In the immortal words of the Borg queen - "Resistance is futile!" Every one must do a pirate theme at least once during their haunting career. 2014 is my year! And yes, it a big build. I have been working frantically for about 2 months now and I'm already scared I want finish. There's only 91 days left till Halloween!
Let me start by saying I'm a firm believer in GO BIG - OR GO HOME. I am planning a 32 foot board walk and wharf that runs down the side of my yard. It will include 4 buildings, including "The Dirty Wench" a pirate Brothel. All my female friends cant wait to start turning tricks and give away their candy. I will also have a Pirate bar "Black Barts" for my crew. It is a 10 x 10 pop-up tent with Pallet sides. I am making a full bar, stools, tables and furnishing the interior. Trick or treates will be able to see in but not enter.
Of course no Pirate theme would be complete without a ship. Currently I am planing a 24 foot long 2 masted tall ship. Its a little ambitious but you only live once. I managed to save several tall logs when I had a pine hedge removed this year. They are currently hanging on the back of a fence drying.
I used several other log sections to make pilings for the wharf. I will run rope between the pilings to keep kids from running up to the pirate ship. For liability reasons, I never let trick or treaters on to any structure.
To save money I am striving to make all my buildings and furniture out of scavenged pallet wood. I am fortunate that a local motorcycle and jet store gets over sized pallets made from decent lumber. So far, I have been able to get 2 x 4 and 4 x 4 10 feet long. They are happy to get rid of them and have even helped me load them on my truck. Its time consuming tearing them apart but you cant beat the price.
I am including pics of the conceptual drawings, pilings, bar stools, board walk and one on the building fronts along the wharf. If you look closely at the pilings you will see parts of the walls for the bar behind the car. I will include more pics as I get things built.
Just for fun I also have a pic of the whole thing folded up and stacked against the house. For convenience of set up and storage I make everything modular. Most walls come in pairs and are hinged to be self supporting. This year I installed 5 - 4" diameter x 2 ' long pipes in the ground in the front yard for vertical supports. A couple of days before Halloween I will drop 4" x 4" x 10 ' in the pipes to support the building fronts along the wharf. Because of my neighborhood I put everything out on Halloween day and take it up that night. It makes for a long crazy day.
Remember: To Err is Human, To Arr is Pirate!
Happy sailing!
Let me start by saying I'm a firm believer in GO BIG - OR GO HOME. I am planning a 32 foot board walk and wharf that runs down the side of my yard. It will include 4 buildings, including "The Dirty Wench" a pirate Brothel. All my female friends cant wait to start turning tricks and give away their candy. I will also have a Pirate bar "Black Barts" for my crew. It is a 10 x 10 pop-up tent with Pallet sides. I am making a full bar, stools, tables and furnishing the interior. Trick or treates will be able to see in but not enter.
Of course no Pirate theme would be complete without a ship. Currently I am planing a 24 foot long 2 masted tall ship. Its a little ambitious but you only live once. I managed to save several tall logs when I had a pine hedge removed this year. They are currently hanging on the back of a fence drying.
I used several other log sections to make pilings for the wharf. I will run rope between the pilings to keep kids from running up to the pirate ship. For liability reasons, I never let trick or treaters on to any structure.
To save money I am striving to make all my buildings and furniture out of scavenged pallet wood. I am fortunate that a local motorcycle and jet store gets over sized pallets made from decent lumber. So far, I have been able to get 2 x 4 and 4 x 4 10 feet long. They are happy to get rid of them and have even helped me load them on my truck. Its time consuming tearing them apart but you cant beat the price.
I am including pics of the conceptual drawings, pilings, bar stools, board walk and one on the building fronts along the wharf. If you look closely at the pilings you will see parts of the walls for the bar behind the car. I will include more pics as I get things built.
Just for fun I also have a pic of the whole thing folded up and stacked against the house. For convenience of set up and storage I make everything modular. Most walls come in pairs and are hinged to be self supporting. This year I installed 5 - 4" diameter x 2 ' long pipes in the ground in the front yard for vertical supports. A couple of days before Halloween I will drop 4" x 4" x 10 ' in the pipes to support the building fronts along the wharf. Because of my neighborhood I put everything out on Halloween day and take it up that night. It makes for a long crazy day.
Remember: To Err is Human, To Arr is Pirate!
Happy sailing!
