Ol Man From the Sea

Note of caution: No matter how much you try to shrink it Acrylic canvas will still leak. Acrylic canvas stands up better to the environment and is thus commonly used for umbrellas (oops make that sunbrellas), awnings, chairs etc. but it won't work for tents! Be sure to use cotton canvas. Oh and cotton thread as well.

That is the goal. I am a strong believer that if you have to explain it, the joke wasn't funny. We can add on to there, but lets get the foundation right first.

COOL If your going to that much trouble might I suggest "The Rigging of Ships in the Days of the Spritsail Topmast, 1600 - 1720" by R.C. Anderson ISBN 0-486-27960-X Dover $12.95. It has a chapter about how sails were made in our period. Just got mine from Borders and haven't finished reading it yet, but it looks helpful.

That is the practical problem I was referring to. Needing watches or heaven forbid setting an alarm on your cell phone to help keep track of your hour glass seems to lose a bit in the translation. Yes. some simple fixes could have helped, but they weren't done for the second day at RFII. This is not a slight at the crew of the Archangel, they worked hard and cared when things went amiss. This only stands to make my argument stronger. As to discipline among pyrates, all reports I have seen indicate that the pyrates lacked civility let alone discipline. Note, I don’t believe this means there was no discipline, only that there were no outward appearances of discipline to the 18 century eye. To that eye this “crew” would appear very undisciplined, and yet I believe all are working hard to make this a good and accurate camp. A bell is an outward sign of discipline and control, and thus not in keeping with period reports of pyrates As to a careening camp being a work camp, after reading the report posted earlier in ths thread, I am not so sure. When the ship was actually careened, all hands would be needed at the ship and thus the camp a ghost town, However, there would be times, such as high waves etc., when the ship could not be careened, but would not be ready for sail either. I am sure pyrates would use these times to PARTY! This would be our camp. Back to the bell. If the bell were used only as a signaling devise, and not to keep watches, I would be ok with it. Though, I think a bo’sons pipe more appropriate.

Look again the treated canvas is $251 and 15 stakes, all I can say is PORTER

On a practical note, if we do have a bell then somebody has to stand watch and ring it at the right time. Something that seemed to confound Capt Sterling’s crew at reenactor fest. At PIP it would be nigh impossible, with all the distractions, and considering noone on that island cares about time anyway.

A bell ain’t nothin’ but a way for a fool who thinks himself master, to lease dogs fool enough to think him right. I'd rather face a rope than answer any damn bell. Save mayhaps the bell of a cannon. As to needin' somethin' callin' us attention, whose who be handsome will get their attention enough without. As for the rest of us, it will only serve to call attention to our resemblance to one Quasimoto (sp). And why wait for four bells, shoot em early whilst your still sober enough to hit them.

For one person, ultralite, weight crazed, modern backpackers consider 5'x8' about as small a tarp as possible, and too small for beginners. Another way to look at it is a tarp should be at least 18" larger all the way around than your ground cloth. So assuming "little swab" is not baby huey or even if he(?) is, a 10x10 diamond shelter should be good. You might even go a little smaller, but be careful here as some sutlers use the size of the cloth they start with, and not the finished tarp size. I myself, ie baby huey's bigger brother, am thinking of a 5x9 or so, if only to see if I can get away with somthing that small. If I do go that small, I will have some 4 mil poly hidden away and if things get really bad, I'm able to afford a last minute room. As to cordage needed, a standard 50' length should be way more than enough. If you need a better estimate, set up in the back yard with something really cheap like chute cord, or even old clothes line, and measure what you use. When you do start cutting your laid rope, remember to whip the ends.

Watches? Glass? Bell? Belay those thoughts lads! This aint no @#$%& navy. We be free men of the sea, an we do what needs doin' when it needs be done. Don't need no bells nor'll they be suffered. Now if you'll excuse me, I'll be packin' a few sponge fer that dambed bell o' yours I already be packin me hanger an firelock fer anyone fool enough ta ring it.

Not sure about a wheel makin' a camp look nautical, but we could use one if we wanted to make it look French. We'ed just hang it on the back and call it a "Continental" camp!

Day? usually lower 80s, mayhaps more. At night?? couple years ago got all the way down to 67, locals thought an ice age was coming. Be warned however, this is an island over 100 miles from shore. humidity is high, breezes blow. Ever get "R"-worded out?? rain? Aye, rained out?

Pics? Hell, how about video

Aye good news indeed! That sandy grove is a pyrates paradise for sure. In Fact, might like to stay even when the fort is finished uhm can we tie tarps and maybe hammocks to the trees?

