How to build a ship in Minecraft
Minecraft allows you to build a lot of things. Castles, houses, farms and more. But one of the most interesting ways of building is not on land, but on the sea. In this article, you will learn how to build a ship step by step.
How to build a ship in minecraft without mods
To build a ship in Minecraft, you first need to find the best place for it. Once you’ve done that, make the base of the ship. Then build the frame of the ship starting from the bottom up. Build the front and back so that they resemble the beak and tail of a ship. Finally design the deck by adding a sail, compass and helm.
Skeleton construction
Before we start building, we need to choose a location.
Obviously it has to be in the water, so the beaches are good to look for. I found this location near the jungle biome, which gave me a particularly striking canvas to start with.
First, as with any assembly, we need a block palette. It’s mostly wood for this, so I went for some nice deep dark reds with dark oak, dark oak, and spruce planks, and their slab, stair, and fence options. If you want a lighter colored ship, use oak or birch, or even use acacia if you want it to be a bright red ship! Just make sure you have at least two types of wood, this is important for detailing and separating colors in the build.
Now that we can get to the building, we need to build the skeleton. A build’s skeleton is the most basic form that a build will be molded from. It’s helpful to have this base so that additions don’t feel pointless and the build retains its shape as it’s completed. Start by drawing the boat flattened, as if you were looking down on it. And remember: the front of the ship is curved inward and pointed, while the back is curved outward and rounded.
Then create some blocks, this will give us our complete skeleton to start sculpting the detailed assembly shapes.
ship formation
First, make the shape of the front of the ship, also called the forepeak or beak of the ship. This is the main part of the ship, which cuts through the waves when the ship moves.
Add slabs and stairs as you go to make your shapes smoother and add a little more detail.
Now the bottom of the ship is still flat, so give it some shape and also add some layers underwater. Keep the floor flat inside, as ships usually don’t keep all of their insides open to be walked on. There is a hollow area under the inner floor that helps with buoyancy.
Back upstairs, it’s time to make the quarterdeck, which is the raised area at the back of the ship where the rudder controls are. Inside this structure, we will also place the captain’s cabin.
Now add the masts, we won’t add sails to them for now to make it easier to make changes on deck.
Detail on deck
Next, we have to improve the deck. First, add rails and a way to get on them. We need to somehow get on the ship! This is the first example of using a lighter colored fence as rope. Since there is no rope in Minecraft, I use these lighter fences as a form of rope throughout the build to indicate the structure of the ship.
Now add the handrails to the quarterdeck. I wouldn’t want the quartermaster to fall into the ocean now, they would be furious!
Finally, add that iconic big steering wheel. And, of course, every good ship needs a compass to show the way.
Now you may be itching to set those big sails and choose the right moment. The next step will be sailing, but I will not set sail on my ship…
That’s right, I’m sailing under the Black Flag! With black and white wool, I can signal to my enemies that I am a true and real pirate!
You don’t have to make these intimidating sails, but there are a few things to keep in mind when making them. The sails don’t just curve to one side, they actually form a kind of partial canopy with all sides curved back. Also, first place the large struts out to the sides as supports for your sails. They will help you start setting sails and will also help you determine how big they will be.
Now with all these details in the sails, the rest of the deck looks a bit bare.
Time to fix it! First, with several barrels to store supplies for long sea voyages, as well as a large wheel that can be turned when it’s time to raise the anchor.
Don’t forget about the sides of your ship. The sides can be made a little more interesting by adding hatches for small parts. Don’t be afraid to overuse it, ships are big bundles of sticks held together with as many nails as fit, they naturally look a bit cluttered.
Interior design
Captain’s cabin:
Once you’re happy with the outside, it’s time to move on to the inside. First, a more luxurious area, the captain’s cabin directly below the quarterdeck.
It will be a bit dark in here, so bring some lighting of your choice. For this I chose lamps, but flashlights are also suitable.
There should be a large window at the back of the captain’s cabin. Our captain needs something to look solemnly out of the rain after facing the ordeal!
Then fill it up with a few tables and of course a big treasure map unfolded in the center! Again, using hatches on the sides of the units is great for details like shelves or cabinets.
Below deck bowls:
Now it’s time to go below deck. Punch a hole in the more exposed part of the deck and place hatches on it so you can enter. The captain doesn’t need pretty doors, this is the crew quarters.
Of course, make sure there is some light, but not too much, and a way to get inside. Down here is a good place to use a lot of your second wood color, as every wall and floor will be from your first wood. and this big spot of the same color needs to be broken.
Make a nice little side room near the entrance. This little corner is a vault that stores all of the ship’s treasures.
Fill it with wealth you never dreamed of, and make sure no one sinks your ship without grabbing it during your escape.
The crew needs somewhere to sleep, and ships need a lot of crew. This space will be cramped, but that’s good. Take this top deck clutter and flip it around to make this space seem as small as possible.
Pack the beds tightly together and use slabs to make shelves that support the beds next to them. Make sure there are ladders so that the team that took the best places, the top bunk, can get to their beds.
Finally, we need a place for our artillery. Punch some holes in the wall of your ship and make sure they are high up. I don’t want seawater to get inside!
Then add ammo. Large cannonballs can be represented by several things, but I have chosen a few large and heavy Netherite cannonballs. This will surely blow up the hull of anyone who dares cross my blocky ship!
Finished Assembly
And here he is, Creeper Moray! The fearsome ship is sure to send you straight to Davy Jeb’s locker. You can have an equally intimidating ship, or maybe a colorful or trendy modern one. By simply mixing the blocks you use, this build can take on a wide variety of shapes and is sure to get you on the water building path with big strides on Minecraft’s blocky waves.