capn'rob

Which Loft was it? Was Ratsy Lapthorn on City Island? I know some beautiful boats were built there. Nevins was probably the most well known for the Cup Defenders they built that were sucsessful. "J" Boats and 12 Meter. Attached is my "traditional" sailboat. It's a Joel White "Shearwater". Stitch and Glue Okume Plywood. Each lap has a carbon fiber filet. The mast is hollow with the carbon fiber as well

A Native Rhode Islander, Jon writes about the historical and current goings on about the smallest states with one of the longest coastlines. His song about a 17th Century Pirate raid is awesome. "Kept on Fishin'" has become a standard amongst the Shanty Groups, both sides of the pond. It's been covered by Liam Clancy of Clancy, O'Connel and Clancy. "Catch and Release" is about a new form of "sport whaling" using suction cup harpoons, you get where that's going! "Restless Waters" let's you know behind the wit and sarcasm is a very big heart. You can find Jon at www.jcampbellwampum.com Incidently, he also makes some beautiful jewelery! Sincerely, Capn'Rob

good...i think you owe my a Drynk...!!?? By thunder, That I does! Onest I gets ta shore I'll be findin ye. Not much to it, Public House with cheapest pints. O' course ye'll wants me ta' take Ye ta' tha finast in Towne but o' no mind ta' me sir. I'll stands ye a round whenever. Providin I haves tha coin!

Hope to see you in camp for a bit of the festival...Say ahoy to Sinbad from Sterling when you get the chance. Tell him I asked if he were taking good care of "my" boat... Aye, Captain Steerling, Will give compliments and reminders as well. The "Sword of Tortuga" progresses.

Greetings Capt. Steerling, As to the before mentioned cordage. What size and length might ye desire and will ye be likin' hemp or manila? I have a goodly supply at Commander Lauderdale's Fort up the coast and I will be calling there before Bones Cay. Dutch "X' his mark

As it applies to women aboard ships. In the History of American Whaling, the average voyage was four years. Some of the Captains were Ship Owners or Major Shareholders. As a result some chose to bring their wives and in some cases, their families. Accomodations "abaft the mast" were quite fine for the Capt. In the case of the "C.W. Morgan", the Shiip's Carpenter built a small cabin on deck to fit a bunk for the Mrs. to have better ventelation in the warmer climes. In the histories of many of these women their importance on these ships became more pronounced. In one incidence, the Capt.'s wife became the ship's Navigator. The Capt. yielded this task because his wife was a more accurate Celestial Navigator. Tragically, the Captain died, mid-Pacific. The Officers all agreed, the Command should be passed to the Captain's Wife should she agree to take it. She completed the voyage with Oil, Baleen and Bone enough to turn a tidy profit for the Company. Bad Luck? I'd say no, well maybe for the Captain. Also of note. The average crew member, before the mast, for his toil, backbreaking work and danger of angering creatures of 20 ton or more would receive a surprpising sum at the end of the voyage. The pay was called a Lay. The so many hundredeth of the whole. This amount then less the advance for any shore leave. This was rare for the conditions were so harsh many would abandon the ship. The Slop Chest always took a big hit also. This was clothing and other sundries a sailor may need during this period. It was purchase cheap and sold dear by the Captain. The average net pay at the end of an average voyage was $4.00! Four dollars! Although, you were fed. Rotten Salt Horse, Weavely Bread and stale water!

(spit-take) The what...??? Perhaps I should rephrase. They fought to the Death because they weren't very nice neighbors.

I can Highly Recomend this Book as the Best Primer on Sailing ever written. It is only 62 pages. The Author illustrated and hand printed it. He avoided anything beyond the most basics for beginning to sail. "THE CRAFT OF SAIL" by Ian Adkins. you can find it on line at Wooden Boat Magazine's Wooden Boat Store. When I taught sailing in the 70s the students had to study the Red Cross Book for their classroom and test. However, to actually understand sailing and practice its basics, we used this book.

I was aboard of her in 1990. She was made fast to Chubbs Wharf at Mystic Seaport Museum, head of the wharf, spars lashed to her deck. I was aboard of my Motorsailor "Fortune Coockie", 5 Tons, Homeport Miami. There was an awesome Fife Yawl and the Motorsailor "Burma" there as well. The "Charles W Morgan" was in her usual place on the wharf as well.

