Crew journal of the barque James Craig January 2009 Full & By The crew journal of the barque James Craig http://www.australianheritagefleet.com. au/JCraig/JCraig.html

Compiled by Peter Davey [email protected] Production by John Spiers Photos by Peter Davey, Jeffrey Luke, Mary Sowa, Mike Richter, John Spiers

Astute readers will note that content in this issue is mostly about nine months out of date. John Spiers thanks all shipmates for their expres- sions of support during his recent medical trials and apologises for the lengthy production delay.

The opinions expressed in this journal may not necessarily be the viewpoint of the Sydney Maritime Museum, the Sydney Heritage Fleet or the crew of the James Craig or its officers.

 January 2009 Full & By James Craig at sea (James Gralton, Roslyn Jan). Gearbox troubles - mother and baby are doing well (Roslyn Jan). Sailing south

of meals, watches, sail changes would be moment when people move into a collective By Peter Cole established and we crew members would intelligence that becomes collaborative, s become creatures of habit and a hunters of upportive and instictively moves to meet bright January day was made special sleep called - sailors. the needs of the ship. Less is said and Aby the family of Sydney Hertige Fleet A clever plan had been devised to use activity assumes an elegant economy of members and vessels, who escorted the the the northerly wind to reach Twofold Bay, effort. Some unkind souls have called James Craig out of Sydney Harbour and anchor there and wait for the Southerly sailors lazy. I call them effective. farewelled her with a fanfare of sounds and weather front to pass over us as we were After the hardships “we needed to have”, waving hankies. The charm of departure tucked up in our anchor watches. It the wind backed to a light Sou’easter, sheets on a sea voyage remains alive. nearly worked, but as the skies darkened, were cracked and we moved off into the The early start turned into a long barometer dropped and an Antarctic chill Bass Strait “Paddock”, with purpose but day for many on board who savoured greeted us, we knew that it was going to without a cosy night at anchor. Conditions the pull and surge of the ship under the be a long night. The long night turned into improved enough for good sailing, drying gift of a 15 knot Nor’easter. We were a long day and then another long, cold, and warming of everything. The oil rigs off on another expedition to southern bucking night that would force us sailors do still glow in the dark and Wilsons latitutes and friendly natives. Gradually, into three cunning watches that could start Promontory was radiant in the setting sun. numbers on deck thinned with dinner to claim a prized name - crew. Seals, dolphins, albatross, petrels, eagles and changing watches. A steady rythm Each voyage contains a defined, magic and big ships trading, passed us by.

Full & By January 2009  Beer at Cowes was good. Police also found the ship’s papers in order. Yes, were boarded. So, our Victorian visit was looking good. We were allowed to stay. Choice; how easily we exercise our choice when we have it? How hard did we have to work to retreive it? Bloody hard. The surprise of a thrown ZF gearbox circlip, satisfied those who might have wondered what “a spanner in the works” might look like. No spanners were in the works but bolt heads were. I wonder if anyone did wonder about that ... . We all did and still do. Heros come out and talents confidently

 January 2009 Full & By Sail repairs (Ewa Korczynki). Dulcet-voiced watch leader (Ewa K). Climbers (Craig Spicer). Sail maker’s kit (Roslyn Jan).

Full &January By 2009 Full March& By 2008  Full &March By 2008 Full January& By 2009  Full & By January 2009  emerged to meet hours, days and weeks of investigation, analysis, spannering, talking, calming, consoling, enduring, delivering, assembling, pressing, pressing, pressing and commissioning. The party was great, so were the

 January 2009 Full & By Full & By January 2009  fireworks, but we couldn’t dance. The dance card was full but many were dissapointed. Port Philip is a great dance floor and we will be back to sail all over. Day sails were cancelled and our departure delayed. Winds were adverse and progress home turned into a grind. however, the charm of arrival from a sea voyage also remains alive! Perhaps our Sydney Heritage Fleet and our James Craig crews can acknowledge all that we have learnt and move confidently into our new challenges with eyes wide open. Thank you to all who worked and cared for our people and the the treasures which are our ships and our fleet. May we voyage again in happiness soon!

Voyage crew (Mary Alice).

