Hammocks

[the Royaliste]

Dunno, Patrick, but if'n ye want, I'll measure ours.........from originals at the Canadian War Museum.

[blackjohn]

I thought I'd split this out of the Seabag topic wherein Mr Hand asked:

some of the stuff that was once used by sailors.... dang... can't find good info on it.......

such as.......... what size were hamocks........

dang some dementions on this stuff has to be out there someplace..........

Tom Apple used to sell quality hand-stitched canvas goods. I'm not sure if he still does or not. He used to have a site for his goods, but the only site I could find is... http://www.pinn.net/~tuckahoe/ta-home.html

[Hawkyns]

Tom's site is Tuckahoetradingco.com

I saw him at St. Mary's this past weekend, but he only had the living history setup, didn't bring the store.

Also, a friend of mine, Frank Rodriguez, out of New Bedford, MA did the hammocks for Master and Commander. He used to have a site selling period canvas and ropework items, but I see he's closed the store. I'll check with him for dimensions and sources.

Hawkyns

[Patrick Hand]

I wish there was a source book kind of like the "Mountain Man skatchbooks, or Sketchbook 76) that showed period naval (pirate would be better.......) gear and its dementions..

I make mose of my stuff, and haveing measurements would be a great help.

I can't think of many occasions when I'd use a naval hammock... but I'd still like to make one....

[Patrick Hand]

Merchants iz nice....................... but I want the dementions/documentation.... I can make me own sh*t..........

That said.... I've been reading the "wooden world" ( or something realy close.. Don't have the book here in the same room) but the question of Sea chest.... I'm wondering..... was the bedding and sea chest..... "issued" to a sailor...... so far my reading seams to imply that it was.... but my reasourses are very poor....

was a (ok for the form of settting a "base") Royal English sailor "issued" a hammack and sea chest.... (dang.... on the hammock I can see the issue..) or did they have to buy it out of thier own pocket.. ( and what I've been reading lately,,,, as poor folk... sailors wern't doing that bad......)

Me mind be bufuddled... (as most th time I post....) and Dang.... WRONG subject board.. should have been in Capt. Twill......( Other than I know Capt. Gary is here...)

[Capn_Enigma]

Merchants iz nice....................... but I want the dementions/documentation.... I can make me own sh*t..........

You will need to get The Ashley Book Of Knots, then. Although primarily on knots (almost 4,000 of them), there are also explicit instructions on the making and dimensions of several hammocks (item # 3813 ff.).

I used the book to make a heavy canvas hammock with sewn grummets aboard my first ship in 1985, which I still use today.

[the Royaliste]

I sent ye an email, Pat....just borrow one from the ship next time ye be aboard, marine!...

i

[Patrick Hand]

Ashley's book of knots sounds interesting..... hummmm maybe an interlibrary loan to check it out......

Next time I get down to play with the Royaliste, I'll bring my camera and a measuring tape so I can get get the dementions.... thanks.....

[Capn_Enigma]

The "Ashley" is a really wonderful book. Apart from the sheer size (also literally, my edition weighs almost four pounds) and number of knots (~ 4,000), it is also interesting reading. Mr Ahsley also mixed some yarn (pun partly intended) between the otherwise matter- of- fact descriptions of the knots.

This book is not for the heavy- handed, however. You should have a good three- dimensional sense, or you will fail at the more complex knots. But if the sailors of old mastered it, it cannot be that difficult.

I have used it myself on numerous occasions: For "real" seamanship aboard cargo ships, for adorning my large brass telesopce (took me a week and about 200 meters of lanyard to cover it ), for ships in bottles, making keychains etc etc. For piracy purposes, I even replicated one of the blackjacks that are also shown in the book.

It may be a matter of perspective, but I feel that this book is definitely worth the 50 $.