My longest Open Ocean Passage was from the Perlas Islands in the Bay of Panama to the Marquesas, French Polynesia. 28 days. Upon leaving the Canal Zone we made for Isla Cantadora, a very fine resort island. When the Shah of Iran, ran, that's where he ran to! we then went to Isla del Rey. There we cleaned the bottom, tuned the rig and did the final stowing of gear. We rescued a Leatherback Sea Turtle in the beginning of the trip and got the Trade Winds quite early according to the Pilot Charts. I believe it was the Turtle and so did the Polynesians! We crossed the Equator at 96 degrees west, verified by the flushing of the head. Like that Turtle, we all became Shellbacks that day, in the Court of King Neptune. We made the Marquesas in 28 days. Our best days run was 238 miles! This was on an Alden Ketch with a waterline of between 35 and 38 feet. What a trip! We stayed 30 days in the Marquesas then made Hawaii in 18 days. On the 16th day we saw the peaks of Moana Loa and Moana Kea! Above the clouds! I would have to say, without having to take this test, that in my younger days I had what it took to cross long passages of open Ocean. I've encountered Seas fair and foul. I've tried my hand at commercial fishing, Passenger Ferry Service, Frieight, Yacht Deliveries, Charters and private yachts. Aye, a Sailor I have been. These days I live on my boat. I chose my weather carefully. I mostly travel the Intracoastal Waterway and concider those open bodies of water before I leave the dock. I will go offshore under certain circumstances: I require a cabin steward, waiter and busboy. A crew to guest ratio of no less than 2 guest to 1 crew. It must be an older Ocean Going Liner not one of these new slab sided buildings with a pointed end. Or at best a Star Line Ship "P" Liner 4 masted Cruise Ship. That will get me off shore again.

If we can go back a bit further, Queen Bhudica of the Celts, after the death of her husband, rallied the Celts against the Romans and were quite sucsessful for a brief time. Her daughters led beside her. The Romans forces were reenforced, of course, bringing the conquoring of the Celts but for a while they stood against the tyranny of Rome.

Thank Ye, I have forwarded the info to the Captain of our vessel, the Armed Brig "Meka"II, 8 Guns, Homeport Beaufort, NC. If ye shall be at the gatherin' on the Cayo o' Bones, we be lookin' fer ye. Ye'll recomember us'n by this here post! Dutch "X" (his mark)

So, some of us had it cut off at birth... As "We of the Tribes" know, once snipped, the ends are sent to Ireland. There, they are planted in the ground and when they grow up, they send them back here as Cops!!

Aye. This be Dutch. Bosun o the "Meka"II, 8 Guns, Horatio Sinbad, Master. Clap on ta' this here, I be attendin this here gatherin,' but I doesn't stay ashore. No, can't abide by the land fer mor' an e few hours or so. But Avast! Dutch will be berthed over ta' Schooner Wharf wi' a tidy berth an no watch ta stand. Dutch X his mark

Dear "Poopdeck Pappy", My Dad was an Animator and Story Writer for the Fleischer Bros., 1931-38. He did Popeye, Betty Boop and Coco the Clown. He also was a Maritime Artist extraordinaire! On a subsequent posting on this heading by "Cross" is a photo of three 17th century ships. One of them is the "Susan Constant", the vessel that brought the settlers to Jamestown. In the Virginia Statehouse there hang only two paintings. One is an 18th c. of the Surrender of the British somewhere in VA and the other of the "Susan Constant" by Griffith Bailey Coale. My father apprenticed to Mr Coale as a Muralist in 1929. The major project they undertook has just been restored in NYC. It's 225 feet long, titled "A Pagentry of Ships Through Commerce Over the Ages". It starts with phonecian Galleys and ends with the most modern three funneled steamer of the US Line. There's even a Dirigible and a Bi-Plane overhead to show how "modern" this scene was! I've attached a photo of a pen and ink that Dad did in 1931 of three McCallister Tugs and one Lighter on the Hudson River. He had just received his Fine Art Degree from Yale and it was the height of the Depression!