Coastie04

I might be wrong on this, as it's been a few years, but I don't think that Jamaica Rose was the founder of the pub. She endorsed it and helped with it's conception, but was really hands off. I forgot who it was that actually started it, though. Regardless, it's definitely one of the good things that I've stuck with for the last 5 years (can't believe it's been that long, actually). Coastie

As for myself, I got into it fairly early on. I saw an add for it on the No Quarter Given website, and it was all down swell with a quarterly wind from there. Coastie

I'd love for them to build this design, as I have a love of brigs. Also, I'd love to see the two vessels race! Coastie

I can't wait! Coastie

In my opinion, an ugly boat. The schooner that rescued the crew was much nicer (though not really my style). I'm glad this tub's at the bottom, as it's less of an eyesore there. Give me a real sailing vessel that's seaworthy over some motor-barge with fake sails. Coastie

Beautiful!!! Great job on that. The one criticism I might have is the flag. Though commonly associated with Blackbeard, I don't believe there is any historical evidence for it being used. But, I may be wrong, as it's been a while since I looked into it. Coastie

Best of luck in those brineless seas. Wish I could get down there and help out, but alas I'm stuck in Alaska for the time being (oh darn!). Coastie

Not sure how historically accurate the techniques are, but Cold Steel makes an instructional DVD called "Fighting with the Saber and Cutlass". I've never seen it, but I've got two knives from the company that are of very good quality, so I just hope that can be said about their DVDs as well. They also have "The Fighting Tomahawk" and "The Fighting Machette" which look interesting. http://www.coldsteel.com Coastie

OK, thought of a few more... Belay: to tie off a line to a belaying pin. Also used for stop or secure, as in 'Belay that mutinous talk!' Trice up: to hoist up and secure with a rope. Commonly used today with bunks that fold up towards the bulkhead to save space during the day. Also a form of punnishment where a sailor's hands were tied behind him and then his arms triced up in an uncomfortable position on the shrouds or other standing rigging. Widowmaker: Generic term for any loose blocks (name for shipboard pulleys), i.e. the ones on stays'l and jib sheets and the base of the courses. There are more, but those are the most common and largest. Two-blocked: When two blocks (in the same pulley system) are hauled together and thus cannot be hauled anymore. Commonly used to describe setting a sail. When the haliard (line that hoists a sail or yard up) is two-blocked, the sail is as high as it can go and will catch the most wind. Amidships: in the middle. On a ship, it can refer to the centerline between port/starboard, or the area between the fo'c's'le and poop or quarter deck. Poop: NOT dirty. Refers to either the poop deck, which is the aftermost raised deck, or to 'being pooped'. Being pooped is when a large wave breaks over the stern of a vessel. It is extremely dangerous and can cause the helmsman to be carried away, damage to the steering system, or flooding by breaking the windows that are often on the stern of ships. Rake: Many uses of this word from the era. It can refer to the battle maneuver of 'crossing the T', where a ship could be raked with cannon balls down the length of the entire vessel. Also, it can refer to the angle of the masts, which were not always verticle (baltimore clippers are notorious for their extreme rakes). Last, it can also refer to prostitutes or other devious girl, or 'rakish gals'. Taken aback: When the wind hits the wrong side of the sails. This can cause a lot of damage to the rigging in strong winds, and can result in a loss of control. This can also be used in the more modern sense when sudden news can cause someone to be taken aback. Hope these extras help. I might come up with a few more in the next few days if you'd like. Coastie

I've found that just knowing a bit of nautical slang goes a long way in being convincing. The following are a few examples: Deck: any 'floor' in a ship, though it can be used in houses, taverns, etc. as well Head: toilet Starboard/Larboard (later port): right/left (as referring to the side of the ship when facing forward) Aft: back, or behind Aloft: up above, or in the rigging Helm: the device that controls the rudder, whether a wheel, whipstaff, tiller, steering oar, etc. Also can refer to the duty of steering the ship, as in 'take the helm for a while' Leeward/windward: the way the wind is blowing toward/the way the wind is blowing from. Lee shore: being in a bad position with the wind blowing towards land or some sort of hazard, since square riggers had a hard time working to windward. These are just a few that I've come up with in a few minutes. Remember, pirates were almost always sailors first, pirates second. Just knowing about the period ships also helps. Coastie

I seem to have missed this one in the past. I'd bring the following: -A modern tall ship replica in steel with wood plating (probably square tops'l schooner or the likes) and reinforced hardpoints for .50 cal machine guns, engine (possibly an advanced steam engine), radar, reverse osmosis machine (making water), etc. -.50 cal machine guns and ample ammo -Bullet proof vest -Semi-auto shotgun w/ammo incl. slugs for longer range 'defense' -Disinfectant of some sort -Sig P229 .40 w/ extra magazines and ammo -Camera, batteries, lenses, etc. -History of major financial changes, price of goods in various ports, etc. -Sextant and necessary publications for navigation backdated to the time -Automatic signing machine programable for a number of high-ranking political and economic hotshots of the era. -Period clothing -A decent quantity of trivial things to sell (I'm thinking along the lines of high-quality padlocks, reams of paper, etc. Something that's better quality of something they're familiar with). Or at least I'd take something along these lines. Coastie

