BCarp

I love a good jolly-boat. Is she christened with a period name?

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....

Just as an update, I went to see her a few weeks back, and she is in good, not great condition. Currently shopping banks, as I have 20% of my startup.

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.

That bit of paint makes her really pop among the unfinished or plain varnished craft. Also, there's just something beautiful about a nice, squared off transom instead of the double enders. At least in my opinion!

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..!

Wow, a really smart looker.

The Long Island Maritime Museum has raffled a small hand-built rowing dinghy for the past several years. I haven't won yet...

This year they switched to a wood kayak.

BCarp, any info on who crafts this dinghy?

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....

That boat would have fit right in at Blackbeard's Festival in Hampton, VA.

There's also a festival in Olcott on Lake Ontario.

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

Welcome aboard, Carpie. Evangola is on the water and close to your neck of the woods.

https://pyracy.com/index.php/topic/19113-evangola-state-park-piratefest-july-27th-and-28th/page-2#entry416692

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

Aye, Welcome Aboard Mate!

You guys look great. You have tell us a bit more about what you do and when you do it.

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: