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*** · August 9th, 2016, 07:31

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** · August 9th, 2016, 16:32

Originally Posted by vonernsk

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*** · August 14th, 2016, 12:34

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** · August 16th, 2016, 19:13

Originally Posted by Motormouse

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** · August 17th, 2016, 08:59

Originally Posted by Milton Shupe

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** · August 17th, 2016, 09:02

Originally Posted by Milton Shupe

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** · August 17th, 2016, 14:09

Originally Posted by Sascha66

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** · August 17th, 2016, 14:22

Originally Posted by Sascha66

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. :-)

**Paul Domingue** · August 17th, 2016, 15:11

I should pay more attention. Great addition to your superb model of the Bounty Milton. Will you be model Cpt. Bligh and his loyal men sitting in the boat?
For those interested in the history and have not read the trilogy by Charles Nordhoff and James Norman Hall (1932) I highly recommend it. By far of the three, Mutiny on the Bounty, Men Against the Sea and Pitcairn Island, Men Against the Sea is the best of the three. It will give you a whole different perspective on the man Bligh. Their voyage after being cast off from the Bounty is an epic story of survival that I doubt few people could accomplish today.

***Penzoil3*** · August 17th, 2016, 15:30

Found the trilogy at Project Gutenberg Australia. http://gutenberg.net.au/plusfifty-n-z.html.
Free e-books...

Looking forward to this nice addition to the beautiful Bounty !
Sue

**Paul Domingue** · August 17th, 2016, 17:14

Originally Posted by Penzoil3

Found the trilogy at Project Gutenberg Australia. http://gutenberg.net.au/plusfifty-n-z.html.
Free e-books...

Looking forward to this nice addition to the beautiful Bounty !
Sue

Because of the age of publication it is in the public domain. I wouldn't mind reading it again. Is it in Kindle version?
On another note, if you like high seas adventures I highly recommend Patrick O'Brien's Aubrey/Maturin series. Look it up and when you start reading it you will through rocks at Hollywood.

**Milton Shupe** · August 18th, 2016, 05:01

Originally Posted by Penzoil3

Found the trilogy at Project Gutenberg Australia. http://gutenberg.net.au/plusfifty-n-z.html.
Free e-books...

Looking forward to this nice addition to the beautiful Bounty !
Sue

Oh Wow! Thanks Sue

I started reading Men Against the Sea last night; on Chapter 10 now.

Charles NORDHOFF (1887-1947) and James Norman HALL (1887-1951)

The Bounty Trilogy (Wyeth Edition, 1945)
Comprising the Three Volumes:
* Mutiny on the Bounty (1932)--Text--ZIP--HTML
* Men Against the Sea (1933)--Text--ZIP--HTML
* Pitcairn's Island (1934)--Text--ZIP--HTML