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Golden Hind


El Pirata

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There was a ship named the Golden Hind. I know nothing of her only the name and it seems familiar for some odd reason. Anyone?

Pushing the limits means getting out of my comfort zone and giving more when I don't think I have any left.

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  • 2 weeks later...

We've all seen that Golden Hind replica in the movies. It was the Erasmus of Rotterdam in "Shogun" and the Blarney Cock in "Swashbuckler. I saw it in London in '73, floating just off the Tower. I thought, "That's cute. Somebody's build a 1/4 scale model of an Elizabethan ship." Only to learn that it was a full-sized replica of Drakes Golden Hind. You have to see one to understand how small those ships were.

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Originally the 'PELICAN', it was Sir Francis Drake's ship in which he did the Pacific Coast pirateing in the 1600's..posts back aways regarding it here somewhere, about the same size as the ROYALISTE...... :ph34r:

The specs given in "Pirates of New Spain, 1575-1742" for the Golden Hind are:

Roughly 70 feet long, 100-120 tons. Single row of gunports, seven on either side, armed with 12 cast-iron and two brass cannon, several bow-chasers. Crewed by 90-some men.

Yoiks.

That's what you call cramped quarters!

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Freeboard's over rated. As they figured that out, the decks went away. Plus, it presents more of a target on the broadside. I've seen lumber barges loaded up until the stern was completely underwater. As long as it keeps its water-tight integrity, it's just fine.

Coastie :ph34r:

She was bigger and faster when under full sail

With a gale on the beam and the seas o'er the rail

sml_gallery_27_597_266212.jpg

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  • 1 month later...

Hi,

There are actually several replicas of the Golden Hind, at least four proper replicas and a large yacht shaped like a galleon somewhere in California I think. I have spent some time as curator of this one: http://www.goldenhind.co.uk

There are a number of depictions of the Golden Hind which date from the period, and while they all show broadly similar things (3 masts, standard galleon shape etc) they all seem to differ in the details like whether or not the ship had a stern gallery and whether the guns were above or below decks.

Foxe

Foxe

"With this Fore-Staff he fansies he does Wonders, when, God knows, it amounts to no more but only to solve that simple Question, Where are we? Which every chi'd in London can tell you." - Ned Ward The Wooden World Dissected, 1707


ETFox.co.uk

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Hi,

There are actually several replicas of the Golden Hind, at least four proper replicas and a large yacht shaped like a galleon somewhere in California I think. I have spent some time as curator of this one: http://www.goldenhind.co.uk

There are a number of depictions of the Golden Hind which date from the period, and while they all show broadly similar things (3 masts, standard galleon shape etc) they all seem to differ in the details like whether or not the ship had a stern gallery and whether the guns were above or below decks.

Foxe

Thanks for that information, Foxe.

I have a couple of questions for you.

It's my understanding that footropes on the yards didn't start coming into use until the 1640's. Does your replica have them?

Can you give any insight into how the sails were handled without them, particularly in rough weather?

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Yeah, as far as I know the earliest reference to footropes is from the mid 17th century. The Golden Hind replica I worked on did have footropes on the main-course yard, principally to facilitate getting out to the floodlights mounted at the end of the yards!

On smaller vessels, with (naturally) smaller square sails, such as those of the Elizabethan age, bunt lines running from the yard to a block beneath the sail, then back up the other side of the sail to the yard are used for pulling up the sail from the deck. If time was not an issue, eg coming into harbour, then the yard could be lowered, but otherwise bunt lines are actually easier for concertina-ing the sail than going out on footropes.

Foxe

Foxe

"With this Fore-Staff he fansies he does Wonders, when, God knows, it amounts to no more but only to solve that simple Question, Where are we? Which every chi'd in London can tell you." - Ned Ward The Wooden World Dissected, 1707


ETFox.co.uk

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Good day, t'ye Foxe!

Another question that ye might answer- The earliest reference I have to hammocks on ships dates to the late 17th C, also, after more contact with the Carribbees. Does this square with your info?

Thank ye!

