historyfanatic

UPDATE: As of right now, it's looking like we'll have 4-5 period boats and three large artillery pieces, plus 4-5 swivel guns. There will be a naval battle, boat race, duel and cannon demonstration. Plus period music and a pitch-in dinner for pirates on Saturday night. After dinner THE TAVERN WILL BE OPEN!!! There will also be children's activities including a treasure hunt and more! Prizes will be awarded to the crew that wins the boat race sponsored by Taylor-Rose Historical Outfitters!! It's gonna be a blast!!!

I have a couple of .69 caliber pistols and I use about 30-40 grains with a roundball, and 60-80 grains for a blank shot. You'll want to use more powder for a blank because you don't have compression. With a ball you have a lot of compression, so you want to use much less powder to keep from damaging your gun or yourself. It does not take 150 grains to fire a roundball. Ask me how I know...

Yeah, that's a beaut! I wish we could, but I'm afraid the one we're gonna build is gonna be a lot smaller. But it'll be bigger than what I've got now! Here is one of the boats that I will be bringing to Pirates of Paynetown: She's 17' and has a mini swivel gun on her deck! Her name is "Trollop". I'm sorry this picture is so far away, but it's hard to take pictures of yourself when you're sailing. I will have Trollop and another small boat at the event to add to the mayhem!

I can vouch for the synthetic manilla rope. I usually go for the REAL thing as much as possible, but I have to say the synthetic manilla is worth its weight in gold. All of the Lady Washington's running rigging is made of it and it doesn't swell when wet, it doesn't stretch as much when new, it doesn't rot, it can carry more weight for its size, and (most importantly) it doesn't leave parts of itself in your hands! The best part is that you have to literally hold it in your hands to tell the difference. It looks like manilla or hemp. I like it very much!!

We have several local historical coopers in the Louisville area and two of them use wooden hoops. They use hickory strips that are kept wet from the moment they are cut until they are used. However, they are nailed to the staves of the keg. Hope this info helps. I know it's not a period reference, but it is a "done-it" reference...

Aye, thank-ye lass! That wooden lady happens to be the figurehead of the Lady Washington, affectionately known as "Martha". At that point the only thing between me and the water was my bum! Definately worth it though.

Ok, here are a couple that I had on hand... I'm sure there are many more, I just need to unearth them from the "archives"... I think a few people have already seen this one, but I like it so I'm gonna post it again!! Really proud of this one: And this is the coolest pirate coat ever! It even has pewter buttons with a skull and crossbones on it! This pic doesn't show it, but now I have huge epaulets on it too! And this one is only in garb from the waist down, but it's too freakin' awesome to pass up! And FOR THE RECORD!!!! I was a pirate/blacksmith LONG before that bugger Will Turner!!!

You could possibly get your wish m'lady... There is a small contingency of individuals who are very interested in building a 30' sailing vessel near Louisville, KY. Albeit it is small and on a river, there will be nothing to keep us from taking it to places like the gulf, or even getting a large trailer and hauling it up to the lakes. Keep in touch on that one!

Let me offer this lovely green and gold brocade weskit for any who are interested! This is a size 46 chest and is lined with cotton. The back is of a heavy natural linen. This weskit has not been finished yet, therefore you have options!! You can have your choice of pewter or bone buttons and you can either have hand-stitched buttonholes, or save a little money with machined buttonholes. Please note that the ruffled white linen shirt in the picture is not included, but can be ordered in many sizes, varieties and prices. This fyne weskit is a reasonable $60, or $75 with hand-stitched buttonholes. Please include $5 for shipping. If you are interested, please contact me here or e-mail at springwater@peoplepc.com. Thanks! See more at www.taylor-rosehistorical.com See pictures below:

