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Soon to be Afloat!


BCarp

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Biting the bullet, dipping into the retirement account, and buying a traditionally-built wooden sailing dinghy. The type is known as a "Catspaw" and here's a pic of one:

catspaw+on+grass.jpg

It is 13' long, lapstrake construction, and has a spritsail rig. Just the thing to mess about in at 18th C. events and Pirate Fests...!

Carpie

"You will be a brother to pirates and corsairs...."

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Wow, a really smart looker. :wub:

The Long Island Maritime Museum has raffled a small hand-built rowing dinghy for the past several years. I haven't won yet... :(

This year they switched to a wood kayak. :unsure:

BCarp, any info on who crafts this dinghy?

"Born on an island, live on an island... the sea has always been in my blood." Jas. Hook

"You can't direct the wind . . . but . . . you can adjust the sails."

"Don't eat the chickens with writing on their beaks." Governor Sawney

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Wow, a really smart looker. :wub:

The Long Island Maritime Museum has raffled a small hand-built rowing dinghy for the past several years. I haven't won yet... :(

This year they switched to a wood kayak. :unsure:

BCarp, any info on who crafts this dinghy?

James,

A number of folks around the country build them from a set of plans by Joel White. Here's a write up on the design:

http://www.artisanboatworks.com/classic-designs/rowboats/catspaw-dinghy

Mine was built by The Carpenters' Boat Shop in Pemaquid, Maine:

http://carpentersboatshop.org/boats.html

Edited by BCarp

Carpie

"You will be a brother to pirates and corsairs...."

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BCarp -

:wub: Big time drool.

;) Smooth sailing!

"Born on an island, live on an island... the sea has always been in my blood." Jas. Hook

"You can't direct the wind . . . but . . . you can adjust the sails."

"Don't eat the chickens with writing on their beaks." Governor Sawney

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I'm even thinking of arming the little craft! I picture a stout post, the same diameter of the mast, that will drop into the mast-step in the forward thwart. Mounted on this post - a small swivel gun, or perhaps a blunderbuss on a swivel yoke. Won't that be fun...!

Carpie

"You will be a brother to pirates and corsairs...."

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  • 1 month later...

Have had the dinghy for about a month now. A sweet sailing and rowing little craft, by thunder! Took her to a reenactment event (not GAoP) this past weekend:

downsized_0913141037_zpsb850f82b.jpg downsized_0913141027_zpse1f5d2ec.jpg

Don't have a swivel for her yet. My "armament" was a bow gunner with a sea-service musketoon, sort of a super-sized blunderbuss. That thing barked...!

Edited by BCarp

Carpie

"You will be a brother to pirates and corsairs...."

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You could make a yoke mount for the Musketoon that would fit the mast step, or you could also make up a wooden quaker swivel until you find a proper firing one! ;-) But you already have the hard part done, well ahead of most of us, YOU GOT A BOAT! :D

No Fear Have Ye of Evil Curses says you...

Aye,... Properly Warned Ye Be says I

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That bit of paint makes her really pop among the unfinished or plain varnished craft. Also, there's just something beautiful about a nice, squared off transom instead of the double enders. At least in my opinion!

She was bigger and faster when under full sail

With a gale on the beam and the seas o'er the rail

sml_gallery_27_597_266212.jpg

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That bit of paint makes her really pop among the unfinished or plain varnished craft. Also, there's just something beautiful about a nice, squared off transom instead of the double enders. At least in my opinion!

She's a lot like the smallest jolly boat used by the British navy in the early 1700's, not counting the centerboard (later they standardized, with the 18 ft. jolly boat being the smallest).

A friend is going to sell me (or perhaps loan me long term) a small brass swivel about 16" long, and with a .75 caliber bore. Should be perfect...!

Carpie

"You will be a brother to pirates and corsairs...."

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Neat! What more can you say. ;)

Jas. Hook

"Born on an island, live on an island... the sea has always been in my blood." Jas. Hook

"You can't direct the wind . . . but . . . you can adjust the sails."

"Don't eat the chickens with writing on their beaks." Governor Sawney

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Nice! Brass swivel though? Keep to the fresh water with it, or meticulously clean it! With that fancy boat, you could be the one ferrying the big wigs and officers ashore, while the rest of the masses uses 'ordinary' (but still good looking) boats...

She was bigger and faster when under full sail

With a gale on the beam and the seas o'er the rail

sml_gallery_27_597_266212.jpg

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  • 1 month later...

As built and fitted out, the boat is about 95% correct for 18th and early 19th C. reenactment and "living history" use. Being an authenticity nut, I want to effect some alterations ("retro-grades" if you will!) to make her more period correct. And, of course, she must have some armament! With that in mind (and because I'm still paying two - count 'em, 2! - college tuition bills each semester) I've started a GoFundMe campaign to get the boat in proper shape for next season:

http://www.gofundme.com/18thCboat

This is crassly self-serving, I know, but what the hell! You're like-minded folks, I figger....

Carpie

"You will be a brother to pirates and corsairs...."

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I love a good jolly-boat. Is she christened with a period name?

She is the "Felix" - or more specifically, the jolly-boat of the sloop-of-war "Felix" (or if it's a pirate event, the brigantine "Felix").

Wikipedia: Felix is a male given name and surname, stems from Latin (felix, felicis) and means "lucky", "favored by luck" or "the lucky one".

Edited by BCarp

Carpie

"You will be a brother to pirates and corsairs...."

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  • 6 months later...

An updated image of "Felix", with swivel mounted and proper thole-pins in place. Ready for 18th C. events...!

IMG_0538_zpsr0wokey6.jpg

Carpie

"You will be a brother to pirates and corsairs...."

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