"Black Seal Companie" Mini-Pirate Ships

[Island Cutter]

'oy Mates,

I ahve long been kicking about the idea of a fleet of mini-pirate ships... At 13' in length, it is large enough for a Pyrate Pair to actually sail, and small enough to trail behind even the smallest car.

Well, I've gone a head and done it... I have gone into a limited production of these little ships and I am looking forward to bringing one down to Paradise with be this November.

I am offering my fellow crew members of this forum an opportunity to view the blog relating to the constuction of the first prototype...

http://360.yahoo.com/blacksealcaptain

I am nearly finished with hull assembly after which I will go back and adjust my templates and cut files in preparation for the limited production run. I will then post a link to the "dot.com" front-page where these boats will be featured.

I am asking you my Pyrate Brothers and Sisters for your honest input and opinions. Who better to know about his stuff than us, I figure.

Please have a look at the blog and chaeck back to what the project progress. Drop me a line when you get a chance.

Fair WInds & Following Seas,

Darrike

[MorganTyre]

In the launching and relaunchings setions of a wooden boat magazine several years ago there was a 16 foot 3-masted (I think) square rigger which was just awesome. I've always liked the idea of a scaled down classic. Nice skipjack incidentally. One minor detail though (and this isn't a criticism, the boat looks awesome) If you move your peak halyard about midway down the gaff you'll greatly decrease the compression load you are putting on it and subsequently the lateral load on the mast. You'll also be dramatically decreasing the tension load on the halyard itself which at that angle has to be pretty extreme. All in all a great boat and well done project. I'd love to see it actually under sail.

[Island Cutter]

Odds Fish! A real sailor among us!

Yes, you are on to something there regarding the peak halyard and... you caught me... The finished skipjack pictured is that of another "Backyard Boat Builder" and we are all working out the kinks of converting the original "Vis-Queen" lateen rig to something more "piratey"

I built my first "mini-skipjack" about ten years ago and rigged her with a striped tanbark & natural, standing Lug sail. Smart as paint she was and boy could she fly. Not great to windward, but she was a witch off the wind. I only got to sail her for a few months in the Keys before life intervened and I had head back North, sadly without my boat.

I am trying to see my way clear to bringing the "Black Seal" to PIP this November. If you can make it, I'll be sure to see that you get a turn at the helm.

[William Brand]

One of things we discussed as a "wish" for PIP this year was a cutter, longboat, jollywatt, or any other small craft for doing night raids. It would be devilishly fun to sail a boat of 6-12 pirates into one of the dockyards and give the locals a good show.

[Island Cutter]

Yes, an actual raid from Sea... now that would be a sight to see.

There is a very quick-to-build (as far as boat building goes) design that has historical evidence... the forerunner to the dory design actually goes back to the introduction of "water-powered" sawmills in the 1300's.

This made wide, flat boards more economically available and boatwrights in Northern Europe were quick to develop a hull design to get maximum use of the boards. I'll spare you the further details but to say that the historical synopsis is available in the introduction of the book entitled "The Dory Book" by John Gardiner. This book is an absolute Must Have on every boat builders bookshelf.

I wish I lived closer to more of this crew. It would be great to get a gang together o build a few for the very purpose that you mentioned.

[Capt Grey]

I know nothing about building ships or boats but this looks fantastic. I especially love your "helpers".

[MorganTyre]

I built my first "mini-skipjack" about ten years ago and rigged her with a striped tanbark & natural, standing Lug sail.

Somewhere out there there is a now out of print (I assume) book which had some mini skipjack plans. If I remember correctly they showed a lateen rig which of course looks ridiculous on that boat. I'll bet the standing lug wasn't bad at all though. I've always wanted to do a small boat with a dipping lug rig. It's about as cumbersome a rig as you can find but it's salty looking, very traditional, and super-powerful off the wind. If you guys need a little help developing the gaff rig (although it looks like you are doing great - I'm just passing on the reference) I reccomend John Leather's, Gaff Rig Handbook. And for doing a GAoP period rig you can't find a better source than Eighteenth century rigs and rigging by Marquardt which is a book I just swear by in general.

[King's Pyrate]

'oy Mates,

I ahve long been kicking about the idea of a fleet of mini-pirate ships... At 13' in length, it is large enough for a Pyrate Pair to actually sail, and small enough to trail behind even the smallest car.

Well, I've gone a head and done it... I have gone into a limited production of these little ships and I am looking forward to bringing one down to Paradise with be this November.

I am offering my fellow crew members of this forum an opportunity to view the blog relating to the constuction of the first prototype...

http://360.yahoo.com/blacksealcaptain

I am nearly finished with hull assembly after which I will go back and adjust my templates and cut files in preparation for the limited production run. I will then post a link to the "dot.com" front-page where these boats will be featured.

I am asking you my Pyrate Brothers and Sisters for your honest input and opinions. Who better to know about his stuff than us, I figure.

Please have a look at the blog and chaeck back to what the project progress. Drop me a line when you get a chance.

Fair WInds & Following Seas,

Darrike

Great looking little ship......here is a site with plans for an 8 ft. Brigantine

Britantine plans

Looks like a simple design.

Here is a yahoo group that builds and sails small ships..usually they can carry 2 people.

Vancouver Small Ships Society

KP