10 January 2009 Full & By How to make life better on passage These considerations bring us back to James Craig: Practices on Passage the suggestion for a rotating watch system, By Ralph Seccombe coupled with best endeavours to keep noise moderate, especially at night (when people anyway seem to find it easier to accept that his note is written in a spirit of com- others are trying to sleep). Tmitment to James Craig and her crew. Bells should be rung throughout the It is also written in a spirit of give-and- day and night. Given wind, water, bawling take—but this spirit does not preclude watchleaders etc, they don’t add much seeking improvements in fairness and to the noise level. They are a reassuring generally. Following are some suggestions sound, signalling that all is well. For one for watch-keeping and other matters. drowsing in a hammock, they are an easy Watch Hours way of indicating how much time is left In the recent Melbourne–Sydney pas- before change of watch; for some of us the sage, main watch certainly drew the short alternative in finding a watch, spectacles straw (midnight–0400, noon–1600). The and a torch. most important drawback was the fact that Passages main watch had little to do: we were on the Acknowledging that there must be many ship to sail, but sails were typically set and pressures on schedules, I suggest that more taken in during other watches. time be allowed for passages, say ten days This enforced inactivity of main for Melbourne–Sydney. This would allow watch affected our passengers—a point time for beating against the wind and sit- which has commercial implications. It may that the burdens and pleasures are shared ting out adverse winds in harbours. As for well have been a factor in the high alcohol equally—or more nearly so. People sitting cost, the crew would eat more (and possi- consumption of the passengers. in the eating area might be more consider- bly pay more) but there should be a saving Other points are secondary but still ate of those trying to sleep, knowing that on fuel, because we would motor less. important: getting up in the middle of the they would be in the same position after a The prospect of sailing rather than night; the inconvenience of noise during day or two. motoring would also enhance the ship’s rest times, including post-breakfast and One argument in favour of fixed attractiveness to passengers. post-dinner. Another disadvantage is that hours such as we had recently Melbourne– Catering while on watch, main saw neither sunrise Sydney is that the human body (like others The use of fresh food on the recent pas- nor sunset. who may have joined in disguise) gets into sage meant more work for the cook-caterer A majority vote on the fairness of a routine. This argument has little force and for the peggies, who had to cut up the system might well not produce a fair on a six-day passage, when there is hardly vegetables etc. It is hard to think of other result: if a vote had been held during or time for a body to get used to a routine. disadvantages of the diet, which was tasty immediately after the recent passage, it Noise and generally low-fat (good for general would have reflected the division of the See above, including give-and-take. health and the reduction of seasickness). crew into two thirds winners and one third The current practice is inequitable: The cook deserves high commendation. less-than-winners. main watch was encouraged to speak qui- Consideration should be given to impress- The obvious and tried-and-trusted etly—even on deck—at night, when bells ment of an equivalent, if no other method means of addressing the problem is to were not rung. The effort for silence during works. have a system of dog watches, so that the day and evening—normal times of hu- The commercial implications of the watch coming on duty at 1600 would man activity—was at best inconsistent. having good food—satisfactory to pas- serve only two hours instead of the usual In another ship we might envisage a sengers—should not be overlooked. four, and the following watch would also sleeping area separate from the eating and Thanks last only two hours (second dog). This socialising area. It is difficult to see how It is not possible to thank everybody, but scheme would mean that on any one day, this could be done in James Craig. I’m grateful to the restorers and maintain- one watch would work 12 hours but have Another possibility is a rule for lights ers of the ship, the Board, committees and a good night’s sleep afterwards, as well out and no talking (or laughter!) in the eat- Commodore (may the rumour of Hobart as an easy day following. Other systems ing area, except at meal times. This would next year be realised), Captain Ken and of- could be devised. rob the ship of much community life and ficers, the stewards and cook, the engineers A rotating system has the advantage would hardly attract paying passengers. and even the watchleaders.