As for bunks vs. hammocks, what I had always learned while sailing on Lady Washington, is that many merchant ships had neither. You literally "hit the sack" by finding a comfortable place upon the cargo, deck or cordage to sleep (and from experience, I can tell you that a mass of fenders and spare rope can actually be quite comfortable). Later hammocks became common, followed by bunks becoming the norm in the 19th Century. Part of it probably also depended on the size of the vessel. Lady Washington is a relatively small vessel designed for coastal trade. There would have been much less 'extra space' for sailor accomodations. In a larger vessel, they probably could affoard to take on a little less cargo and thus have a small area for the crew. Unfortunately, I don't have any sources to back up this info at the moment, but I'll look through my books later on this week. Coastie

I really like the way they're going to present it to the public. Also, I think it may be a great way to preserve some archeological finds from the ocean floor. Just bring up a section of the ocean floor that encompasses the shipwreck, and then do the archeology in a glass pool. Not only is it safer for the divers, it's easier to control the environment, clarity of the water, documentation, etc. And, the public gets to see it all happen! It definitely allows an alternative to either bring up just cargo/artifacts, or preserving the wood with wax like the Wasa and Mary Rose. Coastie

So, you ban guns. That doesn't solve the problem. Then you ban swords. Doubt that will solve it. I don't see a practical way of banning clubs, umbrellas, or fists, so I doubt the problem of violence will go away anytime soon. Coastie

I'll take at least a stab at this one. Since we know a good deal about Kidd, it puts the artifacts in better context, thus allowing us to understand them, and the history, better. Additionally, if they are found to actually be from a pirate (or privateer, depending on which side of that line you're on), it will be one of just a few pirate ships found, thus allowing us to identify whether there are any differences between it and any other ship. Even if there are no differences found (from supplies, number of arms, etc), that brings us closer to understanding pirates in that era. Coastie

OK, I just watched the video on their main site (the second link), and it's even better than I thought at first. And, they point out many benefits to this system as opposed to the traditional mast-rigged sails. The graphic representations, combined with the actual photos of the sail in action (and being set/doused) makes it worth while. I figure since I don't own a commercial cargo, fishing, or passanger vessel, it doesn't seem quite like a long commercial. I'd definitely recommend watching the video, if nothing else, for the skysail in action and a glimpse of future wind powered shipping. Coastie

I've been watching this off and on for the past year or so now and I'm glad the first ship has finally been launched. It's definitely a neat technology, as wind is definitely in abundance and completely renewable. There were a few experiments with wind power in the past couple of decades, but the rigs were either too expensive to maintain, or compromised ship integrity, or had to go along with expensive ship modifications. Primarily, since the gear wasn't in commercial production, it was just too expensive. However, this kite idea minimizes the gear altogether, and appears to attach to a convenient hard point in most ships, the bow. If it can handle the stress of the anchor chain, it can handle the kite. And, it's usually free of cargo in almost every type of boat. I sure wish I had thought of it instead... Coastie

The report I heard on the radio (an interview with one of the IU staff overseeing the project) stated that there was no treasure, only artifacts. And, a 35ft bayliner would have a mighty hard time raising a cannon imbedded in the sand. However, I can't wait to see what they do end up finding! Coastie

Well, I joined a couple days ago. Had t' get meself established a bit first before going public, et al. 99717, Coastie04 Just got me a room at the inn. Also, as a hint to any possible newcomers, try getting a house somewhere, anywhere as soon as possible. The first one I purchased was a palm frond hut, and the increased 'awake' allowed me to sometimes triple the training for each training point (at least I think it was the extra 'awake') Coastie

And, though not GAoP, there's also the Ning-Po at the bottom of San Fransisco harbor. At least she's supposedly a Chinese Pirate vessel. Also, I'm wondering how they identified the Quedagh Merchant. Would there have been a bell or some other form of identification besides having cannons? If so, has any solid evidence been found? Coastie :angry:

Just heard about this on the radio. Here's another article about it from the Indiana University's site (IU claimed the find)Kidd's Ship Found Coastie

I didn't go to PIP, but I've had my fair share of airport fiascos. Once, I had a brass telescope in my carry on, and of course they thought it might be some sort of bomb. Especially, when I told them what it was, and they extended it without taking the cover off. It took a surprisingly long time to explain how to properly use, focus, etc. without being able to touch it. I've also flown with a number of firearms before, and surprisingly have had almost no problems going through security. It actually seems like it goes faster, because as long as you know the rules (in some cases, better than they do), they just assume you're legit. Coastie

Ahh, the freak weather patterns in WA. Gotta love them. And, as far as tornados, they do happen, just not often. I remember a summer with around 5 or 6 of them back in the late 90's (I think 98, but don't quote me on that). And, there's earthquakes more than every 20 years. I've been through about 4 of them, and I only lived there for 18 year or so. However, good luck to all those affected by it. Now, don't you wish you lived on your very own pirate ship? Coastie

It's not puting students in lethal hazards, it's high-stakes academic research. How are students supposed to understand what weapons pirates used, if they never have to choose which one to defend their life with? Coastie

Been to Mystic Seaport quite a bit myself. They have people wandering around the area somewhat dressed the part (to varying degrees), but I've also seen their resource library, so I'm sure they'd have additional resources available if you had the chance to visit. Plus, they have a whaling ship, which would give you a good idea of the conditions you would have been living in. For an officer, probably better than you would have guessed (including many of the various captains bringing their wives aboard with them), but the foremast jacks shared the crowded fo'c's'le. Coastie