Dutchman

i had worked the night before and we were on board by five thirty. we were under way as soon as we could see the first channel marker. The redball was rising as we headed into it. A slight swell, a rebuilt 1930's diesel burping away- man I was done. Chugged along at a steady seven knots. We had a bit of fog and some squalls as we crossed the mouth of the York, otherwise a smooth ride. If you look at the details in the top pic, the wheel and spot light handle are original (as well as engine controls which are out of view) the compass is a 1934 naval surplus.

bump- this is still way cool!

Took the weekend off with Madam Grace and we stowed away on board the F.D. Crockett. She is a 65 ft seven log buyboat built in 1924 to haul produce and goods up and down the Chesapeake Bay. Built in Poquoson, VA we headed south to serve as the flagship for their annual worboat races. Cap'n John turned the wheel over to me as soon as we left the creek, which floored the hell out of me. Just two pictures. one of me on the wheel and the other in the rack. yeah, plush accomodations. We made home in the cargo hold for the weekend!

ummm, people, boats, places???? sorry mate kind of vague question. what ya looking for?

slow night at work. i happened up the clips while looking for something else. It's a neat drill, i'd love to be able to run this at an event. Please disregard the coasties safety issues.

ack! bloody hell. i just found my old tallow horn. how am i going to fit that one on?

solid footwear and clean, well padded socks should be got now as well.l. It's amazing how those little bits of coral in the path come to life and attack your feet! I'll be working on my contribution to the dead mans chest this weekend.

well i'll be jiggered. just found these descriptions-

Blacking guns, shot, &c.

Coal tar alone, or mixed with a little salt water, is a good thing for blacking guns and shot. It should be laid on quite warm, and if the day be cold, a hot shot may with advantage be put into the guns to warm the metal, and make it take the blacking better, due attention being previously paid to unloading.

Lay the stuff on as thin as possible, with paint-brushes, using hot loggerheads or bolts to keep it warm.

If well laid on, and wiped afterwards with an oil-cloth occasionally, this process will prevent rust and preserve the good look of the guns for a length of time, without having recourse to washing with water.

French recipe for blacking guns, &c.

To one gallon of vinegar put ten ounces of lamp black, and one pound and a half of clear sifted iron-rust and mix them well together. Lay them on the guns after a good coat of black paint, and rub it occasionally with a soft oil-cloth.

thank you for the compliment michael. Having two beautiful and functional pieces you made, it makes quite a nice show.

Jim, i hear what you're saying about the placement. The cant was set when the rig was baking- not sure how it got there, i believe the shrinking leather found the path of least resistance. I wonder if soaking and rebaking would allow a fix? I work from the center line of my body out so the knife is the first thing I naturally want to get to in an emergency. Its just years of muscle memory. The spike is going to take some tuning and playing to get right. It has some meat hooks around the edges so it will need to be filed. I may end up building a new sheath if i can't get it working- oh well.

backseat driving... i should have placed a bit more of a space between the knife handle and the spike. when i reach for the knife i catch my fingertips on the spike.

hey beatrix, threads tend to waver around a bit. how about adding some life to this one and posting the pics here. not all of us use facebook.

thanks william,

I know we have flogged the knife horse to bits. I always have a knife on me and this knife has been with me aboard for years. I'm really looking forward to having a proper spike on the belt now. I had been using a modified rail spike- a bit clumsy. This is also the belt that is always on me doing events. I tell ya, I feel neeked without it.

hey gang. just a couple pictures of my finished rigging belt. I've had the belt and knife for a while but when Adam presented me with a knew marinspike i had to make a new sheath. Darn the luck!

this is only the first year of the jubilee so we are hoping for more folks next year . we have been there for about five years in november for the memorial service and have been working on this for a while. WE are excited that kevin duffus (lookingglass here on the pub) will also be on the island with copies of his books. We are doing a conference call tomorrow with the island staff. I'll have housing details for visiting folks after that!

ahoy hawkyns,

the frizzen can be hardened and a new main can be made... for a price, of course. The side sear has rounded at the end so it won't hold the lock back. Seems its soft too. Since that is worn a new one would need to be made or ordered then installed. Its just so many bloody little things it may be easier and cheaper to order a new one. He was giving me a price around $200.00 to repair it. Just to give you an idea of the quality here- one of the pins on the inside is a nipped nail.I had never taken the lock off till after a couple of years of owning it. The importer said I had diddled with it and wouldn't take the lock back to work on.

edit* I'll take the lock off the stock this weekend and get a picture up.

hey gang,

Gun problem. Lets begin with I don't want to badmouth an importer or manufacturer. A few years ago I got an english fish tail and I have never been rally happy with the lock. Its frizzen is soft and the main spring is weak. Its gotten to the point where can actually stop the cock from falling with just a bit of resistance. Obviously the "shower of sparks" the manufacturer touts non existent. Thats IF I can get the mechanism to actually cock. Below is a link to an image.

http://www.middlesexvillagetrading.com/MEL.shtml

I have had the lock looked at by a gunsmith that deals with BP weapons and his repair/rebuild price is more than a new lock. Can anyone provide a source and model number for a replacement?

Ocracoke Island!

October 27th, 2012

Party on the Island of Black Beards banyan with Steede Bonnet. Blackbeards crew will be hosting the one day event in company with the Devilmen of Cape Fear and Meka II. Unfortunately there is no walk on camping but there are hotel and B&B rooms a'plenty as well as several of the Island reataurants are doing deals or packages for pirates. We hope to see everyone there.

http://www.ocracokecurrent.com/41450

i'm afraid to paint it............................ I don't want to ruin it.

great video guys! the exhibit is great. I was fortunate enough to spend the duration of her Norfolk visit on board portraying Capt. Bellamy his self. Mr. Merryweather, the younger, was a dead ringer for the John King Nat'l Geo depicted. I do have to admit I still have dreams with the background music from the various galleries stuck in me head. "There are three types of sailors... those that are living, those that are dead... and those that go over da sea!"

and back to our regularly scheduled topic.......................

I purchased a fur/felt mix hat blank from scarlet scarab at Beaufort this year intending to finally make my proper sailors flat topper when I crew on board Meka II. After lots of guidance and energy from Stynky Tudor himself, below is the finished product. The hat was able to be shaped with a mold as Patrick Hand describes and we spent lots of time pressing with steam and an iron. The hat was then placed in a hat press to keep the rim flat and has been stiffened with a mix of half denatured alcohol and clear shelaq. I have the inner lining and a chin strap to go, but I'm happy with what has turned out so far!

*bump* lots of good stuff connected with this thread. bumped so i'll remember to post a project picture tomorrow or next day!

GOONIES!, Captains coragious

this came up a couple years back as I remember. There is also a large pile coming in from Turkey. They look good at fifty feet then quickly become obvious modern "relics". The problem is that there used to be a nice supply of real pieces with copper scrolls, pearl inlays, etc... now its hard for newly interested folks to not be had. I'm afraid I know where a house full of these "antiques" are up for sale. I'll see if I can't talk nice to get some pictures as examples.

ahoy all,

odorleseye posted this link in twill. I've copied it here in hopes that folks will add to this list. as more crews seem to be on the water with pulling boats, this may be a good repositry for us all to be able to learn each others commands and help out at events if needed. I'm not intending on making a definitive set of commands but make options available.

http://www.shelburnelongboats.com/rowingcommands.html

what foxe said... tarred running lines would be an absolute mess to deal with. if you take a natural fiber line when its wet and twist it into itself the water will separate out- like ringing a towel. imagine trying to haul a line soaked in pine tar sweating out like that!