Full & By January 2009 11 OBITUARY Capt Bruce Hitchman

aptain Bruce Hitchman, one of the Botany Bay pilot until retiring in 1987. He Bruce became involved with the Sydney Clast of generations of seafarers who lived in the Sydney suburb of Fairlight and Heritage Fleet when James Craig executive started their seagoing careers in deep sea could see his beloved yacht, Pacific Breeze master,Captain Ken Edwards OAM RFD square rigged sailing ships, was tragically from his living room window until she was RD INI, invited him to come sail on this killed in a fall from the roof of his home blown ashore and totally wrecked in 2007 heritage treasure in 2002 and to become on June 4, aged 80. storms. He later bought Pacaros, a 34 ft one of her captains. Bruce said of James In recent years, Bruce regularly sailed yacht so that he could continue his “love Craig: “It is an honour to be able to sail as master or mate of the Sydney Heritage affair” with the harbour. in her and she needs to be treated like a Fleet’s historic restored barque, James precious lady.” Craig. He was held in great affection and At the age of 78, when, in 2006, James respect by shipmates for his willingness to At the age of 78, Craig entered Botany Bay on her return pass on his experience and knowledge of voyage from Melbourne Bruce climbed “real” square rig ailing earned by experi- when, in 2006, the rigging to join the crew in furling the ence such as sailing as a lad on the famous square sails for the last time before ending four masted steel barque Pamir. James Craig entered the voyage. Up on the main topsail yards he Gerald Bruce Hitchman was born in noted how each climber advised his mates New Zealand on 9 November 1927. His Botany Bay on her when he or she was moving out from the parents had emigrated from England and rigging to the yard and its footrope. Good his father was wharf superintendent in return voyage from drill! – he was impressed and said so. This Napier. was true leadership (and being able to At 16, Bruce joined Pamir as deck boy Melbourne, Bruce climb the rig at 78 is impressive). and by the time he left after six voyages He was quoted at the time as saying: he was rated AB. He served on Pamir dur- climbed the rigging “What impressed me the most was my ing WWII and his first voyage was to San shipmates. A mixture of ages, genders, Francisco under the command of Captain to join the crew in occupations and talents: they are such a Christopher Stannick. happy, hardworking and enthusiastic bunch During his last voyage aboard Pamir, furling the square of people, mostly smiling and joking. A in 1947, Bruce considered staying with crew debrief following the cruise stressed her but instead went ashore to navigation sails for the last time how Bruce had led by example. school in Auckland, to gain the knowledge On one of James Craig’s voyages a tear necessary to become mate or master. before ending the developed in the upper topsail. Bruce, the He worked for two years as third and master, climbed the rigging with the bosun second mate on foreign-going Shell oil voyage. to inspect it, before declaring it should tankers of 12,000 tons, afterwards joining be unbent. He then spent the rest of the the Union Steamship Company (USS) of afternoon on his knees showing the crew, NZ for six years where he got both mate’s While a Sydney Harbour pilot, Bruce by example, the efficiency of a good her- and master’s licences with square-rig en- designed, built, sailed and raced catama- ringbone stitch. dorsements. Next he worked for Manners rans, including the 18-footer Stingray, A passenger asked if the stitching would Navigation of Hong Kong, commanding which became a national class. In 1988 get us back to Sydney OK. Bruce calmly the 700-ton Paloma into such ports as he bought his first mono-hull, the Pacific replied, “It’s good for another 12 months Canton, Wampoa and Phnom Penh, often Breeze, and sailed her in numerous races at least” – that’s leadership, that’s truly accompanied by wife Nanette, whom he to New Zealand and Lord Howe Island as “education” through the passing on of old, had married in 1955. well as in the 1988 Sydney to Hobart and hard-learned skills. Bruce “came ashore” in 1964 and was 1991 Melbourne to Osaka short-handed Bruce’s association with James Craig, employed by the then MSB as Sydney and race. either as master or mate has meant that

