Shipwright
Of Wooden Ships & Sailing, Construction, Maintenance, Repair & Rescue.
277 topics in this forum
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- 14 replies
- 1.3k views
Mates: On other topics, the subject has come up that the sea climate is especially inimical to ferrous metals: i.e. they rust like a bugger. There are some remedies for this: for one, use brass as much as possible. For another, paint iron heavily. But some iron things were left bright: sword blades and musket barrels most notably. My question is, what did they use for rust prevention besides crew elbow grease? They had whale oil, but that was hellishly expensive and was used mainly for lubricating delicate instruments ike watches. In the Med. they had olive oil, but it gets rancid in the heat. Animal fat gets disgusting, not that they were squeamish. So what were they li…
Last reply by John Maddox Roberts, -
- 7 replies
- 912 views
Wonder if they'll try to raise it like the Wasa. Hopefully they do, it sounds interesting. Mystery Snow Brig Coastie
Last reply by RyannMacGregor, -
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- 530 views
Especially any sailor who've been on racing boats might want to check this out. Racing Brigs Coastie
Last reply by endkaos, -
- 8 replies
- 763 views
I be trying to get into next years volunteer list for the only true tall ship in the Houston/Galveston area. Thought I'd post the info on the ship here. The Elissa If only the Royalist woould want to come play in warmer waters. Here be her Specs
Last reply by endkaos, -
- 2 replies
- 527 views
Several years ago I toured St. Joseph Cathedral in downtown San Jose CA during it's restoration. It is a very beautiful Catholic church as you can see in these photos On the tour, they showed us how the statuary had been carved from the masts of old ships. I think at least one had the name of the ship carved on the back. There was a reason for using the wood of a ship's mast- that not only was the wood better quality, but they were believed to be blessed if I remember correctly- Does anyone know about this or where other statues are that were carved from the masts of ships?
Last reply by TalesOfTheSevenSeas, -
- 1 reply
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While not strictly piratical nonetheless let's remember that pirates were sailors and that as such knowledge of all things maritime would behoove everyone one of us. This book just came into the library and it seemed a good one to read for all of us. "To Harness the Wind: A Short History of the Development of Sails" by Leo Block Naval Institute press, 2003 ISBN 1557502099 Cover the History of sails from the first depiction of one (Egyptian vase 6000 B.C.E,) to modern racing sails. The book also touches on Chinese & South Pacific sails. I am going to have it charged out to me after it's cataloged. Looks like a interesting read.
Last reply by capnwilliam, -
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There was a ship named the Golden Hind. I know nothing of her only the name and it seems familiar for some odd reason. Anyone?
Last reply by Three Finger Jeff, -
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My reading suggests that when most people talk about a "pilot" on a ship, they mean a guy who lives in a port and, for a fee, will go out to your ship in a small boat, guide you out of (or into) the harbor, avoiding all the shoals and reefs and other dangers you don't know about, and then goes back to shore again in a small boat. He does not seem to be a member of any one ship's crew at all, but just helps any ship that needs him and is ready to pay, and doesn't normally voyage far from the harbor whose safe channels he knows. However, in James Clavell's novel Shogun, a rather different picture of the "pilot" is painted. It "was the pilot who commanded at sea; it was h…
Last reply by Red Maria, -
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There used to be a link on the NQG site for a place to get plans for small 6 & 8 man schooners. ANybody remember that link?
Last reply by Zorg, -
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..Methinks I'll start puttin' up some naval history moments every so often. October 11 is about as an important a date if'n you are an American as the 4th of July..On October 11, 1776, a small flotilla of rapidly constructed ships led by Benedict Arnold decided that they'd just anchor in the middle of Lake Champlain and take on the larger and vastly superior forces of the Royal Navy in the Battle of Lake Champlain..Musta been outta rum, eh?.. 'Ere's a link.. http://www.historiclakes.org/Valcour/valco...cour_island.htm
Last reply by El Pirata, -
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Slowly trying to accumulate knowledge here (but damn it's like trying to drink from a fire hose! Soooo much information out there!), and wanted to see if I understood this correctly. (I am looking at the picture of the Royaliste on www.theroyaliste.com) The gaffs are the spars angling diagonally from each of the masts, correct? It seems that they are mounted to a pivot at the base of the gaff. Yes? If so, do they only pivot up and down? Or is it part of a rig that moves side to side as well? Why would a gaff-rigged ship be preferred over other types of rigging? Does it give better speed, more maneuverability, an extra place to hang swabbies from? Thanks.
Last reply by Cap'n Fishking, -
I be lookin' fer a ship, and be needin' advice as to what type of ship would be fittin' for a newly appointed Capt'n. Any and all recomendations would be greatly apreciated.
Last reply by El Pirata, -
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Anyone out there know where I can find good blueprints fer a small, wooden, dinghy?
Last reply by Bully MacGraw, -
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- 838 views
Does anyone have any place that may have the plans for the schooner "The Lively". It was purchased by Sam Houston and was used to bring the first settlers to Texas from New Orleans. Accounting this link will take you to an accounting of one of the passengers who was a surveyor. It sank in 1830 off the Texas coast. My hope is to get the plans and then garner funding to rebuild this boat and dock it with the Allissa in Galveston.
