the Royaliste

In the world of reality, I have two figureheads on my vessels. A carved teak natural finish(grey) of Aeolus, the wind god, on my Herreshoff ketch, and Lady Liberte', carved by the Canadian War Museum, on the Royaliste..No camera at present. Both still on their respective bows, doing what they were meant to do, guide the ship.

Aw,'eck...start 'er on the 'trailer trash Barbie'...a better dose of reality than the pink stuff....

:) Well, first I'd recommend meself, but I don't know your proximity to San Francisco... then, well ye'll really hafta do some huntin', as very little stuff is that laid back or interactive due to insurance, etc., and most that do overnighters aren't period ships, but charter yachts..We just docked from exactly that kind of weekend.... :angry:

:angry: You absolutely wouldn't believe how incredible the adventure was! ...Drakes Bay was incredible, and we did it like Drake..Woke up. left under sail alone, and made it all the way to Sausalito without the advantage of modern opwer....A true Pirates life kinda day, and Quill' will 'ave some stories to tell....

:) .....Well, the ship's about ready, bedding washed and stowed, dingy's on the davits, brew's in the fridge, coolers waiting on ice, cannons standing down....Crew's on the way, weather's definitely here, sail ho on the morning tide, slack water........

....The Royaliste flies at least four 'colors' at present (hell, she's a pirate ship,fer bloody 'eck), Canadian built, documented, British registry and certification yntil last year. Bureaucratic B.S., yes. Any more is entirely too much laundry to air on the internet.

Naw, these guys wuz bad waaay before Hollywood and Arnie could say 'Gullifornya'..........

:) Can't swear to it, but I may or may not make it next year...if not, it'll be 'cause 'o a certain battle scarred Tallship anchored off'n the coast near there.....if all goes well....they need to move it back to the water.....

The events following the battle including Arnold's defection weigh little on the importance of the Battle of Lake Champlain itself or Arnold's conduct to this point in the war.

Aye kin hold me own wif' the best 'o 'em, and me Strat's always itchin' to travel, but, sadly, I'm not goin' Mebbee next year, Mate.....

..Methinks I'll start puttin' up some naval history moments every so often. October 11 is about as an important a date if'n you are an American as the 4th of July..On October 11, 1776, a small flotilla of rapidly constructed ships led by Benedict Arnold decided that they'd just anchor in the middle of Lake Champlain and take on the larger and vastly superior forces of the Royal Navy in the Battle of Lake Champlain..Musta been outta rum, eh?.. 'Ere's a link.. http://www.historiclakes.org/Valcour/valco...cour_island.htm

........Hmmm..O.K., Brails are the lines on period rigged ships that do the verb you refer to. Brails are worked from deck. Buntlines do the same, but you must go aloft to run them. Crosstree is a misnomer for a lot of things not understood by a writer. Spreaders are mostly found on modern Marconi rigged boats. They are short horizontal spars that hold shrouds away from the mast. I've already explained booms. Yardarms are horizontal spars that hold the tops of square -rigged sails, top gallant, tops'l,main course.,cross jack yard, sprits'l yard. So, none of them are the same thing. Offwind is all points past straight on the beam.These positions are various reaches. Downwind is just that, 180 degress off wind, with the wind on your stern. This is the true direction of square-rigger designs.Also called running off. Yes, I do intensive onboard sail training, but since I'm a foriegn vessel, I don't operate commercialy(yet). So, one needs to be a pirate, know me or a crew member, and have a pocketful of desire and Yankee Frogskins.......

:) A starting point. Sails that rig fore and aft, the heads'ls, main, and mizzen, are all of two styles. Older period vessels such as mine are gaff-rigged. More modern vessels are Marconi rigged. The difference most apparent is that Marconi sails are triangular, with the point at the top, and gaff sails are more rectangular, with an extra boom at the top of the sail to hold the top edge. the first appendage from the mast is the boom. This holds the bottom edge of the sail. The gaff holds the top edge, and the leading edge is held to the mastAll booms pivot up,down,port and starboard. The gaff is way adjustable up and down to shape the sail for more rig tuning.As a warship, the gaffs remain in the air at all times, ready to make sail in an instant by loosening the brails. A conventional gaff-rigged boat would lower the gaff to the main boom, furling the sail between them. Gaff rigged vessels have less upwind performance than Marconi rigs, but sail offwind and downwind better. No, we've got proper yardarms for hanging swabbies. The throat of the gaff is a fork, and rather fragile.....

:) ..'Ere ye be, mate...Methinks I'll be doing some updaying wif' alla this summers Pirating, but she's a fine site.. http://www.theRoyaliste.com .....

.......Looks like a go for the weekend, Jerry filling in for Raul, 'e's a fine rigger........

:) Those wot been in port a while knows that be me most recommended readin', but, its just readin'...a brief explain, as Aye don't wanna be a thread stealer, and I'll answer all Q's in 'Lets talk Wooden Ships' in this column, but...the definition of a rope or chain on the clew is accurate. The clew is the controlling corner of a sail. A sheet is the rope wot trims(adjusts) the sail to the pressure of the wind. Halyards hoist sails, sheets trim sails, sails are never 'sheets' as sails have two sheets, one port,one starboard, to trim to windard or leeward. Therefore a 'sheet anchor' would be a cleat or belaying pin. More of a metaphor in the title, like 'something for a newbie to hang on to'.....Savvy??.......

......'twas my turn on dogwatch when Jeff 'got lucky'...thought 'bout tossin' the wench over the side, but, when Aye seen the look in 'ole Jeffs sockets, why, I just let 'er be......

Congratulations for daring to own 'The Young Sea Officers Sheet Anchor'. Hella good book, and yep, 'tis an armload taking on a square-rigger for a mistress....On her beam ends should put any sailors hackles up...scarey.....keep readin', and thanks........

...I'd prefer heavy cotton, but a very heavy nylon would work. Probably two yards wide, 3 long,usually seamed horizontally....take a look, or I'll hunt around....eventually a thick hem on edge for bolt rope...

:) I'm a full-time legal(at present) liveaboard. It has moments greater than imagination,both good, and bad. Comes with the territory,and, after many years here, I'd prefer it no different. At its worst, you can always sail your bedroom and kitchen somewhere else..it's just a bunk and a galley, after all.

:) For sure'll be 'avin' some bunk space..the first mate can't make it......more oysters for me....

Ahoy, Penny...Gettin' in a corner over me new Jolly..any chance 'o sewin' the background panels and edges so's I can start cuttin' the design pieces?.......