The great products we're pushing...

No fullbore Friday today, sorry kids. I'm tired. Not tired as in I need sleep but tired as in worn, as in I've been breaking my backside all over creation and want a rest. When I get to this point the rancor starts coming out, I get cynical and a little off-kilter. Some of you reading know what I'm talking about. Though if you've ever seen me grumpy and been afraid, you'll not want to be anywhere near Amityville this weekend.

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Hard work continues around the Dockyard, though this weekend I am taking a little R&R and headed west to look into a boat of my own (does this boat crap ever end? What can I say, but I'm obsessed).

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There has been some discussion lately about the type of product we're producing, not for our members on whom we are continually focussed, but for the public at large. So far, we've been actors of sorts, dressed in historical costumes and interpreting history, to whatever end we're able. And we have fun doing that. We also offer participation, but that enters into the realm of membership, rather than public product.

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Of prime interest is the upcoming War of 1812 Bicentennial, which is sure to be a major coup for general interest in US history over the next several years. There is much talk of adapting our costumes for 1812 representation, and obviously most of our equipment (boats, basic clothing etc) is just fine for that. There is also much closed-conversation brain storming about breaking out of the funny costume mold. After all, it seems that every time we do something out of costume, we end up with more volunteers, who then decide "wow, this is great - now all we need are costumes" and tada - more costumed participants. But there is so much more that can be done with this no-costume idea, and I'm eager to pursue those, especially as the heat of the Pirate Festival nearly did me in.

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And of course to all of the other groups who kind-of do what we do, I'm sure it looks the same - the upstart guys who don't know how to do it right are pushing a pretty product ahead of their evil agenda to topple the world. Yeah, guys - that pic is for you!

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Another one bites the dust...

Just a quick word to say the 26-foot Motor Whaleboat discovered in Guam has met with an untimely accident and been destroyed. Few details are available but it is clear that her engine was salvaged prior to destruction.

We were about 90% complete on the logistical miracle to get her to Norfolk, including trans-Pacific shipping... but we ended up being simply too late to save her.

The builder's plate is on its way to the NHS Dockyard via USPS. I asked that it be saved and sent along - we can add it to the Wall of Shame, right up there with the sprung leeboard and broken spars.

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That's what she said...

So it's day three of the great Motor Whaleboat chase. She's still in Guam, though moved from the open lot to a warehouse. The dumpster waiting to take her away in pieces remains only a few yards away. No new developments despite plenty of hard work.

BT

Work continues on the 25-foot Launch. This week we've started laminating frames, soaking them and bending them over the forms, a few good whacks with a rubber mallet (nicknamed "the Commander") to drive it into place tight against the keel, then clamping it down along the whole length. There are a lot of random shouts of "yeah, baby" in the evolution.

The whole process has been designed to mimick the sawn frames of the original boats, with a significant weight savings (the Launch will be trailered, after all) and increased strength where possible. The futtocks are being laminated from fir strips, slathered in epoxy and laid up on the molds. There is no spring back because of the large number of lifts in each frame, but there is a lot of thickened epoxy to wipe up afterward.

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No weekly meeting tonight as the shop is rigged for frame installation. After all this time, its finally earning its nickname "Framing Bay". Next week we will get back to the regular weekly meetings and activities.

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There is a new Event Schedule posted on Facebook. The website will be updated soon (I'm told). For August, the sailors and marines are split, with our end of summer party in September out at Hyco Lake. All of these events are trying to shoot for one day participation - we'll save those where we ask for your whole weekend for the BIG events. Point is, your voices have been heard so keep speaking up!

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Where in the world is - THAT WHALEBOAT?

Yesterday I didn't write because we were approached with a unique logistical problem. The XO of a naval base sent me an email that he had a 26-foot motor whaleboat - the main staple power boat for US Navy ships for more than 80 years. The hull is in great shape, and just as a test one of the enginemen on base started her six cylinder diesel last month. She only needs a little TLC to get back on the water. This boat, he said, was destined to be scrapped (sounds familiar) unless we would take it off his hands for the bargain sub-basement price of $free.

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Now, as a bit of background, these are not exactly ugly boats. Their lines are very similar to the Monomoy Pulling Boat we use because the first ones were just that - motorized Monomoys. They are stout, seaworthy boats that saw a great variety of service in the navy and for a long time could be found on each and every navy ship in service. Today, as the navy auctions them as surplus, eager restoration types gobble them up and turn them into pleasure launches, selling for upwards of $30,000. A boat like this would be perfect to start the NHS Power Squadron, but we feared we could never afford one - until now.

