Hopper Dredger "Crane"

axeonalias

Heres a little vessel Ive started Yesterday, I first saw her from a distance when I went for my first Tug cruise and thought, Wow theres a pretty little thing Id love to model that, and After Many phone calls and thanks to some helpfull people at Transnet dredging services,I manadged to obtain the plans and go for a visit onboard,I was giving a kind full tour of the vessel and about 400 photos where taken for referance, she was built in 1972 at 839 tons ,I think she was built in the Netherlands but ill still need to make sure about that.

Much has changed in the last 39 years of service as the photos and the plans do not agree on many areas,but the structure of course is still the same, a bow truster has been added, A new Crane and the Suction pipe has been totally removed but her dredge pump is still there and working, The reason being when lowered on the sea floor it would point forward so the vessel had to be stopped to dredge.

I am also Planning on make a fully operation scale model ( +- 2m in length ) of her, making the 3d will really help the contruction process

And here is the model so far :

Rich O Brien

Wow! That very impressive.

What's the file size?

SketchUpNoobie

Another one?! Can't wait. Is this also for the simulation game or just for fun/reference for your model?

axeonalias

@ Model head Thanks well Building it will take a tad longer than modeling so dont expect anything soon, Still planning the build as its a scratch build, need to put alot of thought into it.

@ SketchupNoobie : Yup its for the simulator not sure hoe im going to do the crane etc ,might have to be static

@ Richard : The Ship is about 20k Polys now, the file size means nothing atm as the prints are in there making the size skyrocket

Heres the Clamshell Grab,Well Worth 2400 Polys as it is the Working end of this ship :

dale

I hope your sending copies to your contacts on these vessels. They would be surely impressed as I always am.
Thanks again for keeping up the posts.
Cheers

axeonalias

Thanks Dale, Nope have not sent them anything yet but as soon as this model is complete I sure will

Rails and the Grab added with some other bits here and there :

TIG

It's a wonderful model...

Doesn't the 'red' funnel needs to be ~1.5m higher ?

axeonalias

Thanks Tig
Winches added ,and... lots of other details she is at 44000 polys now ,I think about 5000 of those are the fairleads,might need to sort that out...

And heres one of the inside of the Hopper :

designerstuart

amazing thanks for the step by step images you are teaching me as much about boats as 3d modelling!

newb question: how do you make these lovely 'clay' renders?

axeonalias

Thanks, 3d max 10 and a skylight
Wanted to see how the Crane would look on some Tracks

solo

Excellent work as usual, and fast.

Just one question,how does one get to top deck? there does not seem like there is stair access or a door.

axeonalias

Texturing is getting on,many many little details added including safety signs, Navigation equipment, Aircons, Spotlights ,More Rails etc.
She is at 53000 Polys at the moment.And one of the last pics should answer you Q Solo Thanks

TIG

Most excellent!

Dave R

Very amazing.

solo

Most excellent!

Mistro11

Very impressive. Did you do this in one day??

axeonalias

Thanks guys and Mistro11 Nope, its been a couple of days now
Ahh yes,Reflection and sunlight,cant go wrong in renders And of course added some more bits,only have the Fire monitor left to add then the exterior is complete. Deck and Grating textures obtained from my contact and fellow ship modeler Andrew Randall, Thanks mate