12 January 2009 Full & By Captain Gerald Bruce Hitchman 9 November 1927 - 4 June 2008

Full & By Januasry 2009 13 many hundreds of Sydney residents and He did this through proven leadership, Harbour Week Award for community overseas visitors have shared a unique leading by example and sharing a lifetime service. experience – that of sailing on a genuine of experience on craft of all types and sizes His tenacity, drive, strength of character, 19th Century square rigger – and in doing and, in doing so earned the respect, admira- experience and life skill set all contributed so have seen our harbour and nearby ocean tion and gratitude of his crew(s). to make this exceptional man a most im- in all its glory, whales, dolphins and other Since joining SHF until his death Bruce portant member of our fleet and, of course, sea life included. recorded over 2000 hours of voluntary the wider Sydney Harbour maritime Com- Towards the end of last year Bruce service. This service to the fleet was rec- munity. underwent major surgery and only a few ognised when, in March this year, Bruce He will be missed. months later was serving as first mate on was a recipient of the prestigious Sydney - Hugh Lander board James Craig as she voyaged to Mel- bourne. Bruce was a hands-on leader who had “done it all”, was prepared to share his knowledge and skills with others and Knot of the month who earned the deep respect of his crew. He climbed with his crew and worked with I have been asked to suggest a suitable knot to tie on sunglasses etc them in all weathers. Not only did Bruce command James Double overhand sliding loop Craig on many of her charters and cruises in all weathers, and at night as well as day, but also he was also very heavily involved in training and motivating crew who have joined the ship (well over 300 people of all ages and levels of experience have now been trained to some level, most having reached a minimum qualification of general purpose hand and many as watch leaders, bosuns, coxswains engineers, mates etc).

14 January 2009 Full & By Log of the Svanen

By Peter Davey sheltering here. There is a big party on 9/01/1988 the beach. I have the 2130 to 2230 anchor 7/01\1988 Yesterday morning we were surging watch. I will also do the 2230 to 2330 for Out of foul weather gear, boots and along with following winds; midday calm; the nurse who restitched me. She heard thermal underwear. We should pass King from 5 PM on, we had rough seas; scream- today that this has passed her exams is Island at the start of the Bass Strait tonight ing winds with waves breaking all over the now fully qualified and wants to celebrate. and turn north in a day or two. With a bit ship. At 8 PM, we hoisted all sails except All over the deck of the Svanen is bedding of luck I will not get back into the above. for the squares and beat into the wind to drying out from last night’s encounter On bloody galley duty. A pain. This after- reach bay to beat a strong easterly. I took noon we drifted and most of the crew had the gaskets off the tops staysail. This More to follow in next Full and By. a swim. It was too cold for me. A yank meant going aloft in the bloody gumboots; who has been on board since Portsmouth, hanging onto, and standing on a single slipped over last night and buggered up her wire rope that connects with both port and shoulder. It does not appear to be broken. starboard shrouds on the foremast in a 40 She signed on for the full trip Portsmouth knots wind, which was trying to undo the to Botany Bay. She is then off to a mon- canvas. I wondered, for a few moments if astery in Japan to get over it all. Thinks 50 is the wrong age to be rated able seaman she is a reincarnation of a Scottish convict sail. Then our worse night. Impossible to from the first fleet. She has her own sup- sleep with the bows plodding into the sea. ply of wine and was half pissed when she The waves in the Bass Strait are smaller slipped, though the deck was awash at the and closer together than in the ocean. This time. Chicken roast tonight. More greasy is because it is relatively shallow. One plates. Great. second floating off the canvas and the next pressed against it. The ship leaked 8/01\1988 throughout. Passed to the north of the island this morning. I will be back in foul weather At 10pm we anchored in Whisky Bay gear tonight. We have medium seas with (Wilsons Prom). Ashore to buy an ice strong winds. We are ploughing along with cream, shower, and phone home. I resisted the two mains; four square and two jibs set the temptation to buy a paper - I haven’t with over the wind over the port quarter. heard the news for two weeks. The tourists The seas are breaking over the entire ship. are delighted to have five square-riggers Once again I tried to take some photos but nearly won a wave for my trouble.

Being a wooden ship, she constantly working in the seas. She was originally built to sail in Artic pack ice and has 122 frames instead of the normal 70. Until 1960 she held a special licence to sail in pack ice. She is now maintained in the charter category. There are no winches, modern cleats and gear. All the cordage, sails, tackles, standing and running gear is as it was 64 years ago when she was built. The only modern stainless steel chandlery is on the life rafts. We will probably take in the top gallant sail (upper square sail) before sunset. I will see if I can be on the yard. Should be a challenge in these conditions. We (the ones who work aloft) are getting more confident but and some of the non-handlers are now venturing aloft when conditions are calm.

