design advice needed...

You might already know that one of the obsessions in my life is the Aubrey-Maturin series of books by Patrick O'Brian. I have all 21 books, the film 'Master and Commander' on dvd, the soundtrack to the film, the audio-cds of both 'Master and Commander' and 'The Far Side of the World', the companion book 'A Guide to Aubrey's Navy' and the companion cookery book 'Lobscouse and Spotted Dog', the Master and Commander board game (which is excellent by the way), am a member of the ravelry group 'The Lesser of Two Needles' and have been to Portsmouth to walk around HMS Victory. I came away from that day with a ruler depicting the battle of Trafalgar and a t-shirt with Victory emblazoned on it. I am, in this respect, a little nutty.

So lets face it, it was only a matter of time before I thought of knitting a t-shirt with a tall ship in intarsia on the front. I found this screen-shot on the internet from the film (can you see the Acheron in the distance in hot pursuit?), and am currently trying to turn it into a knitting pattern.



Now I'm absolutely no Geoff Hunt, I can't draw a ship, or copy an image of a ship with any kind of technical accuracy, I'm aiming for the impression of a ship, an abstract image. I've managed this sketch, and I would really appreciate knowing what you think ~ if there is anything odd or stupid about this drawing. Does anything look out of place, does it look the wrong shape, is it laughable?



I've tried to copy the image, but have taken away some of the sails on the left, and as I'll be doing it in only three colours, have omitted a lot of the detail on the hull. My main concerns are; is the hull the right shape; is the hull in proportion to the sails; and is the whole ship too narrow, does the image need widening a bit?



These are the colours I'll be using ~ black for the main fabric, dark blue and teal for the hull and masts, and light blue for the sails and the bow wave.