DocF225

Aye sir she sounds lovely. Sadly you and I are on opposite coasts and me purse be a bit light, (jest had to purchase new land transport) hope she finds a sutiable new port.

I'm a'feard that mildew is the least of the problems; seems over the winter we had a small furry "visitor" who took a liking to the gabardine and felt. Apologies mates for missing the Raid, my relief at work showed up late and I got stuck in traffic. Dint get home 'til nigh on 7PM with a screaming headache, took a bit of rum and a nap. Got up near midnight a bit late for the 90 minute trip.

As a card carryin member of the Loyal Order of Shellbacks (Golden) the basic tradition is a day of what would be called by today's whiny cry babies Hazing. Each Ship/Crew has variations on the theme but a basic outline goes somethinglike this. The Pollywogs (newbies) are aroused extremely early in the AM in as unpleasant manner as possible. I was hit in the "mush" with a fire hose stream at 0300. They are marched to the weather deck where the orders of the day are read. The OOD spells out what tasks will be required of the Pollywogs to sucessfully complete the initiation. Throughout the day they are subjected to various tasks and problems none being very pleasant. Remember, you're crossing the Equator so it's hot, damn hot, surface of the sun hot. We had to climb to the top of the Radar mast, crawl through one of the garbage chutes. Stand a short (30 minute) "watch" as a radar dish (Stand holding a bed spring above your head swinging it back and forth repeating "I am a Radar, Beep Beep"). Attend a Banquet of Limberger Cheese, sardines and other rather unappetizing delicacies. Face a "gauntlet" of fire hoses that had been soaking in salt water for 'bout a week. A few other tasks that were unremarkable. The culmination of the day is an "audience" with Neptune himself. They got the hairiest guy in the crew to sit on a table in a crown with a trident. They smeared grease on his gut. The Pollywogs were then forced to kiss Neptunes Belly. Of course some rather large Bosun was standing behind us making sure we "properly" kissed Neptune. The evening meal was Steak and beer that were brought in via helo.

Coastie, Fear not, I will have to be there in "civies" as well. Me garb met with disaster when our basement flooded o'er the winter and I just found out. Seems me bride moved it without me knowledge. Went looking for it last night and found it in a mildewed mess. May not be salvagable.

Comapred to what I've seen here I am a "no talent hack". All of your work is amazing. I am not an artist in the strictest sense of the word. I build scale models and I am told I'm pretty good at it. Ye can decide fer yerselves.My Webpage

Aye lads, I should be arriving there as close to 7PM as possible.

Aye it's the "Red Wake Shopping Network" me hearties. 'E sounds like one o them tv preachers doan 'e. "jest send me all yer loot and I'll see that ye get saved...." Yer killin me ...All this talk of a Faire IN San Diego is jest not right. I be a Native Son fer pete's sake and I can't get back there fer love ner money. Curse this filthy burg. Guess I gotta wait for the New York Faire next month.

Aye tis true, by dampening the canvas the fibres swell and thereby tightening the weave. This catches lighter breezes better. The downside is that wetting and drying canvas over and over again speeds it's aging process which lossens the weave and requires more wetting.

Aye Fine words indeed *Joins Longarm* To yer health sir.

Before I quit hunting, I only hunted with "primative" weapons which in NYS are defined as Black Powder and Bows. Not that I can't shoot rifles just I prefered to use the primative weapons. Last time I qualified on the range before I got discharged I still carried Expert rating with both my M16 and my 9MM. Some things to add to the "Smooth Bore vs Rifle and effective range mix". Long shots (outside 50 yds) often are taken against Antlered Critters because we (humans) are on their turf. They hear better, have a better olfactory system and know the terrain better than the hunter. Therefore it is much tougher to get in close. Buck Shot vs Slug or Ball. Today most places have gone away from allowing shot for human safety reasons. A single projectile is easier to "control" than a handfull of smaller shot. I have used .54 and .62 rifled musket with patched ball and rifled slugs with nearly equal results. Again, at less than 50 yards there is very little change in the ballistic travel of these rounds. With my .62 I can still take George's head out of a quarter at 100 yards and I can put 5 shots in a 3 inch circle. (Shooting is one of the few things I'm really good at ) I also have shot .50 smoothbore but the Smoothie requires some real "windage" work to keep it on target at over 75 yrds.

