the Royaliste

Avast there, mate!...I'm in wit' Hawkyns on this one....There isn't much need to get snotty over your posts,but...perhaps since you claim to be intelligent and reseach-full, then a little research on this forum might yield some light...I'm no 'emperor',but I most likely fire more cannon loads of black powder than almost anyone you can survey. By owning an actual, sailing, six cannon privateer travelling all around the U.S. and Canada (we're enroute to the Battle of Plattsburgh and the Crown Point Historic Site as I type), I am scrutinized weekly by local CG entities as we travel port to port, along with the likes of the Lady Washington, Hawaiian Chieftain, Privateer Lynx, Californian, Brig Niagra, Pride of Baltimore II, etc., and our ' Standard Operating Procedures' are up to snuff. to even promote such silliness as your plastic rig, all I can say is..Horsepuckey, maytee!....Serious users of BP also frequent this forum, so give us a break too, eh??......

Aye, a bit 'o wot D.P. said, alright..As far as 'rich', yeh, right!!...The crew 'o this ship basically lives by their wits, our appearances, and my around a thousand a month disability check!...We have to survive aboard, or else!..This vessel, as opposed to large, foundation owned rigs, functions on modern applications of pirate history, among others....

Generally, we won't travel towards that area of the Gulf, as it's too dang far back or forth to anywhere else, savvy??..But, possibly during the 07-08 winter, should we head to the Carribean after Nova Scotia next summer..........Our compass starts pointing towards New York (Quebec first, actually) tomorrow morning........

Ahoy! As we head east and south, we've been seekin' out experienced riggers, sailors, topmen, for the next couple 'o legs. NY state canal system, Lake Champlain, and the ICW south....We have to step and unstep the entire rig many times,so...besides the living historian approach, if you are experienced, or able to comprehend serious rigging challenges along with mind-numbing bull-work, then give a shout, eh? Currently seeking two .

Ahoy there, all you scallywags on the Southern East Coast!....The organizers just slipped me the dispatches,and.....The Charleston,S.C. Maritime Festival will be held May 17-20,2007,so.....Off the record, this will most likely be the 'kick-off' point for the Tallships Challenge 2007 up the East Coast, with four ports already signed on...Also, for those of you piratically inclined, I'm thinkin' there'll already be a black and gold sloop 'o war sportin' six carronades and flyin' her Jolly Roger in them waters by the fall 'o this year!.....Swashbucklin' 101 comin' yer way, eh?

Ahoy, mates!...We are presently dockside in Port Huron, Mich. along with the Pride of Baltimore II, Niagra, Picton Castle, Unicorn, and Highlander Sea... A really fine little village if you've a mind to see some nice ships before we all go our separate ways next week.. This fest is on till Sunday nite, and the crowd has been great for things 'piratical'....The only price of admisssion is a can of food for the local food bank!!!.....Stop on by if ya 'kin, we're still tattoo'n, givin' sword demonstrations, and ship's tours.....

We'll be sailing the Pyrate Ship/ Privateer ROYALISTE in your waters after the Battle of Plattsburgh in Sept. Be sure and try to catch us. If you've a favorite maritime ass'n, let them know also!....Wemay also stop out in Long Island at Greenport, since we've an invite on our way south....

Actually, for starts there were the Colby Pirates, licensed by George the III, 1760's, and the Privateer Le Revenant, Robert Surcoufs ship ( which will be recreated by a vessel to be launched officially next year).....and in the late 1800's, a Cleveland pirate, Bully Hayes........

Aye, 'Pearl, the 'women' be all onboard, including my granddaughter Sadie, and Ashley and Sammy, two family friend's offspring!...Also four men, altho' I'm marroonin' one here as I came back from dinner to find him aloft without permission....And maytee, as far as 'afraid', why, we fear neither man nor ship, and ye must be a wee bit deaf, as we've been firin' carronade broadsides throughout the festival!.........On to Chicago on the mornin' 'tide', then on to Port Huron!..........

Avast, ya scallywags!....Guess it's about time for an update from the log, eh?....ROYALISTE headed north from Bay City under full sail, actually having quite a 'race' with the schooner MADELINE, thru the Straits 'o Mackinaw, and accross Lake Michigan, making course for Green Bay, then.......A humongus storm crossed Green Bay, with a few tornadoes and over 70 knots of wind..Helming was a bitch for meself, Kat, and Localolita as we did our best to weather it out....morning came, the storm slackened, and we made safe harbor in a small port...after a four hour rest, we went to leave, and..the storm had shook up the ship enough to plug the fuel system all the way thru the injectors....We are now in the festival at Green Bay, with the best hopes of the engine repair ending sometime monday. This morn, another storm hit all of us here at the docks, but we're drying out wot we can, and the show will continue with the Pyrate Ship ROYALISTE broadsiding the citizenry!!......Aye, then on to Chicago, maytees.......... ROYALISTE Tougher Than the Average Bunch 'o Scallywags..........

Aw, heck..considerin' that I had a good taste of how low the budget was, it came out o.k. Already shot out historical accuracy, so..it was a fair 'pirate flick', all considered...the repated harbor scene was c.g., so.....Yeah, Louie and Michael, and Frankie, and Raul and Jimmy,etc as different pirates,but..Bully for them, eh??...I'll buy a copy and wait for the next one; my conscience is pretty clear, ( little 'out of period-ness' visible on my decks)....Here's to Piracy, however it plays out; beats 'cowboy movies'...........

