Thread: Sea Monster - need ideas

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I'm planning to build a kraken or some kind of sea monster for 2008 and have no design at all yet. I'm asking you guys for ideas for the build - materials, design structure, possible animation.
Here's the scenario:
2008 will be the last year for my pirate ship. I plan to build the ship as I normally do, probably mid-October. The ship is about 20 feet long, nearly six feet tall. The sea monster attack is in three stages. First I envision some lumps around the base of the ship, like something rising from the depths, with one or two short tentacles starting to appear. Next, longer tentacles reaching up to the sails, wrapping around the mast, maybe grabbing a pirate. Finally, the sides of the ship start breaking apart, "flames" and smoke rising from the deck, the head of the monster with its toothy mouth open to swallow the captain.
The ship is in my front yard, the monster will be installed for about 2 weeks. I live in Atlanta and the weather is usually cooperative - we're in a drought but the governor's prayer campaign may get results so it could rain. As I said, this is the last year for this display so the monster doesn't have to be built to last through the ages.
What do you think? Pool noodles? Plastic corrugated drain pipe? Fabric? Monster mud? Dripping slime would be good.

Ship pictures

You're on your own for the frame, but for the skin, start collecting 7-Up, Sprite, Mt Dew, etc 2-Liter bottles (the green plastic ones). When you have a bunch, cut out scales, punch a couple of holes along one side, near the edge, and sew them (overlapping) to cheap, green fabric.

For slime you could make some Gak on mass. Gak is the Nickleodeon slime stuff that we (or at least I) used to play with as kids. Here is a recipe for how to make your own: http://www.sciforums.com/showthread.php?t=65060

As far as movement, what about maybe putting the final stage on a track? You could use some sort of pnuematic power along with a trigger or sensor. That way you could get vertical and horizontal movement at the same time. You could hide the track with whatever you might be using for water or "waves". Just a thought -I'm really new to the animated prop world.

You might be able to use some flexible duct, it comes in different diameters and is readily available at lowes/HD. Would need some type of armture/wire to keep its form and perhaps some type of mechanism like this http://members.tripod.com/bobgreiner/id59.htm if you wanted to add some movement to the beast!

OK here is an IDEA you might thank about.
I did a Google search for Realistic Werewolf and follow the link to THE BIG BAD WOLF there is an animatronic tail link there. You might be able to work from there with some FORUM HELP.

http://www.wolftronix.com/howto.htm

Tail... tentacles... Hummmmmmm

Good Luck