Hawkyns

:ph34r:

Cannon add dignity to what otherwise would be merely an ugly brawl

I do what I do for my own reasons.

I do not require anyone to follow me.

I do not require society's approval for my actions or beliefs.

if I am to be judged, let me be judged in the pure light of history, not the harsh glare of modern trends.

rod_21.jpg

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Yeah, as far as I know  the earliest reference to footropes is from the mid 17th century. The Golden Hind replica I worked on did have footropes on the main-course yard, principally to facilitate getting out to the floodlights mounted at the end of the yards!

On smaller vessels, with (naturally) smaller square sails, such as those of the Elizabethan age, bunt lines running from the yard to a block beneath the sail, then back up the other side of the sail to the yard are used for pulling up the sail from the deck. If time was not an issue, eg coming into harbour, then the yard could be lowered, but otherwise bunt lines are actually easier for concertina-ing the sail than going out on footropes.

Foxe

Thanks again, Foxe.

There is a Dutch painting by Andries van Eertvelt, an image of which is available at the Web Gallery of Art, that would seem to provide a few clues.

ships_pe.jpg

You have to look at the large version to see what I mean, but I didn't want to overwhelm the thread with it. Just click on the image here:

Ships in Peril

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  • 1 month later...

This is a post on this thread UTTERLY unrelated to anything serious about the Golden Hind.

To wit:

I just purchased a new (for me--it's a 2002) Ford Focus. When asked by my boss at work what it looked like, as it hadn't arrived yet, I responded dubiously,

"Well...it's gold. And...well...it's got kind of a big butt."

After a bit more pondering, I added, "You know, since I've been doing all this piratical stuff, I could name it the Golden Hind. Big hind end. Gold color. Sure, that'd work."

And then the miscalculation:

"I could name it Hiney for short!"

Sure enough, the next morning, I drive the car to work, and what am I greeted with?

"Hey there, how's your Hiney this morning?"

"Wow...nice Hiney. Good lines."

"What a smooth and shiny Hiney you have."

Argh.

The car is now officially Hiney. I'm just hoping that she doesn't spontaneously break down on the highway, just to show her opinion of the name!

:ph34r:

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  • 3 weeks later...

Hawkyns,

sorry I didn't reply sooner, I entirely missed your post.

I have seen records from the 1650s which show several thousand hammocks being stored in the dockyard at Portsmouth, suggesting that they were standard issue on English warships before that date. I have seen reference to hammocks from the earlier 17th century, but not in any widespread use until the second quarter of the century.

Foxe

"With this Fore-Staff he fansies he does Wonders, when, God knows, it amounts to no more but only to solve that simple Question, Where are we? Which every chi'd in London can tell you." - Ned Ward The Wooden World Dissected, 1707


ETFox.co.uk

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Theres a relatively new book with new info, both political and physical, entitled :

The Secret Voyage of Sir Francis Drake, 1577-1580

by R. Samuel Bawlf, Samuel Bawl

Fascinating read, with lots of info on life on the Pelican, as well as some apparently contemporary sketches and descriptions.f :)

Drop a kitten six feet, and she grins...

Drop an elephant six feet, and ya gots yerself a mess ta clean up....

Sometimes bein' the biggest and most powerful is the LAST thing you wanna be.....

Mad Ozymandias Zorg the Unsnottered

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Theres a relatively new book with new info, both political and physical, entitled :

The Secret Voyage of Sir Francis Drake, 1577-1580

by R. Samuel Bawlf, Samuel Bawl

Fascinating read, with lots of info on life on the Pelican, as well as some apparently contemporary sketches and descriptions.f :)

Sounds like a good read...Thank Yee, Sir.....I'll keep a weather eye for it.

sailor.gif

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  • 2 weeks later...

Several yaears ago, I can't recall how many. You may like rum, but gin is my choice. I went aboard The Golden Hind II in Oakland. You stand there slack jawed thinking that men went out upon the sea in such small vessels. The Spanish say Drake was a pirate, but he was just doing salvage work on ships that were sinking. Finder's, keepers!

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