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Of course as with most major opportunities, it comes with a catch. She's at the COMNAVMARINAS (Commander Naval Forces Marianas) base in Guam. I'll take a minute for you to Google that. Yes, 3,820 miles from Hawaii, which itself is 2,563 miles from Los Angeles, which is 2,350 miles from Norfolk. Wait - math time.

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3,820+2,563+2,350=8,733 miles

The circumference of the Earth at the Equator is 24,901 miles.

8,733/24,901 = 35% of the distance around the Earth, or only 70% of the way to the exact opposite side.

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Whew - I thought it would be too far. I draw the line at travel for any object more than 50% of the distance around the Earth.

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SO - now the question becomes how do we get this 5,500 lb boat and its 2,000 lb cradle to this side of the planet. We need a ship, we need a train, we need to pull our minds back on this side of the gunwale. Realizing that this is near impossible, the thought of a perfectly good boat being scrapped on the other side of the planet simply because we could not get to it appalling. Several of us are, in fact, Merchant Marine Officers - at least we were before we joined the Navy - so we've been calling our classmates to see if they can help. So far, we've established that if we could fit her into a shipping container, we can send it. Unfortunately, she's several inches too wide. We could break her a little, but we'll leave that as Plan X. Point is, if we could come up with a free ride in a container around the world, what can we do without one?

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Lots of thinking, lots of phone calls, emails etc. And the wood chips have stopped flying, at least for the next day - until we get this potential gem figured out or abandon it.

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Thanks to all of our donors who've pledged money to get her here - you'll be the first to know when new developments arise.

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FULLBORE FRIDAY - the smoking lamp is lit in all authorized spaces

Well, it is time again for Fullbore Friday. Yes, yes, I know its a cheap rip off from CDR Salamander but his are way better anyway. Besides, my shenanagins are cheeky and fun... nevermind. Studies have statistically shown that 9 out of 10 people don't get these references.


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Smoking, and tobacco use in other forms, is undoubtedly a common habit among modern Navy sailors. In fact, it's pretty common throughout the armed services. That's not to say it's a good idea to start, or that this trend should continue. And in all seriousness, there are many in NHS who should quit eh-hem... yeah. It is your legal right, and you are free to choose, but there is no mistaking the irreparable damage you are doing to your body, and hence a vital piece of miltary equipment, when you choose to light up.

Now I know that many Sailors pick this habit up before they enter the military. Many have parents or other outside influuences that promote the habit, actively or passively. But the culture of the modern Navy - where smoke decks are regular places of temporary refuge and even unofficial business transactions - can do little to correct the situation. Just know that smoke decks are dangerous places - and not only for the company.

And for those of us who feel that smoking doesn't impede our work, we should take a quick look at all the time we spend "thinking things over" while puffing away. The Launch would probably be done by now, if not for the frequent breaks. Unfortunately I know what happens when I curtail those...

BT

Okay I've completed another Friday entry. Some of it was funny. If you are a smoker, you need to SERIOUSLY CONSIDER taking steps to quit. The Navy's tobacco cessation course is actually quite thorough, and might be able to help you. Think about it, that's all I ask. I am.

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Coming alongside... prepare to be boarded

I've been asked by several people about the extent of oar/sail powered ships' boats in service with the US Navy. Our website claims that both the Launch and Monomoy are appropriate for time periods from the 18th century through the early 20th century. And indeed their service life is far greater in scope than most people realize. But the questions continually arise - were these isolated instances? Did the Navy prefer oar and sail to early engines? How long did the holdouts last?

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Attached is a photo from 1925 of a boat from the USS Raleigh (CL-7), coming alongside off the coast of France. According to her official records, Raleigh was carrying a 26-foot Motor Whaleboat, a 25-foot Launch, a 24-foot cutter and a 26-foot Monomoy Pulling Boat at the time. An interesting balance, considering that many different options of powered craft were available at the time. Pictured is undoubtedly her 24-foot cutter, rowing back to the ship where the stanchion of the lower accommodation platform is visible in the foreground. The boat hook in use is of a very interesting shape, with wide throat probably for hooking the ship's mooring lines or possibly even her anchor cable. References in Capt. Crenshaw's Naval Shiphandling suggest a much greater use of kedging and warping by many ships, as "The use of tugs to compensate for poorly handed mooring lines or judicious use of the anchors is a stain on an otherwise perfectly smart ship." (p. 38, 1955 edition) The Raleigh's boats undoubtedly helped with such evolutions.

