Questions from a novice about Ships

[Rosalinda]

Forgive my ingorance, please. But any help is appreciated. These questions are related to tall ships with wooden hulls...without the power of an engine. I'll have a lot more questions just as stupid as these. Sure, I could find an instruction manual somewhere, maybe, but I'd prefer to here it from a pirate.

How does a ship approach the dock? Sails down, I presume. But what prevents it from slamming into the dock?

How does a ship leave the dock? Sails still down, or half mast? Is that the correct term?

Must have wind to do either, right?

Or do these ships just drop anchor and use a small rowboat to get to the dock?

[the Royaliste]

Since the Royaliste has a long war reenactment history, we have six sweeps, really long 'oars', to propel the ship. Had her doin' 3 knots for the discovery channel. You can backwind your main and do both also, but nowadays, you could wreck a neighbors boat tryin'Remember the sweeps in POTC? the Lady had them,I think too You are welcome to man one of mine any time.

[Rosalinda]

Royaliste, they don't call you "Captain" for nothing...

The Great Cabin:

Read something about a Great Cabin having two cannons in it, and removable bulkhead (wall). I think this was on The Rose. Was that normal for most tall ships to have some cannons in the Great Cabin? Would this be the area that enemy ships would aim for first, or would enemy ships aim for the masts? Or the hull?

Tween Deck:

Is this area open to the ocean, or is it an area that would, or could, be "battened down". I've seen some photos that appear to have long openings along the hull. Some appear closed.

Bowsprit:

Seen some illustrations that show a "safety net" fixed to the bowsprit. Is this standard while at sea, or only used when work is being done?

Sealing the Hull:

Was pine tar or pitch used for sealing the hull, or was it more petro-based? Was any other sealer used on the outer hull?

More stupid questions to follow.

[Rosalinda]

You are welcome to man one of mine any time.

I'd give a weeks pay to board the Royalist!

And I'd like to see the ship, too!

But handling the oars is another thing. I'm not that strong, and I doubt I could get a ship very far.

Maybe there be somethin' else you could put me to work at, eh?

ARRRRRRRRR

See...you've already got me thinkin' like a Pirate for real.

[the Royaliste]

What I think you've in mind is the only way I'll ever be 'boarded'! O.K. Great Cabin- Some great cabins had small gunports hidden in the finery, in case a quick stern chaser was needed. Mine doesn't as I have swivel gun mounts aft on the poop deck. Between decks- only applies to ships larger than a frigate, like a ship of the line. That's where most crew, wives,girlfriends, lived. Gunports open outward to the sea. Children raised here became known as ' a son of a gun'. Safety nets are out of period on the bowsprit, modern times. The Royaliste has none. You are a rigger, or shark bait.Pitch and tar were used to cover most standing rigging, and along with oakum beaten into seams as caulking, sealed the seams in plank. I use flat black paint in the bulk of these locations other than seams,as no one will play pirate with you if they keep getting covered with tar. More???? or is it time to board me? p.s. Most styles of tactical warfare called for broadsides, that's why there's like 74 guns per side. But a bow or stern shot was much more fatal to the ship; easy to blow out all frames from end to end, and that much splintering between deck resulted in 2-300 casualties. Depends on whether ya wanna sink 'er, or sell 'er as a prize!

[the Royaliste]

Rosalinda, that'd be the best paycheck ye 'er gave away! But keep it, first 'boarding's free...And me ship, well, she is a beauty

[Rosalinda]

So that's sort of like a two-fer-one deal your offerin'...

Like a clip-n-save coupon! Now that's Pirate Savvy!

[the Royaliste]

Yep, Port RoyalMart

[Rosalinda]

Bwaaahaaahaaa

Now THAT was funny.

