# Pirate Bay Theme



## Front Yard Fright (Dec 23, 2005)

Next year, along with the whole new haunted house, I plan on adding a Pirate theme to our back yard.

I would like to build the front of a pirate ship... But haven't a clue as to what to use to build it.

I was thinking wood... but it would have to be taken apart every year and stored... might be a problem.

Then I was thinking canvas... but I don't want it to look cheap...

I don't really know what to do.

Anybody have any sugguestions to help make up my mind?

Thanks!
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## Front Yard Fright (Dec 23, 2005)

Oh, and I need some sugguestions about some different props to make for the back...

I have a few in mind but would like to hear what other's have to say!
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## Bauton (Apr 5, 2007)

I've seen some on the internet that used wood, but like you said storage issues. I also saw one made out of a thick brown paper. The guy cut it to the shape and size he wanted and attached it to the front of his garage with pvc pipes. He then used either paints or markers to simulate boards and wood grain etc... Looked good from a distance, but up close didn't quite work.

There is also the ship that the frame is made of pvc and then they put a clear plastic around the pvc to simulate a ghost ship. There is a website around some where to show you how this is done.

As far as props are concerned, just watch any of the pirates of the caribbean movies, they should give you some ideas.


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## Front Yard Fright (Dec 23, 2005)

Well, it is going to be somewhat far away from the crowd...
But paper?

And as for the props...
I have an old chest that I can turn into a pirate chest...
And I plan on making a sign post...
And I have an extra a bucky...

Heck I might not need anything else!
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## Dreadnight (Jul 9, 2006)

FYF, at the risk of tootin' me horn, try me site at dreadnight.com 'n take a gander at me Dreadnight Bay pages. We been doin' our pyrate thing fer three years now and mebbe you'll git som'fin of an idee from what ye see there.
I'm adding the front end of both ships in my backstory this year, and I'm currently working on the bow of the "Spectral". I'm doing the figureheads on both ships in the wreckage. All of my ship pieces are made of styro (the white sheet kind) and I'll be happy to help you out with anything you see that you like. As far as props... stock up on wood buckets, oak barrels, foam chain, old dirty rope, and definitely get your hands on some Dorp!


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## NJWilk (May 13, 2007)

Real wood looks so good, but yeah, the storage can be a pain. My pirate ship is stacked along my fence at the back of the yard. Last year was the first time for it. We marked all the boards and posts before we took it apart, so it should be pretty easy to get it back together You can make some fairly convincing wood from foamboard - I made my barrels from foam, they look pretty good. Ripped old sheets for sails, fishnet, lots of manila rope, chains, pirate flag of course. Keep an eye out for mardi gras beads and coins at yard sales. Gold spray paint turns anything into treasure. Bandanas and eyepatches turn bluckies into pirates. Wooden wheel from a garden cart turns into a ship's wheel. Cement form tube or tube from carpet roll plus a fogger makes a cannon.
Check my blog archives from last year for ideas:
2007 Blog


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## Front Yard Fright (Dec 23, 2005)

Great. Thanks a lot for all the great information...
I'm making a list of some of the stuff I have in mind.

Any ideas were I could get some wooden barrels?
Or do you think that I could manage to paint some 55 gal barrels?
What kind of paint would I use on that?

Anyways...
Thanks again guys!
.


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## Dreadnight (Jul 9, 2006)

For a while,Home Depot was carrying the full sized barrels for about 40 bucks. They don't seem to have them anymore, at least out here in Cali. You can get the half-barrel flower planters tho, and join them together in the middle somehow. Only problem with the 55 gallon metal type is I don't think they existed back in Pirate days, so it all depends on how faithful you want to be to the time period (late 1600's)


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## Front Yard Fright (Dec 23, 2005)

Well there's a local factory here in town that we've gotten black and blue 55 gal barrels that are plastic.
I think that if i would be able to paint some planks of wood on the barrels it would look pretty real...
But what kind of paint could I use do you think?

Oh, and I've seen those half barrels for planting... but couldn't figure out a way to join them in the middle...

Thanks for your input!
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## Dreadnight (Jul 9, 2006)

Check out your local auto parts store and ask them for car interior plastic primer. It's used to help paint adhere when repainting the plastic interior parts of a car. Once you correctly apply that kind of primer, you should be able to use any standard type of spray paint in a brown color (like Krylon for instance)


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## Bauton (Apr 5, 2007)

*Barrels*

I used the plastic barrels also. I just used regular exterior latex paint on them. From a distance, they look really good.

http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k318/bauton/DSCF2132.jpg

As far as the paper, they said it was a very thick paper.


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## Front Yard Fright (Dec 23, 2005)

Wow, that turned out pretty good Bauton!
Did you have any problems with the paint chipping off?
I'm afraid that would happen if i did that...

Anyways, the one you have there turned out awesome!
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## Lilly (Jun 13, 2006)

FYF don't forget your cannon and shot.
maybe a pirate flag..
some empty bottles of rum or tea filled


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## NJWilk (May 13, 2007)

Barrels from foam - cheap, easy, very light

http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m304/njwilk/Halloween%202006%20Prep/IMG_6677.jpg


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## NJWilk (May 13, 2007)

wrong link

http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m304/njwilk/Halloween%202006%20Prep/IMG_6532.jpg


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## Dreadnight (Jul 9, 2006)

Bauton and NJWilk.... nice work on those barrels! Both types look really good. 

