BCarp

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".

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....

Good luck with the acquisition, Johnathan! You might want to use this site to aid in your fund-raising (I'm aware of another period vessel that raised the money for new masts and rigging here): http://www.gofundme.com/

Here's a roster of some 17th-19th C. craft operating in the eastern US: http://www.privateermedia.com/Boats/boats.htm They are available for hire for festivals, reenactment events, film projects, school demos, etc.

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...!

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: 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...!

Reproduction of L'Hermione. Looks sweet: http://news.yahoo.com/rebuilt-18th-century-ship-tests-french-waters-134104667.html

Remember it? Pretty good song! First appeared on their "Works, Vol. 1" album in 1977. Here's a video (with some fun images!): Here are the lyrics: Who'll make his mark The captain cried To the devil drink a toast We'll glut the hold With cups of gold And we'll feed the sea with ghosts I see your hunger for a fortune Could be better Served beneath my flag If you've the stomach For a broadside Come aboard my pretty boys I will take you and make you Everything you've ever dreamed Make fast the guns tonight we sail When the high tide floods the bay Cut free the lines And square the yards Get the black flag stowed away The turk the arab and the spaniard Will soon have pennies on their eyes And any other laden fancy We will take her by surprise I will take you and make you Everything you've ever dreamed Six days off the cuban coast When a sail ahead they spied A galleon of the treasure fleet The mizzen lookout cried Closer to the wind my boys The mad eyed captain roared For every man that's alive tonight Will be hauling gold aboard Spare us the galleon begged But mercy's face had fled Blood ran from the screaming souls The cutlass harvested Driven to the quarter deck The last survivor fell She's ours my boys The captain grinned And no one left to tell The captain rose from a silk divan With a pistol in his fist And shot the lock from an iron box And a blood red ruby kissed I give you jewelry of turquoise A crucifix of solid gold One hundred thousand silver pieces It is just as I foretold You, you see there before you Everything you've ever dreamed Anchored in an indigo moonlit bay Gold eyed 'round fires The sea thieves lay Morning, white shells And a pipe of clay As the wind filled their footprints They were far, far away Our sails swell full As we brave all seas On a westward wind To live as we please With the wicked wild eyed woman Of portobello town Where we've been told That a purse of gold Buys any man a crown They will serve you and cloth you Exchange your rags For the velvet coats of kings Who'll drink a toast with me I give you liberty This town is ours - tonight Landlord wine And make it the finest Make it a cup for a sea dogs thirst Two long years of bones and beaches Fever and leaches did their worst So fill the night with paradise Bring me peach and peacock 'till I burst But first, I want a soft touch In the right place I want to feel like a king tonight Ten on the black To beat the frenchman Back you dogs Give them room to turn Now open wide sweet heavens gate Tonight were gonna See if heaven burns I want an angel on a gold chain And I'll ride her to the stars It's the last time For a long, long time Come the daybreak we embark On the flood of the morning tide Once more the ocean cried This company will return one day Though we feel your tears It's the price we pay For there's prizes to be taken And glory to be found Cut free the chains Make fast your souls We are eldorado bound I will take you For always, forever, together Until hell calls our names Who'll drink a toast with me To the devil and the deep blue sea Gold drives a man to dream

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...!

Some pics of my actual boat. Driving up to Maine to pick it up next weekend. Huzzay..!

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

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: 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...!

Blank stocks in cherry, maple, or walnut: http://www.trackofthewolf.com/List/Item.aspx/889/1 You'd be most likely wanting the full-stock walnut, for a European pistol. These folks buy their components from India, and assemble them in their shop in Canada: http://www.loyalistarms.ca/pistolshandguns.html Maybe they'd sell you some of the components you'll need - butt caps, ramrod pipes, etc.....

Lots of great seaman images here: http://www.scribd.com/doc/231031140/British-Navy-Sailors Mostly post GAoP, but still very valuable. Note all of the backwards-worn cocked hats...!

Whoever is in charge of costumes should be hanged from the highest yard-arm in the fleet! I especially note the "clam digger" knee breeches....

Thanks for the link to that very good thread. My own opinion (for what it's worth!) is that straw hats were worn a lot, and even by seamen (especially ashore), but that cocked straw hats are a "reenactorism." Cocking a straw hat defeats its purpose: to keep your face and neck from frying in the sun....

I'm going to a fest this weekend,and thinking of doing a mid-1600s buccaneer look: sleeveless short doublet, petticoat breeches, etc. It's going to be hot, and am wondering about the appropriateness of a straw hat for the occasion. Working men have been depicted in straw hats since the Middle Ages, and in the Caribbean slaves, planters, etc. must have worn them as well. What about seamen of the period? Anyways, I have one similar to this (not quite so wide a brim) that I added a black twill tape hat band to: It looks pretty good on, but somewhat 'cowboy-ish.' What do you think..?

Resurrecting an old thread! I sometimes wear a short tartan waistcoat with my seaman's garb, figuring they liked such garish items quite often. Have only received positive comments! ("Tartan" checked fabric was not limited to Scots highlanders...)

Here ye go: http://www.bethlehemtradingpost.com/clothing-on-line-sales.php Trousers and slops in fustian fabric. I own a pair of the trousers (fly front) and they're right on....

What's the date of the Olcott pirate fest? We go there every Sept for the big Celtic festival....

Excellent! That's definitely in range for me..!

We portray one of the provincial ranger companies that served under Robert Rogers during the French & Indian War (Seven Years' War) at events in the north east, most of which are held at actual historic sites: Ticonderoga, Crown Point, Rogers' Island, Ft William Henry, etc. Whenever there's a river or lake nearby, we usually bring our boat, using it to ferry and land troops, or just sail around and bang away at other vessels. Loads of fun! We do look rather "piratical" when in our nautical garb - and by that I mean we look like working seamen, not "Hollywoodish" or fantasy land. However, if there's a regional pirate festival to attend, we "Yo Ho Ho!" with the best of 'em...! (Anybody in New England? BIG F&I War event at Fort #4, Charlestown, NH, this-coming weekend: 7-8 June)

I say we get a crew together and buy it! (drool!!): http://www.woodenboat.com/65-loa-wooden-%E2%80%98pinky%E2%80%99-schooner

A closer look at the hilt with polished bone grip. Rather simple (not to say crude!), but a lot of them were...

Recently received my new blade from Mike MacRae of "Scotia Metalwork" in NC. He mostly does Scottish stuff, but will do custom work as well. I think he did a great job working from some photos of originals I sent, especially this one: