Monterey Jack

I chose educator for due to my being an instructor at maritime swordplay; but in everything else it would be a crossover entertainer/ re enactor.

Has anyone played the trailer? Looks like they've finally done a decent indecent pirate movie, and with a sense of humor! (Pirates running from an army of skeletons screaming "turn that %&^$#!! boat around!) Can't find a price anywhere though, but if its a 3 disc set its gotta be costly.

How about an alien pirate ship? the best o both worlds!

I have an oilskin haversack for most of my stuff with a big brass anchor on the front that weights the flap down.

I'm out of my depth here, so... When did the marlinspike actually show up? In what ways was it different from a fid? They appear to have many of the same uses. Or did the Mspike evolve from the fid?

No worries; nice to be able to give something back to the forum!

That's the one; retired Navy Seal, and analyst for the Naval Special Warfare Center Strategy and Tactics Group.

Just picked this one from Amazon last week: The Sea Rovers: Pirate Tactics and Techniques 1630-1730 Benerson Little Potomac Books ISBN 1-57488-910-9 I preordered it figuring it to be just what I was looking for. I'm only half way thru it and I'm not disappointed! Little has taken period works and technical/historical material and has virtually weeded thru it to create a book that is informative and actually entertaining to read in an oddly historical sense. He covers the buccaneer period on into the early pirate era, focusing on not only chasing and boarding techniques but the lifestyles of the people involved on land as well as on the sea. He covers clothing, weapons, food, religion...you name it. The main reason I picked it up was to confirm or disprove some of my theories on an individual's weapons techniques aboard ship and am happy to say that so far it supports the methods I've been teaching (though it doesn't break down the techniques to actual moves or drills), so I'm equally happy about that. I can certainly recommend this book.

I agree; and I think that's one of the high points to creating a pirate character. Even staying as accurate to a particular time as you can (if that's your angle...), the possibilities to accessorize are great. One of the reasons you're seeing it more and more at local Ren events is folks are getting tired of being told "well, you're English living in London in 1580 so you have to wear this...." Folks would rather be living in the Caribbean or Madagascar wearing whatever the heck they like. :) And this discussion is certainly a great help!

Well i'm enjoyin the hell out of it! Great topic folks!

Foxe~ Found some interesting stuff on calico fabrics at the address below; seems it was always a brightly colored fabric, though not always printed with decorative patterns. By the late 1600s when it started to become all the rage in Europe, it was nearly mandatory that it be bright, vibrant and printed with designs Europeans found attractive. No mention of it ever being plain and dull. Check this out and let me know what you think: This is the guy making all my buccaneer stuff for the mostpart. calicojacks.freehomepage.com

Hard to say, generally speaking, only because there really aren't a lot of historical skethces of pirates to go by; least wise not that focus on their belts. If you build on the idea that some pirates were ex-military you could go with a 1.5 inch belt and be pretty much on the mark. I think that was a standard spec for the British navy, but I may be off by a quarter inch. Now, structly hypothetically speaking, a pirate could take a strap off a sea chest and use it if he had to, which would make it two inches or more, and the iron buckles of mountain men and fur traders reached 2.5 to 3 inches because they used em for things other than holding up their pants. Probably doesn't help much, but might make ye feel better about that horse cinch ye be wearing about yer waist!

Anything from Rogue Brewery sez I. In fact they have a barleywine that's ta kill for! I've been brewin me own for 6 years and I canna come close to makin a barleywine this good, or this potent!

I'm familiar with Jamaican Rum, Puerto Rican Rum, Martinique Rum....has anyone tried Barbados Rum? If so, how does it compare?

Damn. Didn't mean to be addin' that quote. Sorry. Best go back to me grog recipes......

Jimmy Buffett; always!

I have a standard recipe fer original grog, but was wondering what all of ye who brew yer own ad to it to maybe give it a special kick? Please, no dead rats, cockroaches er dead man's fingers....I tried enuf o'those already.....

Your wife an' mine must be related!

Nope; no need for you and I to mix it up over Jack You're absolutely right; he never did anything of great value, but then neither did a lot pirates; he doesn't stand out among the giants of the GAoP, which is precisely why I am so interested in him. He got his hands on a ship and went on the account. Pretty much end of story for him. he had a few close calls, no grand historical battles, and captured only small craft (the number 22 comes to mind, but my notes aren't here at work with me.) The appeal for me in Calico Jack is that in the annals of piracy he was mediocre at best and still got into the history books. So aside from his affiliation with Anne and Mary, there must have been something else to warrent his brief popularity. Texts don't mention he ever had a falling out with his crew, or that he ever tortured or killed after taking a ship and in one case he gave the ship back after he took what he needed. Hell he even gave the crew Xmas off, so to speak. All the texts I have (which are pretty much the same ones everyone has ) all point to his flamboyance and affinity for women, drink and not having to work for a living. Who can argue with that? (That's rhetorical Foxe, step off the soapbox! ) I appreciate the notes about the flag and the calico itself and will look more into that myself.

Well, yeah, there is that. But even then, its always said that history is written by the victors; there's no way of knowing why he did what he did...besides being drunk, tired and likely depressed. he wasn't a great pirate to begin with and during his span he also had the misfortune to watch a lot of better pirates die and/or get captured. Its unfortunate that Anne Bonney's last words to him branded him a coward; I just don't think it was that simple. I have no doubt he gave up, but the jury will forever be out on exactly why.

Ye knew I couldn't resist takin the bait, didn't ye, Foxe? Curious about your take on Mr Rackham, especially if it involves some historical bits on him or his flag that I don't have in my notes. I'm a chronicler of all Calico Jack info and have pretty much gotten his entire(short, relatively unsuccessful) timeline down. Seems folk want to talk more about his ladies than about him historically speaking. Still don't have where he came from or where he got his experience before hooking up with Vane. So feel free to dish, either here or in private

Just tried Pusser's navy rum tonight.... Aaaiieeeeeee!!!!!! In the immortal words of Jack Sparrow. "Not good, not good!" Damn, I'll go back to NyQuil and paint thinner afore I drink this again....

Late in the day, and I realize how many serious posts I've either started or contributed to; so.....on to the fun stuff.... What pirate or buccaneer do you identify with the most and why? Mine would be Calico Jack. A lot of show, a lot of need for adventure and sometimes trying too hard to be THE pirate. He wasn't great, but he had a certain attraction about him that earned him a lot of attention and a faire bit of respect...up til the end, that is. He was a survivor, if not a great fighter or great pirate...but he did his best and had fun doing it.

As poorly as it went over in some circles, I was fairly happy with what they did with Cutthroat Island as far as aging and distressing the costumes. I can't stand having anything brand-spankin' new...in character or out.

For my part, if I may..... Over the past 17 years of faire work and half way thru that making the progression to historical studies and into teaching.... You get worn down. Early on by the experienced folk telling you you don't know anything, to the patrons who assume they know more than you (many do and are polite about it, but some...) Then you gain the experience, make the move into the historical and find you still have less knowledgable people telling you you don't know anything, your theories are wrong or your technique is misguided. This, often with no reference to back it up. It often not so much the negative input, but the constantly trying to be polite about it, maintaining the professionalism and still trying to have fun in the face of all the negativity. Then other days you get great reviews, happy students or you discover a technique or a text that just simply brings you into the light again and life is good. But, yeah...I can do crotchety!