Up for your consideration is this fine sleeved weskit in a very colorful paisley block print. The pictures just don't show how really colorful this weskit is! Sure to turn heads at your next event or raid! This is made of a heavy cotton and has been worn once. It is a size 40 chest. Every bit of visible stitching is done by hand giving this a VERY authentic look. The buttons are of wood and accent the garment nicely. It is fully lined with white cotton. It is meant to be worn under a frock coat, but for the sailor of fortune, could be worn open or buttoned as a short jacket. on the average person, the coat will come to mid-thigh length. The white ruffled linen shirt is used for reference and is not included, but can be ordered in any size in a variety of styles and prices. The price for this beautiful article of clothing is $75 +shipping of $5. If you are interested, please contact me. You can reach me through the board, or at springwater@peoplepc.com. See pictures below:

Ok, well, Indiana Department of Natural Resources is poorly funded and doesn't have spiffy websites for their events, but if you want more information, the best way to get it is to contact Jen Aynes at the Paynetown State Recreation Area. Her e-mail is monroeinterp@dnr.in.gov. You can also reach her by phone at: (812) 837-9967. For more info on the site itself, go to: Indiana DNR website for Monroe Lake Look at the "Paynetown SRA" Here is a Mapquest map to the Lake. From there, follow signs to the Paynetown Site: Map to Monroe Lake This is a detailed map of the Monroe Lake area. Paynetown is in the middle-top area and is right next to the Office and Visitor's Center off Highway 446. Hope that helps ya, mate! It's gonna be a blast and I hope ye can make it!!

Any military ship would have slops, shirts, and foul weather gear to hand out to sailors who didn't have such things. A british navy sailor wouldn't have much, but you could usually count on: A rigging knife marline spike wooden or bone fid letters from home or of introduction very little coinage ditty box with sewing kit canvas bag to carry it all in slops, trousers, or britches shirt, maybe 2 if lucky some form of jacket or coat (canvas or wool) some form of headwear (wool knit, tarred canvas, scarf, etc.) Some form of footwear (not boots!) Everything else the ship would provide. Privateers and merchant vessels may have been better because the sailors were responsible for more of their own kit. If you are portraying a sailor on shore, I would recommend getting a set of period mess dunnage. This includes: copper or brass pot about 7.5 inches in diameter, tin lined. period fork Or if you want the deluxe edition: Square wooden plate Period fork Pewter or stoneware mug

Ok, I'm not going to slaughter you, but I am going to question the 2-bottle theory... Let me appeal to your common sense... Do you know any one person who can down 2 bottles of rum (let's say a fifth each) and then perform such delicate tasks as standing on a swaying line 90 feet in the air while pulling in a 500 pound canvas sail? Doesn't seem plausible at all... Secondly, alcohol cannot be more than 200 proof. (That's 100%) A good bottle of rum should be about 90 proof, therefore the best you can expect for strong rum is maybe 150-160 proof at which point it begins to taste like crappy moonshine (much like Bacardi 151). Now, I will agree with you that rum was less consistent in the 18th century, but it was more likely to be occasionally weaker or stronger than to be significantly stronger across the board. The process for making rum involves taking raw sugar and adding water and yeast. After primary fermentation, you have a nasty sort of sugar wine with a reasonably high alcohol content. It is then distilled to produce a higher proof beverage. This involves taking water out of the mixture without losing the alcohol due to evaporation. The end product is then adjusted to make it as uniform as possible. This means adding water or rum (or distilling further) accordingly to make the content what it should be. All wines, whiskeys, and rums are aged. This makes the flavor smoother. Over time the level of booze in the barrel decreases due to factors such as evaporation, barrel wastage (the oak keg soaking up the liquid), and further fermentation processes. The makers then top off the barrels with water to maintain a certain level of liquid in the barrel. Historically, this rum would have been transported in ships and occasionally the water from the bilge could seep into the kegs and mingle with the rum. (This happened with wine too. In fact, there is an interesting story involving the birth of the 18th century favorite Madiera) Sometimes this would water down the booze. (and make it taste really funky...) Also, captains would order the rum watered to certain points 1: to keep the men from getting drunk, and 2: to make it last longer. If you are a pirate captain and you want a drink that pirate captains would have enjoyed, (brace yourself) try wine! Wine was the "common drink" among the officers of nearly every 18th century navy. Popular 18th century wines that are still available today include: Madiera, Port, and Marsala. Port and Tawney Port were commonly available at every tavern and pub anywhere. Madiera was a more refined drink for the upper class. Marsala is a very fine dessert wine and was usually shared under the same social circumstances as Brandy and Sherry. Peaches, cherries, and pears are popular 18th century flavorings for brandy and sherry. Liquers such as schnapps were also popular. They were made using fruit juice and sugar made into a syrup and then added to a favorite base like Rum, or Brandy. These were called cordials and were served in a glass just slightly larger than a modern cordial class. So, as pirates, I'd say there's a lot of options. As a sailor of any country's navy, is watered rum! Sorry for the long post... I get carried away sometimes...

