Coastie04

Best of luck. And, if they do try to out-sail ye, there be a good chance that they have no cannons. Thus, they'll have t' give ye a wide berth before they overtake yer beam! Truely, though, best of luck. And, since I'm stuck in Juneau for the next three years (oh, what a shame...the prettiest view from my office you can ever ask for, except my last one on the bridge of a cutter in Sitka), feel free to drop by. I know it's not an easy trip, but believe me, I'd make sure it was fun. Coastie

I like mine medium-rare to rare (depending on the resturant's definition). I like it somewhere from pink to bloody in the middle, but either way I like it hot. Now, I enjoy cooking a variety of different recipes, but since I'm on a bit of a bachelor budget, I'll give you my quick, easy, but still really tasty one. Take a New York Strip Steak, spread a little olive oil on it and sprinkle with Montreal Steak Seasoning (the oil just helps the seasoning stay on a bit better). Then, I grill if possible, or just throw it in the oven in a basting pan on a low-medium broil (higher heat, less time, more rare-your choice on that). I usually serve with either some spicy twice-baked potatoes and a salad with blue cheese, crushed walnuts, craisins, and red wine vinager (originally a vinagrette, but I often get lazy in making one). Now, if you want my really special recipies, you should ask about halibut or salmon! My fiance can turn out an amazing beef tenderloin. Coastie

I found this story online recently and thought it appropriate. It's a great read, and anyone who's ever fallen in love with a ship can relate to it. CUTTY SARK MUST SAIL AGAIN By Captain Robert Wyld The Last Person To Take The Clipper'S Helm On The Open Seas 28/05/2007 I HELD tightly to the helm as the Cutty Sark, her magnificent sails stretched taut, powered through the waves with astonishing ease. But my thrill at steering one of the world's greatest ships was tempered with sadness as this would be her final voyage. Just 15 years old, I was the last person ever to take the wheel of one of the jewels in our maritime heritage - and I'll never forget it. Advertisement Two days later Cutty Sark was tied up, never to sail again, and was later taken out of the water for good to the dismay of anyone who ever saw her sail. Nearly 40 years later I visited Cutty Sark at her dry dock in Greenwich, and I felt the same mix of emotions. She looked magnificent, beautifully restored to her former glory. But it was a sad sight to see the ship I had witnessed slicing like a knife through the sea, motionless and imprisoned in concrete. From that moment on I always believed it was wrong to take Cutty Sark out of her context, the water and the wind, and leave her stranded on dry ground. If only those who come to admire her could have seen her in her natural environment, as I did, 70 years ago, ploughing through the sea with the wind in her sails. It was the Cutty Sark's beauty, design and speed which made her a marvel around the world - so how could she be appreciated out of the water? That is why I believe those restoring her should have a radical rethink following the fire that gutted her a week ago today. Why not give Cutty Sark the respect she deserves by getting her sailing? Let's make her a treasure of the sea again, not just a motionless museum piece I signed up for the merchant navy aged 14, inspired by Cutty Sark's adventures on the high seas, her record-breaking trip around the Cape of Good Hope and her heroics in the race to bring tea from China. A year later I was one of 12 cadets chosen to bring Cutty Sark from where she was docked in Falmouth, Cornwall, to Greenhithe, Kent. I was so excited that I didn't sleep during our boat trip down there, and ended up helping the skipper by steering the tug during the night. Arriving in Falmouth we transferred our hammocks to Cutty Sark's hold. Because of my eagerness to navigate on our way down, I was - to my surprise - picked to steer her back to Greenhithe. The harbour was thronged with yachts and small boats as we left, everyone was cheering and waving. As we passed the Royal Cornish Yacht Club they fired a 21-gun farewell salute. But disaster nearly struck as our commander, Captain Steele, answered by firing a cannon on deck. The wind caught the muzzle flame and blew it back to the other charges on deck, setting them off in a massive explosion. The next I knew Captain Steele was running around the deck, his clothes on fire. My trousers had been scorched in the explosion, but I never let go of the helm. Steele, who spent six weeks in hospital, wrote in my report book: "Did bravely remain at his post during an explosion on Cutty Sark." As we entered the waters of the English Channel we set the main topsails so we could catch the wind coming from behind us. The ship was already in a much poorer state than during her glory days when she managed to overtake steamships on route to collect wool from Australia. But even now she powered through the water with the majestic ease she had become famous for. Everything was fairly primitive aboard. The toilet was a rough seat with a lead pipe going straight into the sea. No problem, but at times a surge of cold sea water would suddenly come back up the pipe, taking you by surprise. Cutty Sark was welcomed with a fanfare of bosuns' pipes when we arrived in the Thames Estuary - but it marked the end of her life as a working ship. For the next 16 years she would be tied up alongside the HMS Worcester - her anchor lowered and raised, her sails furled and unfurled - but never moving from the spot. She finally reached her dry-dock in Greenwich in 1954. Then, last Monday morning, my brother called me where I now live in New Zealand telling me to brace myself for some bad news. "Who's died?" I asked. "This is just as bad," he replied. He was right and I was devastated. Just to think that I had proudly steered that now charred hull through the sea broke my heart. The magnificent ship that had survived the worst nature could throw at it, had been reduced to cinders after being taken out of the water. But now I believe that this disaster may be an opportunity to get Cutty Sark back in the water. She could be transformed into a living museum that could travel around British ports and the world. It would be more than fitting for a ship that became famous for darting around the globe to be crossing the seas again, showing off her beauty and sharing her history with people the world over, wherever she docks. So many ships in far worse conditions have been successfully renovated, so why not the greatest of them all? What better way to properly pay tribute to one of the world's most famous ships, and the fastest tea clipper the world has ever known? Coastie