FrontYard - also look around for empty burlap sacks of all sizes. You can fill them up with crumpled newspaper, sew or staple the open end shut, and put whatever markings you want on them (the East India Company logo, "TEA", a ship name, or whatever. Goes great with the buckets, barrels, etc. If you happen to have Harbor Freight stores in your area, they were selling bags full of them last year.


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## Front Yard Fright (Dec 23, 2005)

Hey NJW I noticed your pirate ship in the other photo...
It turned out great!

I was thinking of doing something similar to what you did...
Just use great big planks of wood and bend + screw them to a wood form.

Do you guys think that I could just cut down some plywood into strips and do what NJW did?

Anyways, your barrels too turned out great!

My list so far...

Pirate Flag - Have one already.
Ship - Working on it!
Barrels
Crates - Made of pallet wood
Treasure chest - Have a chest already...
Dorp + Burlap
Anything else?

Thank you all very much for your help!
.


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## Fright Zone (Sep 28, 2006)

I think the barrels look better when they have a larger diameter in the middle than the top and bottom and painted brown. That says "Pirate" to me ie. powder keg or keg of rum. I like Dreadnight's 2006 skeleton pirate idea of half a leaning ship with uneven planks as if it were a ship wreck. If I were doing the Priate theme I'd go with the undead supernatural skeleton Pirates of the Caribbean type of idea. Search eBay for MPC Pirate or Pirate Model for 1972 MPC Disney POTC model kit dioramas. Also search Completed auctions. I used to have two of the seven models. If I were doing it I'd try to recreate some of those. Image hosting, free photo sharing & video sharing at Photobucket of a full pirate and HMS ship Labor Day parade floats. I didn't build anything. I just took the photos. I didn't see them in action. But it appeared they had water cannons. Download the photos if you want for inspiration. The link will be temporary.


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## TwistedDementia (May 2, 2007)

AND... don't forget those pic's.


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## Fright Zone (Sep 28, 2006)

The word "photos" in my post above is a hyper-link to a photobucket gallery of 20 images. Is that what you're talking about? If so I changed it to be more clear. "Here’s a link to a photobucket gallery of photos" is now the hyperlink.


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## Bauton (Apr 5, 2007)

I agree with you on the changing width of the barrels, but when you can get these type for free, you take what you can get. 

BTW, that is a cool ship in your photos. Gives me something to think about. Maybe some type of bike or scooter, build a ship facade around it, and then ride it up and down the street on Halloween night. Maybe take a few broadsides at my ship in the yard.


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## The Haunter (Apr 7, 2007)

At one point I had an idea to build a ship coming out of the fence so you would only have to build the front of the ship. In my haunt this year I plan to fashion one side of a ship ALA shipwreak. With the barrels if you want use the plastic one and bulk the middle w/ foam cardboard etc.


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## The Mangler (Jul 2, 2007)

Pirates! It's amazing how a movie can change the perception of a haunt.


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## Bauton (Apr 5, 2007)

I actually was doing pirates before the movies came out. But, I can't fault the movies, as it has given me more ideas, and the availability of props has greatly increased.


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## The Mangler (Jul 2, 2007)

My apologies. My comment was based on patron perception of pirate haunts. Before, anything pirate was probably hand-crafted and was viewed as such. But now, as you indicated, eventhough the same, high quality props are used, the patrons perception, I think, is that everything is 'store bought' and that the haunter is just piggybacking. A shame, really.


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## Front Yard Fright (Dec 23, 2005)

The Haunter said:


> At one point I had an idea to build a ship coming out of the fence so you would only have to build the front of the ship.


That is somewhat what I'm doing.

I'm just making the front part of the ship as it's the only part that the patrons will be able to see.

I was thinking about making it so somebody could stand on the deck and shout at the guest... but I'm thinking that would be a lot of work.

Anyways, when you get your ship up be sure to take plenty of pics so we can all see how it turned out!

Thanks again guys for all of your great ideas!
.


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## Bauton (Apr 5, 2007)

I see what you mean Mangler. I try to keep my store bought props to a minimum. Or if I do buy one, I try to age it in some way to make it look less store bought.

When are these mass market retailers going to realize that we don't want props that are shiny and new looking!!! We want old and decrepit looking!!!!


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## buckaneerbabe (Jun 5, 2007)

I can't wait to see what you put together the year. I have done a pirate theme for 2 years now and have the most fun with it. The kids leave singing and skipping, I never get enought of it.


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## Front Yard Fright (Dec 23, 2005)

Well obviously nothing became of this for my 2007 haunt. BUT I have this planned for this years haunt. I have a few BIG projects and this is the main one.

Fright Zone, if you could, please put those pictures back up on your Photobucket. I had downloaded them to my computer, but lost them after my computer crashed. I was a bit ticked because they were wonderful pictures.

Anyways, the pirate theme is on for 08.
I have a general idea of how the ship is going to be made...
I was able to score on an old wine barrle from a house over by my high school.
I still have that extra bucky and a pirate flag.
Only thing I'm missing is a treasure chest...

Any of you seen a how-to for that?
Let me know!
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