First time sailor

[JohnnyTarr]

Now I am guessing that most sailors started in Europe. If you signed up to be a sailor, what would you be expected to bring?

[William Brand]

This was a list I found a long while back which I believe I gleaned from "Demon of the Waters". A book about life and mutiny aboard a whaling ship. This was the decription of an average sailor's belongings.

Pine chest:

Boots

Pants

Shirts

Drawers

Needles

Thread

Sheath Knife

Buttons

Dipper

Dish

Two Bars of Yellow Soap

Jacket

Two blankets

Bible

[HarborMaster]

Can you define the timeline the list is from? Was this whaling ship during the golden age of piracy ?

[hitman]

If it's from Demon on the Waters it's not GAoP it's roughly 1820's

[historyfanatic]

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

[JohnnyTarr]

Ok now if this is what was expected what about those that were pressed into service. Did they just go on account or was there stuff givven to them?