If it was a working ship, I'd agree with you. However, as a historical artifact, the planks are just as important. Sure, they can be replaced, but then it would loose some of the historic value. Historic ships are often 'rated' on how original they are. So in that, there was still a lot of history lost from the planks. I did hear that there was a little frame buckling, but not sure as to the extent or how easily it can be replaced. Even if the metal's softer after the fire, it shouldn't matter, since the vessel doesn't need to maintain as much structural integrity out of the water. Coastie

For those of you not following this story closely, here's some pictures of the Cutty Sark. Just in the last day or so pictures of the inside have emerged. Although it looks bad, it's definitely recoverable. The planks that are missing were removed before the fire as part of the restoration. Definitely not nearly as bad as I expected after seeing pictures like this:

While not completely replacing engines, wind power is begining to be used to cut down on fuel consumption. When it comes down to it, economics is what will drive new technology. I seem to remember a Japanese experiment a decade or so ago that built a large, wind powered cargo vessel. However, they found that it cost too much to maintain the sailing equipment, so although they saved a lot of money in fuel, they lost money in the long run. However, if it becomes much more mainstream to use wind power, then the price should come down considerably. Coastie

Here's the official Cutty Sark support page: http://www.cuttysark.org.uk/index.cfm?fa=c...pdtwvowobgzrrrg They're pleading for even small donations, as they tend to add up to big bucks over time. Just remember, the USS Constitution was restored in 1927-1930 after a huge voluntary donation campaign. School children donated $148,000.00 (much of that in pennies). So, $5 here, $10 there from all her supporters will go a long way to bringing this ship back to her full glory. I've already donated...have you? Coastie

And, since they said the masts had been taken out for the restoration, the display wouldn't have to wait until the ship's put back to rights! They could charge admission to that and raise money to restore her. On another note, if anyone doesn't understand the pure beauty of this vessel, go the the pyracy gallery and search for "Cutty Sark". There's a few pictures I took of her during my visit in 2003 or so. Coastie

Such a sad sight. However, at least the fire's out and much of the ship had been removed. I'm sure they'll put her to rights soon. I just hope the glass and wood in the cabin was saved! Coastie

I'm trying to find a picture that I know is out there somewhere of a schooner towing an old tug (I believe a steam powered one). I think the schooner was the A.J. Meerwald, though I'm far from certain. I thought I probably saw it on the pub somewhere, or at least someone might know where to find it. It's for a long-standing debate with my CO and XO about the merits of sail power. Coastie

Just today, I saw Royaliste had made a post saying that she's been re-launched. I don't have the time to find it right now, but I'm sure looking in the recent posts, it will come up. Coastie