I whole heartedly agree with what Blackjohn said. You will get more enjoyment out of doing it right. You will spend more money, but you can do it for significantly less than you might think. To get you started, (let's assume you are doing Revolutionary War privateering because that is what I am most familiar with... I'm sure the pricing would be similar for GAoP... In fact, I can pretty much guarantee it.) Britches will cost you about $55-$60 A shirt will be about $35-$45 (With ruffles, maybe $60, but only necessary if you plan to be an officer... Go with Jack Tar. It's cheaper.) A sailor's coat $100 (not really necessary, but cool!) Flintlock pistols start at $250-$300 (also not necessary, but check out used ones... Just be careful.) Grab a silk scarf/bandanna for $10-$15 and you've got a start! Shoes are the most painful purchase becuase they're not as cool as a sword, but they cost about the same... There is a very nice pair right now on the plunder forum for sale that are at least $55 below list value. Expect to pay about $130-$150 for almost any shoes with the buckles. As another option, you can forgo the buckles and fasten your shoes with a piece of sailing twine. This drops the price by about $35. Bare minimum sailor (deckhand) impression will cost about $195. Go to a Renn Faire and try to buy a full pirate COSTUME for that!! If you want to go to the max, you can easily spend a fortune. Book value on my pirate captain frock coat alone is at least $700. And then there are the "insanely correct" options, like my hand-stitched linen ruffled shirt... Thank God my wife is an excellent seamstress! If you want to save more money, borrow a sewing machine, ask someone to show you how it works, and buy one of Kass's patterns. Don't let anyone fool you: GUYS CAN SEW! (And they like it!) You could make your $195 outfit for $120! I hope this helps you. I sincerely hope that you will join us on the dark side and become a "Tarpaulin Jack" instead of a "Polyester Pirate". (Note to anyone who enjoys being a polyester pirate: I respect you for your enthusiasim and I mean no affront to anyone... ) Young Pyrate, Here are some links that may help you along your way: Smoke and Fire Company Taylor-Rose Historical Outfitters Jas. Townsend and Co. Middlesex Village Trading Co. Pistols

Ok, so these aren't primarily of the ocean, but they have the ocean in them!!! I'm sure you can forgive me... Here's a favorite from my personal collection... (I've got lots of ocean pics, but not too many in digital form...) I tried to make this one look like an oil painting, but my computer program is lousy: (looks more like watercolor... And still crappy...) And here is a very happy me on the Bill of Rights taking a respite from the hard-paced life aboard the Lady for a stint on a schooner...

Anyone know of any place to find really good coinage? I'd like to find a source for French and British coins of the 18th-century period. I have found some from Jas. Townsend, but last time I checked I couldn't afford to have more than a couple in my pocket... Now I'm not looking to fill a chest or anything, but I'd like to have about 75-100 guineas for "petty cash". Anyone here know of a good source for PERIOD-CORRECT coins? (Not the cheap reales, doubloons, and POTC props!)

The Lady Washington was also a privateer during the American Revolution, although at the time I believe she was just called "Washington". This name was probably a reference to a family as many Washingtons were wealthy and influential and ol' George was still daydreaming about a commission in the British Army when she was built...