There's better 'Treasure Island's', but there'll ne'er be a better Long John Silver than Robert Newton!!........

Well, I don't wanna burst yer bubble, eh, but.....I go on record here on the topic of women seamen.The majority of my crew, or at least 50% depending on the destinations, are women. And, to boot, we have two licensed USCG Captains; both women....So, along comes the History Channel, and we jump a little for joy, 'cuz...we like things historical. We strip the ship of running lights, radar,put new trucks on the deck guns.Make sure all paint is flat, not gloss... You get the picture. Then, in discussion, we of course jump to the characters, since we have women crew, and hang with other reenactors...The producers tell us that A&E mandated that the women be 'more attractive' to make the whole thing sell-able....Everything else we presented went out the porthole loike yesterdays stew...They even brought in huge fake hollywood cannons, and covered up all the real ones!, And, one 'o the best parts....Calico Jack Rackham, one 'o me favorites, in plain breeches....How the bloody hell did he get the name, eh????...Don't count necessarily the details, as even the History Channel doesn't give a hoot.....Our friends Lynx and Spirit weren't even a design until a hunnert years later, netting and all...See ya, maytees ROYALISTE Raidin' Lake Erie with a Vengance...

Well, you musta been hidin' under a rock, mate!...Lots of posts regarding this film, we can't wait to see Blackbeard beheaded on our foredeck!..funny thing is, we don't get cable at sea, so..anybody in Cleveland got a spot for a shipload 'o pirates to go ashore and watch it??....just fuggin' figures, eh? trailer

.....And when you're finished, and learnin' how to sail it, we'll come outta the sun at 0700 and clear your decks with a few stands 'o grape, and sell the bloody thing for wot we kin get in Tortuga!!

My crew and I are sailin' accross Lake Erie tonight,so..if'n ye put a ship to sea here, 'best figure a way to put shock absorbers onnit, 'cuz it's a bumpy one right now!

Avast!!!...There's still a wee bit 'o confusion, maytees!...The Hallmark gig used the Bill of Rights for Blackbeard, a 1900's more modern vessel, although one really big schooner....The History Channel July 9 at 8 eastern will aire 'True Carribean Pirates' (I know the name's right on cuz we cashed the check!)...using the likes of Royaliste, Lady Washington, The Brig Pilgrim, the Spirit of Dana Point, all pretty much 'period' ships ( the Lynx is also there, an 1813 schooner, but wot the 'eck)...this also stars Michael Lampe. I believe 'Jamaica Rose' is in 'Real Pirates of the Carribean'.......Jeesh!

Aye, mate!...We'll be there; as it was one 'o the reasons for doing the '06 Challenge on the Great Lakes. Next year's race starts in Miami, runs to Halifax, and more ports will be added as ASTA finishes up this year's Challenge. The rotation is every three years; so.......'08, West Coast, '09 Great Lakes, '10, Atlantic again,eh?

Methinks we'll leave here on the ninth, and be rafted up on the tenth...Not sure if and when we're leavin' on the eleventh to head back with the others.......Keep an eye peeled, and we'll be around thereabouts, as we have new trainees we'll be breakin' in that trip....

Jeesh!.....'tis rather well known there be six 'o these on deck..... And there's a passle 'o long guns and small arms, but....after the deck guns go silent, we seldom need the small stuff! ROYALISTE Shellin' Canada for the Fourth of July.....

Chicago will definitely be a kick; altho we're not doing any battle sails as of yet...No problem, tho', as we are locked, cocked, and ready to rock at dockside!..Plenty of action, swordsmen and women, historical artifacts, our usual extensive weapons array, and seven days of fun!.....and, as a shameless plug, check out this preview of 'True Carribean Pirates'..... Pyrate Clip

I thought I'd bring this back up topside, as it be just about time, mates!....We've checked the Parade of Sail route today, and it looks like a blast!(had to pun, eh?).....For starters, we've agreed to some 'preliminary' events, starting with a Canada Day Pirate Celebration in Leamington Ontario, July 1-4....Then, a few days of educational pirating back in Cleveland at the Science Center, then..off to Eerie, Pa. to rondezvous with five more ships, Unicorn, Providence, St. Lawrence II, Picton Castle, and the Brig Niagara.....and off back to Ohio for the official Parade of Sail and the beginning of Tallship Challenge 2006!!!....Do try and catch us this summer, we're packin' living historians, stage combat swordsmen, cat 'o nine carryin' wenches, and a few more surprizes......

'True Carribean Pirates' is still 'on' for July 9 at 8 eastern, 7 central..the trailer was good; seein' the scurvey dogs in me crew meetin' their demise was a wee bit spooky.. here's the link Pyrate Preview ROYALISTE Terrorizin' Lake Eerie

Hmm, depends on wot they be 'a wantin' to see!!!..We are trying to launch the hull Monday, and then the spars, starting with the mizzen mast...Most likely, we're lookin' at a week and a half, mebbee two, 'til she's all together and cannons at the ready.....

Aye, feel free, mate!, we'll be addin' more soon....'Tis a shocker to all here; the local newspaper 'stumbled' on her rolling down the highway, and wrote a fine piece that should be in the stands today!....Nice folks around here, we'll fix that ...rainin' cats 'n dogs 'ere, makin' bottom work tough for Monday's launch.....