Full & By January 2009 15 First lessons in one-oarsmanship

By Ben Fuller Illustrations by Sam Manning Small Boat Journal #45 October/November 1985 Provided by Peter Cole

culling --- for some it means an oarsman facing backwards, Srowing a skinny boat with a pair of long oars as fast as pos- sible. But for those who prefer to see where they’re going, sculling also means putting an oar over the stern and moving it back and forth like a propeller. Why scull? It’s slower than rowing, but because you can look ahead, it’s useful in crowded harbors, working up a narrow creek, or through fields of skim ice. You can move a pulling boat sideways when making a landing, or easily propel a boat much heavier than you can row, It is also an ideal way to move an out- board skiff a short way when fishing, or get home if you have a breakdown. Sculling can be especially handy when your dinghy is filled with groceries, or when the dew is heavy and you’d like to start the day with dry trousers. And though it looks difficult, sculling is simple, once you get the knack.

Sculling Roots

Traditionally, all over the world people who work the wa- ter scull. I remember seeing a nest of punts (plumb-stemmed round·bottomed rowboats) in a harbor in Cornwall with only one oar in each, not a rowlock in sight. In the Bahamas, where fishing techniques and the narrow coral reef channels make it important to (Fig. 1) starts with the oar at rest and the blade perpendicular to see where you’re going, everybody sculls. They’ve even created a the water surface. One edge of the oar always leads and the blade special stroke and oar for the job. In the Orient, the Chinese yuloh follows a path through the water like a fish’s tail. The horizontal or sculling oar is the classic way of manually moving boats-- up stroke (Fig. 2) starts with the flat of the blade facing up. The to sampans of 60 feet and more! leading edge alternates, and the oar’s wake looks like the path In this country, duck hunters have long used this stroke to sneak of a falling leaf. up quietly to their prey. I’ve also seen one man move heavy ma- The vertical stroke is usually employed in boats that use an oar rine construction floats with a long oar working between wooden for steering, like surfboats or whaleboats. It’s easy to start and blocks. Photographs show oyster sharpies and dugouts being stop, letting the boat coast, and then pick up the stroke again, for propelled around New Haven harbor, each with a long oar over the oar doesn’t float up. It seems to develop less force than the the stern. Similar photographs show Chesapeake log canoes be- horizontal stroke, although its full potential using specialized oars ing moved the same way in the days before engines. And anyone is only beginning to be explored. Generally, regular rowing oars who’s traveled the New England coast has seen fishermen sculling or long steering sweeps are used. dories or skiffs out to their boats. The horizontal or falling leaf stroke is the most commonly In contrast to rowing or paddling, which requires the applica- used sculling method. It is powerful, makes effective use of body tion of large amounts of power in short repetitive bursts, scull- weight, and with the same oar, it seems more efficient, moving ing is continuous, like a slowly revolving propeller with a large the boat faster than the slalom stroke. The primary disadvantage blade area. As a result, very large loads can be moved without of this stroke is that the oar floats up when you stop, unless the great strength. blade is weighted. However, if the oar has a closed oarlock or is There are two basic sculling strokes: the vertical or slalom captured in a notch under a bit of rope, it is possible to stop or stroke and the horizontal or falling leaf stroke The vertical stroke back the boat by reversing the stroke.