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The 1917 US Navy Deck and Boat Book, which has been adopted as our principle guidance here at NHS, gives evidence that Raleigh was not unique in her equipments with respect to boats. Of all the different types of boats given, it gives equal deference to rowing, sailing, motor and steam boats. It also lists several duties specifically assigned to oar/sail powered boats. For example, "whaleboats, sometimes called Monomoys, are habitually used by the commanding officer as his gig and are referred to as such. Their excellent sea-keeping abilities and speed under oars make them ideal lifeboats." Of course, lifeboats in the navy usage of the day means 'fast rescue boat' in today's parlance.

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I have no idea if the Navy preferred oar and sail to machine, but the continued use of both simultaneously clearly illustrates the perception of necessity for each.

As far as longevity, I think the case of our own Monomoy Pulling Boat makes the case quite adequately. Hull number 4344671-M was employed aboard USS Gridley DLG-21 as late as 1981, listed as her "rescue and assistance boat".

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YARR and such...

Welcome back to regularly scheduled programming. The Pirate Abuse Festival is done and over and we can happily return to our normal activities. Work on the 25-foot Launch continues this week with wrapping up lamination of the last lifts on her keelson. This weekend, we will begin laminating frames, on schedule (for now!).

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Some fun was had in Hampton this weekend, though the intense heat and busy schedule managed to do in most people by Saturday afternoon. Friday evening was pure chaos, the likes of which we've never seen in the worst calamities. For those in our crew that this was your first event in costume, I appologize - the experience is not typical of reenacting type events. On the positive side - we had a great sail from Norfolk to Hampton, did get to expend a great deal of powder, and I don't think any of the other boats present had as much time underway on Saturday. We might also be the only other crew to go alongside and board the Kalmar Nyckel.

Penalties for deserters last Friday night have been suspended by order of the powers that be, so don't worry about showing up at Wednesday's meeting or any thereafter. Not what I would have opted for, so my wrath is still in effect.

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This week's meeting will involve a little cleaning and free food. Hope to see you there!

If it seems like too much, make a list...

... how do you think Santa Claus delivers all those presents to those kids? I just need to start thinking Christmas in July I suppose.

Last night was a great working meeting, and we did end up getting the boat out on the water. The Lafayette River is a great venue to work on a wide variety of tasks, or just go sailing. We did a little of both last night, ending up back at the Dockyard around 2130.

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On shuffling trailers at the Dockyard last night, we managed to do damage to the only trailer present that has a job to do the day after tommorrow. Now, amongst all the other preparations, I'm breaking out the sledge hammer, blow torch and a whole new wiring harness (might as well, while we're at it). Oh, and we have to troubleshoot the towing vehicle tail lights.

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It was decided last night that if at all possible we should sail from Naval Station Norfolk into Hampton. Crew numbers are the only consideration for this, but I do think it would be a great start to the festival (even though we wouldn't be going directly there - we have to stop and embark marines).

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Last night we discussed another secret weapon - this one is a new and untapped source of additional manpower for the Pirate Abuse Festival. Stand by, we're not even sure they're available.

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Models keep me motivated

As the inner keel for the 25-foot Launch lays clamped up on the molds, I find myself continually reading, researching and sketching new improvements. The original design was solid and its merits proven by our counterparts across the pond. However, from them we also learned a great deal about her drawbacks. Now, during construction of ours I have set out to improve on many of these. Issues such as hull shape, weight, reserve buoyancy, availability of materials and cost all play integral parts in how we proceed. And while I am now very sensitive to any delay in construction (we have material and money, and are short only on progress) I still find that we have plenty of time while we're waiting for one thing to dry to start others or yet further develop the remainder of her execution.

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One thing that keeps me highly interested are models. While I have literally dozens of sources talking about the qualities of boats, lists of boats carried by various ships, after-action reports of engagements involving boats and even a few primary source treatises on naval small craft construction, I find nothing so useful as studying extant contemporary models. A great source of these is the National Maritime Museum (UK), and this proves convenient for me as a good amount of their collection is available online. I've found that not many US maritime museums have the same level and scope of collections when it comes to small boats - and this is for two reasons. First, in the UK Royal Navy all bidding contracts went through centralized approval processes, many of which required models and/or extensive drawings, all of which were subsequently filed and indexed. Boats in the US Navy were often built on "local expertise" and didn't recieve the same level of higher-level attention that the Royal Navy counterparts did. As a result, few plans and almost no builders models survive.

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One model which very closely resembles the hull form and many of the features of our launch is actually a somewhat famous pair of models of the "Longboat belonging to HM Ship Medway" dated 1742. One model is shown unriged, with much of the planking removed to allow a view of the framing, while the other is shown rigged without sails. Though the provenance is a bit too antiquated for our direct interpretation as such, she clearly illustrates how windlasses were often fitted in boats, and how the sloop rig was carried in the mid-18th century. Later, the rig was heightened, the gaff lengthened and mast steps hinged to allow 'convenient' stepping underway. On a mast that size, it had better be a flat calm.

