capn'rob

Congrats on the webstore! I found it very accessable, easy to navigate. The gear and garb looked good and priced reasonably. Best of Luck!

Of the pics you posted are any of these your boat? The first two appear to be a Dyer, the walker bay and the other two, just some nice sailing dinghy. Where are you located? Sailorman in Ft. Lauderdale ends up with dinghy rigs often and they ship. Same deal with Wickford Consignment in Rhode Island. What happens when your rig is in the garage and the dinghy gets a.) lost b.) stolen c.) damaged ? You take it to the consignment shop!! Anyway, a pic would help. The book will help for rigging. As for sailing, I closed my delivery log at over 40k miles and find that book useful!

The Dog Watch not only switched the watch but gave each watch (half of the crew) a two hour break for dinner and some time to mend clothing or a little of the Arts of the Sailor.

Hatches are through a deck and companionways are through a bulkhead. Then the combinations and complications begin! For instance, access to the fo'c'sl in a vessel too small for a true Fore Castle, bulkhead and all, you would have a forward "scuttle". A raised hatchway with a sliding hatch cover and either doors or drop-in splash boards. To get direct to the question, "The companionway to the Great Cabin or Capt.'s Cabin". Anything built upon the deck is called deck furniture. Each part, of course has a specific name yet there are overlaps and combinations. "The Lore of Ships" is an amazing book in that it covers all the different aspects of vessels, construction, propulsion armament and defence from log canoes to the USN Long Beach Nuclear Missle Cruiser!

I would recomend a book, "THE CRAFT OF SAIL" by Jan Adkins. You can order it through the Wooden Boat Store of Wooden Boat Magazine.com. It's a soft cover book of 62 pages written, hand printed and illustrated by the author. In those 62 pages he's put the greatest primer on sailing I have ever used as a tool to teach with or, more importantly, turn someone lose with to learn the way of sail. It's strickly basics. All the parts of a basic sailboat are covered. How to raise sail, how to lower and furl or stow. The three points of sail. It's just very simple as not to overload with information. Once you've learned these basics, buy books on advanced sailing, cruising and racing but to get your dinghy in the water, rig it proper and safe, enjoy an afternoon sailing, proper and safe and get back to the same spot you started from, I recommend this book very highly. A very close friend and shipmate of mine got married several years ago. For their Honeymoon they were going to sail around the world on the 56' sailboat my friend had restored. He was more than competant, his Bride had never sailed before! She borrowed my sailing dinghy and with the copy of "Craft of Sail" told her husband "when I can sail by myself into Lake Sylvia and back to our boat, I'll leave!" They returned, as planned, three years to the day, still married, having sucsessfully circumnavigated the globe. My friend told me he used it a time or to for reminders! Other than that, I have sold and sailed many different boats over the last 40 years. A photo might help me identify what make/model dinghy you have and what ever help I can give, I'm glad to. Dutch "X" his mark

An interesting fact that I'll throw in the mix. Commodore Uriah Leavy, USN, fought for several years to abolish flogging in the American Navy. His reasoning, that as a Nation of Free Men we were not to be beaten as slaves. As a result of this campaign and some anti-Semitism he fought and was aquitted of five or six Courts Martial. Twice with Presidential influence, Lincoln being one! He was a P.O.W. of the British. He ran away to sea at twelve but came home for his Bar Mitzvah then went back to sea. After his Navy Career he purchased a rapidly decaying Monticello and restored it. He made it a gift to the American People. His mother is buried on the grounds.

Captain Bo is correct on several points. The whipstaff was gone a century earlier. Gone with the Galleon. Unless the ship was going into, in or coming out of action, cannon were securly tied in their places and their ports securly closed for the very reason your story exhibits. An officer of this lack of seamanship would rarely advance beyond "middie". Wresting the helm, thus the control of the ship IS mutiny! Keeping head to wind there are two options. heave to; Spanker sheeted close Fore Stays'l backed. Helm up. Head comes up, stays'l fills and head falls off. The vessel jogs head to wind with very little forward progress if indeed that's not the course you're planning. If it is your direction, sail close hauled, sails "small". Basically the same combo as Hove To with the addition of a Goosewing, Reefed Maintops'l. Running before the wind does have the chance of being pooped if the seas are steep and close. Laying Ahull is to close furl and gasket all sail, batten down and let the ship tend for herself. As for the East Indiamen. The ones I've seen in the paintings and models at the Peobody-Essex Museum in Salem, MA, were not so heavily armed. The East Indiaman herself was a catagory of Merchantman Vessel and a Frigate was a class of Naval Vessel. The USS Constition is a Frigate. Derby Wharf, across from the museum is where the Eaest India Co. carried out it's business from. The Customs House, the Merchants Hall, now part of the Museum is across the street. Several of the homes of the origional company owners have become part of the museum with the goods they furnished their homes with from the Orient. Great Museum! The YinYu Tang House is re-assembled as part of the museum. This family did business with the East India Co. for generations. I hope I was able to help in some way. If I can be of further assistance, feel free to message me. Dutch "X" his mark (Cap'n Rob's Pirate name!)