16 January 2009 Full & By The vertical or slalom stroke is exactly opposite (Fig. 1). The Sculling Made Simple blade starts vertically, perpendicular to the stern, but you drop your wrist, knuckles up on the pull stroke, wrist up and knuckles down In principle, sculling is the same for both the falling leaf and the on the push stroke. With this stroke, you’ll find yourself starting slalom strokes: The oar blade is swept back and forth across the and stopping with ease, but you can’t get up much speed. stern, with the leading edge always angled toward the boat. If it As you become more confident with reversing pitch at the end isn’t, the oar will tell you by jumping out of the notch or lock. of the stroke, begin to experiment. To turn, take a deeper bite, First, try the horizontal or falling leaf stroke. Let’s assume pulling harder on one stroke. Or with the falling leaf stroke, try you’ve got a regular oar, the longer the better, and a notch on the almost no pitch on one stroke, plenty on the other. Or work the centerline of the boar. Stick the oar over the stem with the loom or oar only on one Side of the centerline. You’ll turn every time. shaft in the notch. A bit beyond the balance point is probably about Reduce pitch and you’ll scull at a high stroke rate; increase the right, usually a foot or two below the leathers. I prefer standing pitch and your rate slows. A big blade seems to be happier at a in a skiff or dory, as you can get more force into the stroke. Don’t slower rate; a small blade at a higher rate. With practice, you’ll worry about a little list if you stand to one side. find you’re putting more weight into each stroke, bearing or pull- Grip the oar handle in your right hand, with your forearm ing down harder. As long as the leading edge keeps digging, the and wrist level, or with the elbow dropped a little (Fig. 2). The oar won’t jump out. oar blade should be floating with its blade facing up. Start by rolling your wrist up and knuckles down, and pulling the handle Going Backwards toward you (the port side of the boat). Note how the starboard edge of the blade digs in as it moves to starboard and the blade By reversing the wrist motion, it is also possible to scull starts down into the water. When the blade is 10 to 20 degrees backwards. Just like a stroke I’ve done with a canoe paddle, the off centerline to starboard, drop your wrist, roll your knuckles up continuous draw or “rising leaf” causes the blade to dig in and and simultaneously push on the handle. If you’ve done it right, pull (Fig. 3). You need some means of holding the oar to the stern the port edge of the blade heads to port and keeps digging in. -- a closed oarlock or a piece of rope run through two holes in the If you haven’t, the blade comes flying out of the water and you transom on either side of the notch are quite effective -- otherwise need to begin again. the oar will jump ship. One neat arrangement is to use a stern line The pitch and the direction have to be changed at the same flipped over the oar and cleated to the transom knee. time. Delay on either of these means the oar will come out of the You push up under the oar handle with one hand and use the water. At the end of the push stroke, roll your wrist up, knuckles other to change the pitch of the blade, letting the loom rotate in down, and pull. Don’t pause. When you stop, the oar blade floats the palm of the pushing hand. up and you have to dig it in again to get moving. Pulling down a My biggest problem seems to be letting the oar climb out of bit on both strokes, once the blade is working, keeps the oar in the the water. You need to keep it nearly vertical, more than going notch and moves the boat forward. You’ll find a rhythm is quickly forward, and keep a good hard push up under the oar. established: wrist up and pull, wrist down and push. Like anything sculling takes practice. A float is a good place to refine your technique. A couple of blocks of wood nailed to the float’s edge can simulate a notch or rowlock. If your boat isn’t equipped with a sculling rowlock, tie it alongside a dock using a couple of fenders. Then use the regular rowlock and try to scull the boat sideways into the float.

Part II: Putting Your Best Oar Behind You

Small Boat Journal #46 December/January 1986

aving discussed the technique of sculling in the previous issue H(SB #45), let’s look at the various oars you can use. The simplest way to get a sculling oar for a small boar is to modify the biggest rowing oar you can find. An oar 10 to 12 feet long -- 2 or 3:feet longer than that used for rowing -- works for most small boat applications. Err on the long side; it’s easier to make this shorter. The blade should be long, 4 feet or so, flattened on the bottom and diamond shaped on the top. I made mine from an old lifeboat oar; leaving the blade alone and thinning and shortening the shaft. Some flexibility seems to be fine, as does some bending (Fig.1). An oar that bends down to the water increases the blade’s angle to the water, thereby generating more thrust. While a regular oar can be used for sculling, specialized scull- ing oars are easier to use and make the stroke less tiring. They virtually reverse themselves, so less wrist rotation is required. In comparison to conventional rowing oars, sculling oars have long looms, a blade-heavy balance, and bigger blades with long leading edges. Most specialized oars are designed for the horizontal stroke. Gunning oars, Bahamian oars, and yulohs are three main types.