I was born Wilhelm Van Wynsma in Henley-on-Thames in the year of our lord 1639. My father Wilhelm was a sailing master on a Dutch Merchantman. My mother was a seamstress. They met in London while my father was having a dress made for his sister. They settled in Henley after my father lost his leg during a storm off the Horn. I was born a short while later. When I was three years old, my mother succumbed to pneumonia leaving my father and I alone. My father then made his living building small craft for fishermen to ply the Thames. The Thames became my playground. I had any number of small boats to use to explore the banks up and down the river. At an early age, I demonstrated a quick wit and intellect and it was decided that I would receive as much formal education as was possible. Not being a very religious man, my father often sent me to church alone in deference to my departed mother. The local Vicar taught me to read and write and taught me basic arithmetic. As I grew, so did my thirst for knowledge. I read any text I could regardless of the subject. I studied the natural world in my “explorations” of the river. I learned what I could about the sea from the sailing men my father worked for. In 1655, a wealthy man commissioned my father to build him a yacht and in the process they became friendly. The man owned a small trading fleet and knew of my father’s ability aboard ship. This man became my benefactor. He offered me the opportunity to attend the Royal Academy of Physicians in London. In exchange, I would serve as ship’s Doctor on his flagship, Assurance. While at the Academy, I excelled in surgery and showed remarkable prowess with both scalpel and saw. I graduated with honors and took my place aboard Assurance. We made several journeys to the Caribbean and the Orient without incident. I returned home in 1668 to find my father in very poor health. Try as I might I was unable to save him. I was devastated. All of my years of study and reading were useless to save the only family I had. I turned to drink to numb the pain. My usually steady hands trembled all the time, my mind was as slow as molasses up hill and my keen eyesight was blurred from the drink. On a trip to the Caribbean in 1670, several Sloops under the black flag set upon Assurance. Most of the crew was killed but the raiders suffered heavily as well. The Pyrate flag along with a seriously wounded Captain was moved to Assurance. With a ‘lock at my head and a cutlass at my throat I was ordered to save the Captain. For three days and nights I worked feverously to save his life. Through some fortuitous twist of fate, Captain Eggleton recovered and in his gratitude, spared my life. For several weeks, I stayed aboard with the Pyrate crew watching them “redistribute” the wealth from heavy Galleons. The crew took a liking to me and I was treated with respect and admiration for saving their Captain. For the first time in a long time, I felt as though I had a purpose. I convinced Captain Eggleton to let me stay aboard and care for his crew.

Congrats PQ. Lloverly lines indeed truly a fine Sea Bird.

anything that had alcohol. ................and payed cash. I't dint even need to have alcohol. Straight molasses was popular swag anything that paid Cash money was fair game.

Thousands of outta work comedians and We get you bilge rats!!! Punny very punny indeed.

Scupper me Hearty, I be needing directions, coordinates, or smoke signals to be finding the Tavern.

Lawyers Politicians Insurance Company Execs Oil Co Execs "Professional" Athletes More Seriously how about a guy Like Mel Fisher? It's not really pyracy but definitely living off the bounty of the sea.

I use three methods of plank bending. First and most often used is a plank bender. To get consistant, even bends you can't beat a good plank bender but I admit they are a bit pricy. The soak and bend method is good as long as you're confident you can reproduce the bends from plank to plank. The curling ribbon method with a blade or scissors works best on thinner stock. My favorite "Low Tech" method the "pipe and rubber matting"method. The best stuff is the matting they sell to put under machinery to stop it vibrating or "walking". Check Sears or Home Depot/Lowes. Place the plank on the mat back side up. Take a metal or hardwood dowel or pipe ( Sched 40 PVC pipe works real well too). Place the pipe squarely on the center of the plank and press down while rolling the pipe from the center out to the end and back to the end of the plank. The plank will begin to curl up at the ends and work to the center. Keep rolling until you get the bend you need. Some tips: More pressure equals sharper bends. Smaller diameter pipe equals sharper bends. Thinner planks will bend faster than thicker planks. if you get the bend too sharp, you can flip the plank over and work in reverse. This method will work on wood, plastic and metal strip as well. Hope this helps

Did somebody say New Rum? What ?.... where?..... Now where's that bloody Tankard??

All this talk of leather bodices and corsets (yum) has me head spinnin' . Thinkin I may have to dive inna barrel jest to cool off.

Why thank ye Mates. Oi wondered about the Expo Virginia Sloop kit. It's in their sale catalouge this month. May have to invest in it. Cap'n Jim that be some loverly work in them bottles on yer site.

Phyl, Please lets keep th blood and gore to a minimum here. I've had not enou rum of late to steady me hands and we're outta salt for the deck. Now where is me saw???

Cap'n Scurvy, I'd be proud to purform yer liver transplant. After, of course a bit o rum to steady me hands. Now, where did I leave me cleaver?

For those of you who don't know, I build scale models. Built the first one at age 4 and been at it 38 years now. I build for museums, private collectors and technical companies. I really want to build a modle of a true pirate schoner or sloop but plans are like hens teeth. I found a third generation copy of a Schooner "three view" set in a book but the enlargement is grainy at best. None of my usual plan companies are of any help. Any help you could offer would be greatly appreciated.

I must concur with Harbormaster and KW Pirate, SCUBA is more fun than mortals should be allowed to have wearing clothing. I learned to dive as a lad (surfing an diving are natural hobbies when you grow up in San Diego). I really got into it during my service to me Country. I logged more than 1000 dives in 12 years. Dove all over the world. My favorite sport dive sites were the Turks & Caicos and Bonaire. Sadly, I'm no longer able to dive due to intraocular pressure problems which may eventually leave me sightless. It seems the human eyeball isn't really equipped to handle constant high external pressures. Sport diving is without doubt the greatest thrill. You see a whole new world.

That sound you're hearing is dear old Walt spinning in his grave like the perverbial top. Eisner is out of his bleedin' gourd