Ok, You want historical, right? Rum is usually watered down for the men. This is A: to make it last longer on a long voyage, B: to keep the men from getting too happy with their gill measure, and C: to make the stagnant water taste better... In the case of "grog" or the daily ration, you would be looking at about: 1 part Rum 1 part water dash of citrus such as lime or lemon to prevent scurvy Life sucks in the British Navy. Some small crafts such as privateersmen may have gotten a better offering. Now the best would be what is provided for the officers and captain. They were allowed to take their measure "neat" which means in a glass and uncut instead of splashed in a pot or mug and gruesomely violated with water. Some captains have been known to make "additions" to their measure such as gunpowder, sugar, citrus, etc, but it is rare. The most common thing besides water to be added is citrus due to the health issue. Sugar was too valuable to add to the crew's rum ration.

I know I just said this on another forum, but this book is PRICELESS!!! I love it and it will tell you a lot of basic information that will probably drive you mad, much like it did me... http://www.smoke-fire.com/researching-hist...ail-books-2.asp

I usually carry either a briquet or a smallsword in a leather frog that is sewn to my belt. (This is accurate for late 18th century, which is more my era. Not sure about earlier...) I have a French Charleville pistol with a belt clip with works fairly well depending on where and how it is stuck into the belt. Many seafaring pistols had the buttplate screw replaced with a ring. This allowed a lanyard to be attached to one's belt to avoid dropping it overboard. There is a very good book called "Pirates, Privateers and Patriots of the Revolution". It may be a little later than your time period, but nearly all of the knowledge will be accurate even earlier. The book is invaluable for any historical sailor...

Anyone here in the Louisville, KY area? I live in southern Indiana and I live 1.5 miles from the Ohio River. I have two small boats and a couple of cannons, but very few people to play with. I am looking to start a river-pirate oriented group since Louisville and surrounding areas were known for that. (See Cave-in-Rock which is close enough for a week-long trip. Also New London, Indiana) Right now I play with a local group called the Skurvy Dog Clan, but very few of them are actually interested in pirates. I am already involved with a couple of events that are looking for river pirates, so if anyone is interested, let me know! Also, my biggest cannon is a 1781 U.S. Navy carronade. I am looking for anyone who is intersted in joining a cannon crew portraying 1790-1812 U.S. Navy. (We can also say its a captured gun and play pirate with it...) In addition, a friend and I have been discussing building a 30-ft sloop/keelboat and ironically, the local state park is putting a boat ramp in which is practically in my backyard! Soooo.... Anyone intersted in joining us for a little (lot) boatbuilding and eventually sailing? One of my little boats:

Blackjohn, Yeah, it should be neat. I'll be bringing my naval carronade and two boats. A friend of mine is bringing his boat and cannon and we'll probably do some sort of naval battle. Looks like we might even have a handful of British soldiers to chase us around and cause general mayhem... P.S. I was planning on coming to Hampton this year, but the car broke down on Wednesday and was in the shop until friday afternoon. Didn't feel up to a 14-hour drive after that. I will try to be there in '07.

LAKE MONROE: Paynetown State Recreational Area near Bloomington, Indiana Greetings to Sailors, Gentlemen of Fortune, Pirates, Privateers and other "businessmen": There's a new pirate event on the books and it's NOT on the coast! For us land-bound pirates the invitation has been sent to entertain indecency at the Paynetown State Recreation Area the 18-20 of August for "Pirates of Paynetown". As of right now the event promises: Cannons, Boats, Period Camps, Music, Chantey Singing and Games pertaining to Pirates and Individuals of Questionable Character from the Early Carribean Era to Barbary Coast. Reenactor Benefits: You get to go to a PIRATE event!! (duh) If you have a 17th-19th Century period watercraft, you can put in to Lake Monroe for FREE! (How often does the parks system allow that??) Discharge of black powder flintlocks and cannons is encouraged! Pirates get to camp on "The Pointe" - A shady penninsula of land jutting out into Lake Monroe. Pirates get full access to the sandy beach and are allowed to take boats in and out of the water on the beach. Plus lots of other benefits! This sounds like a really fun event and I am looking forward to attending. It is not a juried event, but historical realism is encouraged and plastic/polyester, etc will not be allowed. If you have any questions or would like to talk to the people in charge, (might be a good idea to let them know if you are coming...) please contact: Jennifer Aynes Interpretive Naturalist Monroe Reservoir 4850 South State Road 446 Bloomington, IN 47401 (812) 837-9967