One of the earliest memories I have of Minecraft Pocket Edition is the call of the sea. I crafted a boat and set out to explore the vast depths of the ocean. Unfortunately, that small wooden vessel was more like a sailor’s fantasy—unless, of course, a sailor dreams of sinking to the bottom, I suppose.
Fortunately, some shipbuilders in the Minecraft PE community took it upon themselves to demonstrate how one can navigate the seas. One such builder is TinyTophy, who became quite passionate about shipbuilding several years ago.
“One day, my friend and I decided to construct a ship in our Minecraft world. It took us around two hours to complete everything, and it certainly didn’t meet my current standards. However, it sparked my interest, leading me to search for numerous shipbuilding videos on YouTube, which ultimately helped enhance my skills and knowledge exponentially.”
Recently, he launched his third and final version of his interpretation of the HMS Victory: a ship renowned for its role in the Battle of Trafalgar. What draws TinyTophy to recreate this historical vessel? “I remember first seeing the HMS Victory created by people like Defroi,” he tells me. “It filled me with an incredible sense of awe because they looked so smooth and realistic.”
Beyond their convincing appearance, breathing new life into historical objects has additional benefits. “I believe the allure of creating something that actually exists allows you to practice many skills,” says TinyTophy. “Since it’s real, you can look at photographs and models and try to replicate what you see there. Then, when you create your own projects, you’ll have more skills to draw from.” 
But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. How does one go about constructing something as intricate as the HMS Victory? First and foremost, thorough research is essential. “I examine numerous photos of models, plans, paintings, etc. Since there’s often variation among these different media, I typically take elements from each. Sometimes aspects from paintings translate better in Minecraft PE than if I were to use an actual plan or photograph.”
Of course, that’s just the beginning. “The initial step in planning is to create a blueprint using reference images,” continues TinyTophy. “I usually find a ship and import it into Photoshop. Then, I scale it to the desired size and transfer that 2D layout into Minecraft Pocket Edition. This is all part of the planning phase. Once in-game, I handle the rest while referring to that plan.” 
This is where the true test of the shipbuilder’s abilities begins. “The biggest challenges for me are usually the finer details. Constructing the hull and sails is relatively straightforward. Getting the curves right takes time but isn’t overly complicated. However, until recently, I managed to design decent cabins and bows for ships.” 