About the shoes... I've climbed rigging many times in everything from steel toed boots to barefoot. Foxe is absolutely right about the pain involved with climbing barefoot. It's just not fun. Beyond the possibilities of spinters from the deck and rope, there's the extreme hazard of kicking something sharp (or blunt, both hurt). As Capt. Sterling mentioned, on a pitching deck, it's extremely hard to control one's movements. It doesn't really matter how experienced a seaman you are, when the boat's rolling and pitching, the deck is awash, and you're trying to do some work, it doesn't matter if you know where the "foot hazards" are. Chances are, they'll move in those conditions. Also, even the extremely inflexible steel toed boots I was required to wear on CGC Eagle gave me no problem with "gripping" the rigging. So, to make conjectures from my experience, I'd have to look at it like this: There are many benefits to wearing shoes and it doesn't create a problem in the rigging. Thus, it's a good idea and if I was a sailor in the GAoP, then I would want to wear my shoes, even if they're worn out, wet, or expensive. Coastie

My three words? Not Daniel Defoe Or, I guess this would work as well: Captain Charles Johnson Having read much evidence and opinions on the matter, I don't think that Daniel Defoe was the author. Yes, this is just my opinion, but even if he is Defoe, I definitley like the author of Capt. Charles Johnson better. At the very least, the psuedonym lends a much more nautical feel and the entertainment that it might have been written by an actual pirate. At best, it might be the work of a former pirate, or a merchant captain of the period who knew of some of the trials, robberies, etc. of real pirates. Anyway, that didn't give much away about the book itself, but I feel it had to be said. Regardless of how credible you think the source is, it is an entertaining read. Coastie

Best of luck with the haulout. If you make it up to Alaska in the next few years, I'll definitely come down and give you a hand (and, what all tall ship sailors wish for after being at sea: a shower, a full kitchen, a good meal, and a bottle of yer favorite poison). Glad to see she's back on an even keel. Best of luck!!! Coastie

I just got my orders for a three year tour ashore in the Coast Guard's District 17 office (waterways management branch) in Juneau, Alaska. So, if any o' you Pacific sailors have the guts to sail north and learn why the Pacific is ill-named, give me a moment's notice and I'll guide you safely through the inside passage, as I've already got two years experience servicing the aids to navigation up here. It really is the most majestic waterway I've ever sailed. If any o' you have the inkling, I can pilot you through Peril Strait, including the infamous Serguis Narrows. I can take you past Dead Man's Reach, around Cape Decision, and to the wonderful Mount Edgecomb (the last two named by the honorable Captain Cook himself). All I'd need is a boat and fine piratical company. Even without the boat, I'd welcome good company over a fine bottle of the very best rum I can lay me hands on. Fair Winds all ye pirates in the lower 48 and beyond, Coastie

Well, not from a purely historical perspective, but for modern pirates, a machete is pretty much the present day cutlass. I commonly read the weekly (yes, weekly...there's that many of them) pirate attacks. Many of them mention the pirates as carrying "long knives" or machetes (and occasionally automatic weapons, rockets, etc.). I look at a cutlass, as it's mentioned above, as a tool that was kept sharp and used as a weapon when the situation called for it. It wasn't the only thing used as a weapon, but it was cheap, deadly, and scary. Just imagine being threatened with a crude, razor sharp machete. It doesn't need to be a fine blade to strike fear into your enemy. Coastie

From wikipedia.org: Binnacle: Gob: I thought the slang for sailor was kind of fitting for this topic. Granted, these are just from wikipedia, but it's at least one source for an explanation (though I wouldn't completely trust it without a second opinion). Coastie

Unfortunately, I'm not surprised. We've had incidents up here in Alaska of shooting buoys, lights, and other navigational aids. I guess it's just something to shoot at, akin to shooting road signs, etc. It's really too bad that it happened to Royaliste, though. Are they below the waterline? Will they be hard to patch up? I guess the one silver lining to this is that she now has officially been ransacked by scum-sucking pirates and shot up in battle. Coastie