Last reply by Black Deacon, -
- 4 replies
- 1.1k views
Can anyone suggest a source of information on the British prison ships that were docked in Halifax Harbor in Nova Scotia? American Revolutionary prisoners were kept in deplorable conditions on these ships- I'm trying to discover if my ancestor was kept on one during his imprisonment (he was an active revolutionarly) in August of 1775 Here's one article on Halifax Harbor prison ships
Last reply by the Royaliste, -
- 8 replies
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Does any mate know of any periodical devoted to historic nautical matters? Something that would concentrate on the great age of sail, and discuss shipbuilding and battles, navigation, sailor's dress, weaponry and battle tactics, piracy and privateering, nautical skills and crafts, etc. I'm not interested in how-to-do-it publications for yachtsmen, sentimental stories about contemporary declining fishing communities, or How I Won First Prize for My Dashing Captain LeBloodie Pirate Costume; but things that will help me understand the age of sail, and help me be a better, more authentic reenactor. Any thoughts? Capt. William
Last reply by Red Maria, -
- 3 replies
- 917 views
In cleaning out his mother's garage this weekend, Bob came across an old relic from his childhood and apparently much older. Family tradition has it that this magnet came from the compass of an old ship. It is curved, about the size and shape of a piece of horn, very heavy, highly magnatized and encased in a thin layer of black-painted wood. One end appears to be roughly broken, but with a concave with a smoothly ground circular end and a rough, broken end, with a circular concave indentation carved into it. There is no record of what ship it came from or how old it is. Bob is 53 now and played with it as a child, pulling bits of metal out of the dirt. His dad used it …
Last reply by the Royaliste, -
- 3 replies
- 719 views
Hello, I have surfed around through your waters and have found you to be a knowledgeable and helpful sort. I'm trying to write a novel and am at a time where I need a good storm scene. I've got a Brigantine, set with 80-odd crew members sailing from New Orleans on their way to the Spanish Main. I need a hurricane, and I've got one, a nice historical fact acutally and it was quite a nasty one. What I require of you brave souls is advice and information on what would happen. Have any of you sailed through a hurricane? What happens? What would the crew do? How would the vessle handle? I mean to have the mainmast break and the whole lot to limp into a port for repair. …
Last reply by the Royaliste, -
- 6 replies
- 871 views
I've got some questions about this. If you were anchored in a roadstead and getting ready to get under way, was the anchor broken out of the seabed just by the brute force of the crew turning the capstan? Or was there some special trick to breaking the anchor out? Did you have to be in some special position relative to the anchor and/or the wind? Are there any cases of the anchor being so firmly dug in that putting tension on the anchor cable just pulled the ship down instead of pulling the anchor up? Also, when dropping anchor, were there any tricks to getting it to dig in? Is a special kind of seabed ideal for this? I ought to be able to answer this question by r…
Last reply by the Royaliste, -
- 18 replies
- 1.5k views
Forgive my ingorance, please. But any help is appreciated. These questions are related to tall ships with wooden hulls...without the power of an engine. I'll have a lot more questions just as stupid as these. Sure, I could find an instruction manual somewhere, maybe, but I'd prefer to here it from a pirate. How does a ship approach the dock? Sails down, I presume. But what prevents it from slamming into the dock? How does a ship leave the dock? Sails still down, or half mast? Is that the correct term? Must have wind to do either, right? Or do these ships just drop anchor and use a small rowboat to get to the dock?
Last reply by the Royaliste, -
- 18 replies
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Ahoy, there mates. I figure a spot is needed to talk about wooden ships, a key ingredient for a pirates life. Facts, myths, experienced or not. But skip the fiberglass,ferrocement,composite, or metal imitations. Quite a few other threads will weave thru this, properly done. Buildin', sailin', terminology, and jargon all will work here. Comments???
Last reply by the Royaliste, -
- 21 replies
- 3.1k views
We are building a full scale replica of the Rotter Lowe may be done next summer, anyone interested. Bloody Jack Flint
Last reply by Deacon Frye, -
- 11 replies
- 1.2k views
When the 49ers (the real ones not the football team!) came to California, many of them arrived in Yerba Buena Cove on tall ships, as this was the fastest mode of transportation. Some of these ships were abandoned and left to rot in the water, as the crews and the passengers dashed for the gold fields and took up tin pans. Over the years, the wharves were extended out into Yerba Buena Cove. Buildings were erected on the wharves, then the whole thing was filled in, often, right over the hulk of a rotting ship. Today, landfill exists where there was once a thriving harbor full of more than 500 ships. Periodically, during construction projects, the remains are found of th…
Last reply by Capt. William T. Popples, -
- 7 replies
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Now I know this isn't exactly piratical, but, it is nautical.... Has anyone ever heard of any information on the lost ship The Wasp. It was a Ship used very effectively during the war, taking over 15 prizes. One day she set out and simply dissappeard. There are various theories on what happen to her, but, I never heard anything difinitive. Has anyone ever heard of any research or wreckage etc..... Let me know.... The Capt.
Last reply by captweaver65, -
- 21 replies
- 13.7k views
Now here's an interesting question for you history buffs. Is there a reason why some ships had red sails? (There are some tall ships here on the west coast that do also) RumbaRue **I've hoisted that, I've hoisted this, but the best hoist is above the waterline**
Last reply by Dread Pyrate Greyhound,
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