Aye! And Mark ye well this. We the crew of the "Meka"II, Horatio Sinbad, Master, are in production of a film based on a novel writen by said Capt. Sinbad, himself, sez I! The "Sword of Tortuga" was writen several years ago with screenplay in mind. An earlier start was halted but it came down to, "if not now, when?" It's a no to low-budget, do-it-yourself, get by with your friends kind of project. You all may recognize some of the characters, myself included. The "Dutch" moniker came in with the part. You can see the trailer and other interesting stuff about the "Meka"II and the Beaufort Pyrate Invasion by checking out www.pirate-privateer.com .

I've sent some notes to some folks but I like the idea of this link getting out to more folks that I shared this wonderful experience with. Usually I get so excited on raids or boardings that I get all crazy and burn first! There I am, watching whatever prize I may have hoped for going up (or down) in flames as I realize what I'd done. With the guidance and direction of such great leaders, masters of arms and tacticians such as Capt. Sterling, Master d'Dogge, Spike, Bahama Braze and the others whos names I know not, all Battle direction was by cooler heads. They pointed, I shot! No going mad and running amuck. Shooting, looting, ravishing, poaching, creating mayhem and generally acting out of sorts. Nay! This time there was a bit less insanity. Fayma, Spike and the Bone Island Crew and the local folks that tirerlessly worked to put this together. You must have done it all right because it was sure allright by me. Tony. The photos, well, we all know they're great. I was just glad to see you again. We made a connection at Blackbeard and there's nothing like running into an "old friend" that you met once! The Vendors. When I first entered the Fort i said, "Oh Boy! The Mall!" Some real fine folks with some awesome products. I was looking forward to meeting Greg so I could jam with him. That we did and I was not disapointed. "Mr. Hawkins" and I were practcally neighbors in Connecticut many years ago. Haunting Lily. From before I got on the road from NC you were getting things squared away for me and I'll not forget your kindness. Watching you stay on top of the camp's daily goings on as well as individual needs, well, you could have used an extra pair of hands but, you did it. Thank You!! I'd like to thank everyone, individually, by name but I can't. The memory in some case and some folks, we just exchanged a smile. I want to thank you all for sharing this great time with me. Next PiP I'll make it a point to learn more names. To all you beautiful young women that kept putting the moves on me, "sorry loves, it just wouldn't work out between us." In Graditude, Dutch, "X", his mark

You could sleep soundly knowing the camp was protected by such a vigilent watch! You couldn't slip anything by these guys!

Rats, ye hit the peg on the spot! What a time. I've made it known to yer crewe mates that it were like being picked up from being marooned! Yer alone on the beach. A flagon of rum, one pistol with one charge and one ball and yer conciderin' the choices and their aint that many left. A sail on the horizon and life takes on a whole new meaning! Now, Shipmates as fine as the lot o' ye, that, just happens by sheer luck but getting found marooned takes that kind o' luck, sez I! Dutch "X" his mark

Ahoy there Captain! Sorry for the tardy reply, but I killed off the "Friend's List". It just seemed redundant, anti-social and ridiculous for the small group that we are, to visit the Pub in search of community and then put energy into who we're going to be friends with and not be friends with. By the nature of our shared interests we are already all friends here. . . . that is unless you're one of the King's spies. Now that might make an interesting role play element, people could set up obvious factions, build lists of enemies. Though a lot of role play goes on between us, I think the Pub is more than that (not that I could define it necessarily). Thanks, Stynky! What a blast this week was! I want to do it again. Next week !!

Try being nicer to this you...............!