OK, I can't stay quiet any longer on this. I've been aground 4 times in sailing vessels ranging from 24.5' to 112'. It happens and the reason isn't necessarily mechanical, drinking, human error, etc. That said, when the Coast Guard investigates an incident, those are the first things they look for. Why? Because they are a major factor in *MOST* mishaps. There is almost always something that people could have done to stop the 'error chain' that leads to a mishap. So, BadMcCrack asking these questions, although the tone might be harsh, is a very legitimate thing. I know Gary only from online, but I've come to respect him as a prudent mariner and kept an open mind about the incident. However, a newbie to the board doesn't have that luxury. And, as for the drinking, I've seen it cause a number of deaths on the water. I don't see a stretch linking a pirate ship to drinking (really, does anyone?), and especially if someone doesn't have a lot of experience on the sea, it's a logical conclusion. Now, to help answer some of BadMcCrack's questions. As I mentioned, I've been aground a couple of times. All but once was probably preventable with 20/20 hindsight. I won't go into the details right now because I don't have time, and it would be geting farther from the point. It was already mentioned that boats that big don't turn on a dime. They also don't stop on a dime (and even when going aground). There are many other factors, such as wind and current that affect maneuverability and are not easy even for experienced mariners to predict, especially in an unfamiliar port. In a river, silt can often change the bottom depths, and charts are not always accurate, even if updated. Heck, up here in Alaska, I've seen a modern chart (I think it's outdated now, but it was in use within the last 20 years) which states that it is based on a survey by CAPTAIN COOK!!! Some of the charts we use in Southeast Alaska today are based upon surveys done pre-1900 for at least portions. So, bottom line is that a chart is not definitive. However, most mariners rely on them to be fairly accurate, since most are regularly corrected and they're the best guide we have. Royaliste was transiting down the ICW, so she was not a local and did not know the port well. Lots of mariners do that all the time without incident. We're in an era where people think that everything can be prevented. Well, it can't. There is risk in everything, especially when it involves the sea. Equipment can fail without notice at the worst time, people can still make mistakes regardless of their experience, and some things are just bad luck. In conclusion, although I was not there, have never set eyes on the Royaliste, and only know some of the crew from this board, I believe that they would follow prudent seamanship based on what I know of them. They have been through many incidents without this kind of mishap (I believe I remember hearing about them loosing their engine and sailing back to SF and onto the dock a couple years ago, but I might be mixing my tall ships). So in other words, I respect their ability and knowledge. The posts haven't mentioned anything about structural, mechanical or electrical failure as a causative factor, so I'll rule that out. That pretty much leaves it to bad luck. Plus, people usually look at things and notice all the bad things that happened. Don't forget about the good things. Regardless of what did go wrong, nobody was seriously injured, the boat is floating and will be repaired (I assume and hope), and the salvage was successful. GOOD JOB ALL WHO HELPED, either at the scene, with moral support, or dollars!!! Coastie P.S. I think there was a question earlier about why the Coast Guard didn't help them out, why they gave them a 12 hour timeline, etc. I'm not an expert, so I won't go into great depth but the short answer legality. The Coast Guard has been sued multiple times which have caused us to develope strict guidance about what we can do, cannot do, and have to do. So, courts, lawyers, and experience are really the answers to that.

I hope the boat's alright and is able to be refloated soon. I'm just waiting on that paypal link. As for words of encouragement, I'll add this picture of the Irving Johnson aground. When I saw this, along with other pictures that looked far worse, I thought there was no realistic way that she'd survive. If my memory serves me correct, she was battered by the waves for three days before she was refloated. However, she's sailing again today. I hope Royaliste is another one of those survival stories. Coastie

From Webster's Dictionary for skyscraper: OK, I might have just applied that definition to moonraker as well. Or it's one of those definitions that changed, such as brigantine (common name now for a vessel that used to be called hermaphrodite brig, half-brig, etc.). Coastie

I've been taught that there actually is a difference between a moonsail and a moonraker. Unfortunately, I'm away from homeport right now and don't have even my mager library handy, so I can't cite anything on this right now. However, the difference involves the shape of the sail. A moonsail is a standard square sail, where as a moonraker is triangular. Often the uppermost sail did not have an upper yard, but a single-point haliard. This saved on weight up high, as well as the price of rigging and made it essentially a self-tending sail, since the bottom was attached to the yard below. This is also the difference between a skys'l and a skyscraper. Both the skyscraper and moonrakers would necessarily have to be the uppermost sail on a mast (a skyscraper would be above the royal, and the moonraker above a skys'l). However, since I have yet to see either a skyscraper, moonraker or moonsail on any vessel today (and only a skys'l once), I guess it's probably not the most important distinction nowadays. Coastie

