Looking for Suggestion on Unwrapping a Cleat (used in boating)

Support Materials and Textures
#1

Hello everyone,

Before I say anything else, let me say that normally I would expect the answers for the question to be either projection painting or a double uv layout + blend node + mask -> baked image, but I’m working on a mobile project and am trying to keep file size down (and doing those methods means possibly creating lots of ‘one off’ / non-reusable textures), so I’m trying to avoid those approaches.

With that said, I’m trying to unwrap a style of cleat (something you tie your ropes around when your boat is docked), but just am having a tough time getting something decent. Currently I’ve unwrapped it like a hemisphere, but there is quite a bit of obvious distortion. So, I’m looking for any suggestions about how to better go about unwrapping the upper 2/3rds of the mesh (which reminds me of a upside down bowling pin).

If there is no better way, I could also add some geometry (maybe a ‘belt’ or something similar which would hide the seam), I’m open to suggestions.

Thank you for reading.

Pics:

object.jpg797×724 72.7 KB


uvs.jpg901×835 271 KB

#2

try splitting the top part with a seam right through the middle.

#3

With that said, I’m trying to unwrap a style of cleat…
That one is actually called a bollard. :wink:

[/old sailor]

#4

Yeah, it’s a bollard. Helps to know the correct term when you’re looking for reference photos. Bollards are mostly made of cast iron, and have natural seams from the mold, which the manufacturer may or may not grind off, at least to the point of not chaffing any lines fastened to the bollard. But, if you take a close look at actual bollards, you can still see those mold marks.

Since manufacturers differ in how they mold bollards, you could pretty much put seams anywhere you want, and still have something realistic.

#5

@Gumboots and Orinoco:
‘Its a bollard’
-Definitely good to know. Also good to know about the seams.

As an aside, in my limited experience I guess I’ve only seen “cleats” although just googling around shows plenty of this style of mooring (without any additional pieces like http://www.defender.com/images/011565.jpg ]. Is one type more favorable than the other for certain applications (like large vs small boats, different expected weather conditions, etc)?

#6

Old Navy piers tend to have traditional one post bollards. Ships coming in to dock would attach a light line to their mooring cable, and toss it to some deck hands on the pier, who would then pull the mooring cable over to the dock and slip the cable’s loop (mooring cables had a loop in one end) over the bollard. Then the sailors on the ship would pull the shipboard end of the cable and the ship would move to the side of the pier. Cargo piers would probably have double bollards (that can be used like a cleat) or cleat-like bollard designs, because they can’t be sure what kind of mooring lines the visiting cargo ships might have.

Large ships need large mooring cables, and it’s tough to wrestle a three inch diameter line around a cleat (this operation can’t be automated), so large ships normally use single bollards. Small boat piers would be more likely to have cleats, since the lines needed are smaller and easier to handle.

#7

Looks like the top part must be unwrapped as a cylinder too. Just cut the top “cap” of it, IMHO

#8

@Orinoco:
Thanks again for the info.

@Gleb:
Thanks for the input.