[TalesOfTheSevenSeas]

The method of firing that Royaliste is talking about is when the ships are perpendicular to eachother, in the shape of a "T" the ship positioned at the cross bar of the T has all the guns of one side of his ship pointed out the gunports on it's side, and aimed right at the most vulnerable part of the other ship.. straight down it's "backbone". The method was called "raking" or "raking fire". Here is a nice animation that illustrates it:

When a ship gets hit lengthwise, the damage can be tremendous. Not only does it break the ships back and go ripping through the body of the ship, but the splinters of the heavy timbers are flying everywhere like shrapnel.

[captweaver65]

well...look at encyclopedia poison quill!

now that is information for ya,along with pretty pictures.

thanx

[Rosalinda]

That's gotta hurt.

Thanks for the illustrated animation.

I suppose this is equally effective regardless of which end of the ship is attacked, bow or stern???

Thought I could see the psychological impact of taking aim at the Great Cabin, damage to the rudder (I'm using a reference illustration that shows the rudder sticking up above the waterline just under the Great Cabin., so that might not be accurate). And if hit just right could seriously damage one of the masts, if not sever it completely. On the other hand, there are guns in the Great cabin (some) and none at the bow....

Seems like this would be the most effective position to destroy a ship with minimal damage to your own. Though maintaining this position would be nearly impossible, I'm guessing.

Better than full broadside (since both ships have equal capacity to damage at that point)

[Redvipers]

Mistress Rosalinda

Guns in the Great Cabin in the days of the real HMS Rose were 9 pounders and up. When in action the Captain's Cabin became another fighting station for, in most, cases 4 more great guns( 2 larboard and 2 starboard) Some ships Great Cabins would have fake guns made of wood. These non firing cannon were called Quakers after the peasefull folks who would harm no one.

The cabin's forward walls were canvas stretched over a wood frame, as were the walls of the other officer's cabins and the gunroom. In battle these walls , along with all furnishings were placed in the ship's hole for safe keeping and to give the men room to fight the ship(work the great guns )

Raking a ship( firing as you sailed past ) was best from the stern (aft portion of the ship) This would send cannon balls down the lenth of the ship's interior, overturning cannon, killing men and sometimes damaging the ships mast. It was a most damaging act upon a ship.

Now Ye knows.

Captain Viper

HMS Adventure (32)

[Rosalinda]

Mistress Rosalinda

Guns in the Great Cabin in the days of the real HMS Rose were 9 pounders and up. When in action the Captain's Cabin became another fighting station for, in most, cases 4 more great guns( 2 larboard and 2 starboard) Some ships Great Cabins would have fake guns made of wood. These non firing cannon were called Quakers after the peasefull folks who would harm no one.

The cabin's forward walls were canvas stretched over a wood frame, as were the walls of the other officer's cabins and the gunroom. In battle these walls , along with all furnishings were placed in the ship's hole for safe keeping and to give the men room to fight the ship(work the great guns )

Raking a ship( firing as you sailed past ) was best from the stern (aft portion of the ship) This would send cannon balls down the lenth of the ship's interior, overturning cannon, killing men and sometimes damaging the ships mast. It was a most damaging act upon a ship.

Now Ye knows.

Captain Viper

HMS Adventure (32)

Thank you Redvipers!

Actually made headway with some technical edits today, thanks to all of the replies. It was fruitful, indeed.

[the Royaliste]

Actually, a bow shot was the worst, just harder to accomplish as you broke the line...More frames close together in the bow and stem

[Rosalinda]

Pirate, in the photo...what's that think you're standing on? Is it what I think it is?

[the Royaliste]

Not sure which photo, witch. But, most likely, 'the main course squaresail yardarm, shortened to ''main yard'....when you hear 'em say 'to the Braces'.... means reeving the taykles that turn the yards port to starboard to trim the square..

[Rosalinda]

I think that's the one...it's in the pub photo album... you told me to look at it last night.

I was thinking it was the tops'l yardarm...still trying to find that. The reference image I use for ship parts leaves much to be desired.

Looking good, Captain!

[the Royaliste]

I see. Tops'l yard is 15 feet over my head in that photo, you can just make out the tip of the sail leech (white) over me 'ead,...