For even more, and a lot of pictures, go to THIS website. It takes quite a while to load, even with a fast connection, but the pictures and links of replica ships of all time periods and styles is outstanding. Just as a disclaimer, however, the replicas are of a wide range of accuracy. Some are extremely accurate, others are almost comical in appearance, and some are just guesses as to what the ships back then (I'm assuming lots of the medeival ones and especially the older replicas of Roman biremes are not necessarily historical replicas, but then again, they're not my era of expertise). It really is nice to look at the ships from different cultures and how the general styles were really different. Coastie :angry:

A lot ships were very similar in basic design, but they did have certain unique aspects based on shipbuilding lineage and geography. One example has already been mentioned about draft. Lots of smaller vessels in the Denmark/Sweeden region have shallow drafting round hulls and sideboards instead of a large keel. This allows them to beach the boat relatively easily, and the sideboards can be retracted in any shallow water or to cross a reef. In the Nova Scotia area, where the large tides and shallow beaches create huge tidal ranges, lots of fishing vessels were flat or round bottomed with a large enough beam so that to unload them, they could just be run up on the beach at high tide, and unloaded strait to a cart at low tide. The British ships were generally beamier with a greater draft. This allowed them to carry much more cargo, and helped them with the rougher seas up north. However, their fastest and most weatherly ships (at least during the 1700s) were either ships captured from the French, or ships built to the same lines (copies). As for pre-GAoP vessels, don't forget the Viking longboat (great for landing parties, and relatively fast), the Mediteranian galleys (in use by the Spanish into the 1700s), the Chinese junks (a much more advanced rig than Europeans had at the time), the Egyptian reed boats, and the catamarans found in the South Pacific, just to name a few. Then there's the host of small vessels designed for coastal and river use, such as kayaks, canoes (in all their incarnations, such as birch bark, dugout, etc.), bull boats, row boats in Europe, those really skinny dugout canoes used in the Amazon, etc. Even today, boats are built for their purpose and geography. Ships designed for the Atlantic sometimes perform very poorly in the Pacific because of the differences in the wave lengths and heights. Obviously, ships that operate around ice have reinforced hulls. Buoy tenders (such as the one I'm currently on) are designed to stay in one place with a stable deck. Minesweepers are made out of wood in order to avoid setting off some mines. Due to the geography of Southeast Alaska, the favored personal boat here is an aluminum one with a drop down bow (imagine a WWII landing craft scaled down to 16-25 ft). It's easier to land for hunting, and if your boat's big enough, you can load an ATV or dirt bike and head out to a different island. Hope this helps. Coastie

Plugs exactly like that are used in the USCG for damage control. The way I was trained to use them was not as much for through-hull holes, but for pipes. For through-hull holes we have other tools that we'd use before resorting to a plug such as this. I believe (but don't quote me on this) that ours are made out of pine. Whatever wood is used, you do want it to be a soft wood so that it can be jammed into the hole farther, expand when wet and further fill the hole, and can be worked with easier if cutting, etc. Plus, it's usually cheaper than hard woods like oak (at least today). Also, it's not jammed in there itself. Oakum, sheets of rubber, or in a pinch, cotton rags can be wrapped around the plug prior to inserting it into the hole. For pipes, we insert the plug as far as it will go (with the expert help of someone on a sledge hammer), mark it, and then take it out and saw off the plug about a half inch inside the mark (approximately, I'm a little rusty in the subject). After the plug has been pounded in place, cut the outside edge off flush with the edge of the pipe. This allows whatever was in the pipe to continue flowing freely after repairs are completed, and prevents a large plug on the outside of the hole to be bumped and knocked out of place. After the plug is in there and cut, we wrap the pipe with twine (three layers) at least two inches on either side of the hole. After consulting with one of the Damage Control petty officers, I found that we could use a plug or wedge (which is essentially used in the same manner, but for different shaped holes), but that it would need to be shored up to prevent it from popping out of the hole if it's beneath the waterline. Hope this helps. Coastie