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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Pbartender" data-source="post: 3184174" data-attributes="member: 7533">Fair enough...I just have to figure out how to describe it -- it's a bit of an odd one...  <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f600.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":D" title="Big grin    :D"  data-smilie="8"data-shortname=":D" />EDIT: Got it...The idea for this ship originated during a <a href="http://crafty-games.com/dnn/Community/Forum/tabid/61/forumid/9/tpage/1/view/Topic/postid/373/Default.aspx" target="_blank">discussion on the Crafty messageboards</a> about the primary propulsion system for spaceships in their upcoming suppliment, Farthest Star.In a nutshell, the propulsion system consists of cigar-shaped pods mounted on the leading edge of the ship. The pods generate a cone of pseudo-gravity that pulls the ship along behind it.  Later in the thread, I got to explaining how, using this propulsion system, you could design a ship that can steer itself using tidal forces.  It was this concept that gave me the idea of the "Umbrella Boat".An umbrella boat is a small ship designed primarily for interplanetary travel. It is normally used by hobbyists as a pleasure craft, or by the military as a low-profile scout and reconnaisance craft.To envision the ship, imagine an umbrella. Remove the fabric from the umbrella ribs. Now, add one of the ciger-shaped propulsion pylons to the front of the ship (the "top" of the umbrella). Next, remove the handle of the umbrella and replace it with a pod that serves as the cockpit.  Finally, stretch cable-like rigging between the cockpit and the ribs.The ribs themselves, are capable of being "stepped" and folded away alongside the ship, in need be, during docking maneuvers.<a href="http://domeier.wikispaces.com/space/showimage/PylonYacht.GIF" target="_blank">Here's a very, very rough sketch of the basic layout (not to scale).</a>The ship steers by the using the rigging cables to swing the cockpit and the enitre tail-boom out of line with the pylon and it's projected gravity field.  The resulting tidal forces swing the ship around in a circle.  The overall effect is reminiscent of piloting a sailing ship.If you have any questions concerning details or elaborations, let me know.</blockquote>

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