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Another great inspirational piece is one alternately labelled a 'cutter' and a 'launch'. Dated 1824, this piece is fascinating in that her lines represent a throw-back to the 1760s, when the raked transom and well-rounded stem were more common. She is, in fact, a launch - though her finer and somewhat antiquated lines led curators to assess her at first sight as a cutter. The model illustrates hawse trunks - a fairly common appliance to be fitted aboard boats at this time, yet rarely depicted in drawings. A work voucher returned at the dockyard at Plymouth dated 1784 indicates that several boats coming in for replacement had been "alter'd to ship a hawsr by trunk, beside the keelsen [sic]".

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And lastly - a model of the boat on which our original launch design could have been based. Dated 1824, the actual form is reflective of launches starting in the 1790s. Her lines are fuller, the transom is more of a barn door than a wine glass, and her center of flotation is slightly aft of midships. Most fascinating in this particular piece are the waterlines. Clearly someone was trying to sell the carrying capacity of the boat - one waterline reads "Water Line When Twenty Tons are Hove Up By the Windlass". Yeah - sold! Granted the boat depicted would have been 38 feet long, but launches of smaller size were still capable of hauling great loads (see the previous model for evidence).

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Happy browsing!

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We are off and running with a router!

Despite the festivities this weekend we managed to get some work done around the Dockyard. That said, I hope everyone had a safe and pleasant holiday weekend.

First, I did some more work toward the Dockyard makeover. The Framing Bay now has a fresh coat of paint, new sash boards, and drip edges. Also fixed that broken window pane.

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Second, the 25-foot Launch is officially on the fast track. After six weeks of fairing, trimming, measuring and re-measuring, we have started full throttle into the laminations. Her inner keel is clamped up right now, and framing stock has been ripped. We are well on track to meet our next major milestone, completion of the inner keel laminations by this Friday.

The next major milestone is lamination and bevelling of all 32 inner frames by September 1. I'm sending out the requisition for a trailer to be delivered and ready in all respects by November 15. Now all we need is a little hustle, and we'll be there in no time!

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The Pirate Abuse Festival is this coming weekend! We have training sessions at the Dockyard tonight and tomorrow. If we have enough participation tomorrow we WILL launch the boat, so come on out!

We definately have some fun times ahead!

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Fourth of July FULLBORE FRIDAY!!!

Because the computer is the last thing I'll be working on this weekend: Happy Independence Day! Be safe, have fun - after all, that's what NHS is all about.

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There have been a couple of really fun videos out lately. One came out just this morning from Navy Recruiting Command, and was posted on Facebook. Public speaking has evolved a great deal in recent days, and I dare say we are reaching more of our younger sailors than ever. As I've recently pointed out, humor is a great teaching tool.

Another video, recently posted on a respected and highly dependable news outlet, unveils new research concerning the Star Spangled Banner. As it turns out, Francis Scott Key had some serious anger issues when it came to the British. Or possibly he was just a product of his time. In either case, this just goes to show you that there are some very interesting things yet to be learned from our history.

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One week until the Blackbeard Pirate Festival! As one of our sailors recently pointed out, this year we're going to start calling it, the Pirate Abuse Festival.

Have a great holiday weekend!

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The materials to carry out our mission -

All week we've been recieving shipments of supplies and material in preparation for the Blackbeard Pirate Festival, which starts a week from tomorrow. For those who haven't been out to the Dockyard, here's a quick summary of some of the things now floating around:

4 cutlasses
2 flintlock pistols
5 flintlock muskets
68 blank rounds for flintlock muskets, allocated for training
3 boarding pikes
1 light gun, 3 pdr
1 bell, brass 10"
1 30 minute glass on hanging bracket
10 straw sailor hats
8 tarred sailor hats
6 pair white fall-front trousers
9 sailor shirts, nondescript
300 feet 5/8" manilla line
8 lbs tarred marline
16 snap shackles, assorted sizes
3 navy-type boat anchors, PVC coated
2 danforth boat anchors, with chain rodes
2 "Grand Union" British Flags



We are still waiting on the following shipments:
10 blue sailor jackets
12 ribbon tallies, embroidered
8 pr sailor slops
400 blank rounds for flintlock firearms, for use at festival
600 passes declaring bearer "not a pirate, free to pass"
50 passes declaring bearer "known pirate, hang when captured"

We don't remember what happened to the case of porn.

BT

The Monomoy Pulling Boat is ready for sea in all respects...

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