Now is a good time for a recap. The following only applies to the 1720 camp, not to other camps or PIP in general. Please let me know, if you disagree with anything, if things need to be added, if you have questions, or if you just have comments. The year is 1720. On a small subtropic isle, the crew of the sloop Mercury, having slept off the spending of their profits at the Feral Cock, is beginning the unpleasant business of preparing their vessel for a more profitable "unpleasant business". As Mercury is in need of Careening, her crew has hastily made a camp ashore. The camp looks a bit military, with all the tents, weapons, and provisions about. A strange military though, where discipline is not just lacking, but actually scorned. The tents are not at all uniform, but of all types and sizes, many are mere tarps cobbled together from bits of spare or recycled canvas, rope and wood. Why, one looks to be using pieces of a broken oar for its poles. Most have a lantern of brass and horn hanging near by, an oilcloth ground sheet, a wool blanket or two, a sea chest, perhaps the remains of last nights bottle and nought much more. God only knows what hides within the closed tents though, as a nose sticking in is likely met by a pistol sticking out. The “tents” are not in neat little rows separated by task and rank, but set haphazardly around a small carefully watched fire where dinner is prepared. Men who spend their days aboard floating tinder boxes have a great respect for the danger of a spark, and thus two large buckets of water are at the hand.. The fire is flanked by two tripods of wooden poles lashed together with rope and supporting a pole from which the cooking pots are hung. At meal time, the crew gather around with their sea chest, sitting astride one side and using the remaining side as a table. The “dinning tables” are set with a square wooden plate, wooden bowl, horn mug, spoon, and a linen napkin, though some of the crew have pewter in lieu of wood and horn. The barrels and crates of “provisions” are neatly piled and coverd with canvas to protect them from the weather and from curious eyes. To fulfill the above vision each of us should have Canvas tarp or, if you must, tent Wrought iron stakes (coral is too hard for wood) Hemp rope Waterproof ground cloth Wool blanket, maybe a second blanket or a rug or mat Brass candle lantern with horn window candles and a means to light them Sea chest Wood or pewter plate & bowl Wood, horn or pewter mug & spoon Linen napkin (no table forks) Optional period bottles, kegs, etc. Period clothing including a belt knife (see other thread) Period weapons of your choice Personal items (toothbrush, razor, soap, small towel, meds etc) best if hidden. Note these are “suggestions for ‘07” things to spend time or money on. You can make do for now with what you may have, the closer to the above the better, but it will need to be replaced to play in future years. The only hard rule for ‘07 is that the Fort will not allow nylon tents. You can still camp just not with us in the fort.

Following Blackjohn's linky linky, I mean reading the paper Blackjohn suggested. It looks like the short answer, as posted by William Red Wake, is Thank you Blackjohn and William! The paper raised an other question, It talked about canvas fire buckets on ships in 1650? Can this be trusted? Is there a second source to back this up?

As I hinted above, the very best way to contribute is to get your kit as authentic as possible. The backbone of the camp will be peoples individual kits. If they are right, we will have a great impression. If they are wrong, anything done to try and make up for it becomes a mockery! Lots of great hints around here. Good luck!

Aye, pg 47. OOPS! Looks like you were also right with the brass and horn lanterns. cool!

T'was thinkin' more like flyin' Wednsday morn and arrivin' bout 3 pm. Some of us have a camp to set up.

I think you need to go back and read this thread. First we need Pyrates and not just any ol Pyrates but authentic like 1720 Pyrates. Which means most of us need to get to work on our personal kit. Then we need a camp, mostly everyone's Tarp (or tent if you must) ect, again a personal thing. We agreed to a camp fire and to cookin' on it. Callenish has got that covered. Since we are havin' a fire we need a "Fire Protection District" and William has got that covered. Harry has offered the use of a few large barrels. Add a tarp, or few, over some faked out provisions, and we are good to go. Lets see we could use a ships wheel, rotting corpses, and some styrofoam togo boxes, NOT! What are we missing?? BTW William did you see, on page 49 of the paper on ships lighting that Blackjohn turned us on to, that ships had canvas buckets for fire fighting?

right now enterprise is asking $500, taxes and all, for a seven seat mini van from fll or mia. add about $50 for gas, and it could be cheaper than the bus. Also, the bus pulls into key west at sunset, a little late for my taste.

Callenish looks like you'll be our cook. By this I don't mean that you have cook a single thing. Just bring the pots and organize all of the cook's mates and scullions. You shouldn't have any trouble finding cook's mates, lots of folks round here like to "stir the pot" If you need any help just let us know what ya need. Patrick: My source said, "a single riveted copper boiler..." Which Im starting to think would have been huge. Probably too big to remove from the ship. So Callenish's pots should do fine. As to fire irons, I think sailors would have rigged wooden tripods on opposing sides of the fire and stretched a pole between or just set the pots on the coals. However, Callenish said something about a spit, so I'm startin' to like the idea of irons. Anyway, if we have the irons we can decide on site which way to go. As to tableware what I’ve been reading lately seems to indicate that common sailors would have had a square wooden plate a wooden bowl a mug of wood or horn or horn and wood a spoon of wood or horn table forks were new at this time and not a thing of the common man for a knife they would use their belt knife pewter could replace wood for the better off men note: not having a fork means finger lickin’ so a small linen towel or kerchief might be an idea

If traveling alone I usually fly all the way to key west. If I have a friend along it was cheaper to fly to fll and drive down. Last year car rental rates at fll and miami went nuts, econo boxes are about the same as luxury cars and vans. So it might be cheaper for two to fly all the way. However, if this is your first time you must drive the overseas highway. Puts the place in the right perspective. With four or more fly and drive gets cheap.

Damn you Blackjohn! How am I gona read all these books from the library that will almost tell me what I need to know, when you keep postin' links to thesesis that WILL tell me what I need to know. :angry: Well, quess I'll just HAVE to do more plunderin' ta pay my overdo fees (in other words Thanks)

Was this ever resolved? I am thinking of one of their swords myself and wondering if I should be rethinking?

You mean that, The YOKES on you? eggcelant! quick back on topic afor I get poached. True enough depending on where his and our tents are located. If close, no problem. If all the way across the fort, problem. However, I think he is going to have lots of help so no problem. Does this mean you don't support the idea of one period group meal at around 1 or 2? or just that you know you'll be cooking afterhours as well?