Full & By January 2009 17 Gunning & Bahamian Oars

Gunning oars (Fig.2) are the shortest and lightest, as they are designed to move the smallest boats. In New England, they were used in scull floats -- low-sided, mostly decked boats in which gunners quietly sculled down on flocks of ducks. The oar worked through a tight hole in the stem, offset to the left so a right-hander could scull across his body while lying on his back with his head propped on the transom. The gunning stroke is short and done at a high rate with the blade at a shallow angle relative to the water’s surface. The most common gunning oar is a bent-bladed oar about 8 feet long with the tip 6 inches or so out of line with the shaft axis. The blade is thin, with an asymmetric section, flat side down, convex side up. This is the same section found in a straight gunning oar, which has an extremely long, thin blade, narrower at the tip than at the shoulder. By curving the top of the blade, less wrist twist is needed in the stroke. Steering these floats with a curved sculling oar was a problem. The hook in the oar made it hard to use as a rudder, while the tight hole made it difficult to scull only on one side. Boat and oar builder Douglas Martin reports that the gunners in New Hampshire’s Piscataqua River estuary solved the problem by carving a kickup or flipped up tip to the downward curving oar. This apparently made little difference to sculling effectiveness but made the oar a better rudder when turned on its side. our experiments, Sam Manning rigged up a trailer ball on the Part III stern of his skiff (Fig. 4) The oar has a rope or string leading from the underside of the handle to a point on the sole in line * The Bahama·style oar (Fig.3) is much bigger, 12-feet long with the pivot and the blade when the yuloh is in “neutral.” The and more, as it’s designed to move boats ranging from heavily rope keeps this blade-heavy oar from tipping off the pivot and, built 12- or l4-foot dinghies to sloops in the 25-foot range. The more important, does the work of reversing the pitch or angle at blade is extremely long in comparison to its width. In section, the the end of the stroke. oar is usually a shallow diamond or triangle used flat side down. A yuloh needs no wrist rotation at all. Two hands are used, one Bahamian boats offset the notch to port, making it easy to stand on the handle, one on the string. The string hand always leads in the boat’s center and keeping the right hand free for fishing. the oar hand, imparting the required pitch to the blade. Reversing * The sculler stands, facing forward, and takes a long stroke, the angle rakes a quick tug on the suing. We novice yuloh users effectively using body weight. With the oar on the port side, it found that if the stroke was too long or the pitch too great, the oar must be angled a bit more on the pull stroke to keep the boat run- wanted to roll off the ball at the end of the stroke. ning straight. The right hand can be used to give an extra push In section, a yuloh can be found with flat side up or down. when starting on the push stroke and leaning into the push and it With flat side down, the advantage is the same as is with gunning can assist the left on the pull stroke. The diamond-shaped section or Bahamian oars: The oar reverses pitch easily at the stroke’s keeps tiring wrist twist down. Good scullers are said to need only a very shallow notch, but the oar tends to jump out when mishandled. A conventionally deep socket or oarlock makes sculling much easier for the less experienced.

Chinese Yuloh

The Chinese yuloh is a blade- heavy oar, often made of two or three straight pieces set at an angle so the blade curves down into the water. Unlike western oars which use a notch, lock, or socket on the boat, the yuloh has a socket cut or let into its bottom, and it rests on a pivot. Tradition- ally, this pivot was smith-made iron or carved hardwood. For

18 January 2009 Full & By end. Theoretically, however, flat side up is more efficient. When an oar has its curved side down, lift works in the direction of the boat’s travel. Only yulohs, however, can take advantage of this, as the string does the twist- ing. Free oars are almost uncontrollable with the curved side down. Yulohs can be very large. Worked with gangs, with one or two pulling on the rope and three or four pushing and pulling the oar back and forth, they can run 25 or 35 feet long in sampans of 50 or 60 feet. Smaller sampans in the 18- to 20-foot range would use a yuloh of 13 to 15 feet. With these oars, 3-1/2 to 7 feet of blade might be underwater --- more on the longer oars. The Chinese don’t seem to use yulohs on small boats, and a Western-style oar is probably better suited to boats under 16 feet unless they are heavy powerboats or sailboats. As far as a yuloh’s performance is con- cerned, an 18-foot Shanghai harbor sampan using a 13-foot yuloh could run at about 3 mph when propelled by one man. Roger Taylor, president of International Marine Publishing Co., has used a 10-foot yuloh on his 32-foot sloop Aria. He claims 2 knots in a calm, not bad for a 5-ton boat.

Vertical Stroke Oars

Oars for the vertical or slalom stroke are much less specialized. The one most often seen is the steering sweep of surfboats and whaleboats. These sweeps have the length and long blade of the horizontal oars. A 30-foot whaleboat has a 20-foot steering sweep with a 6-1/2-foot blade, which makes the sweeps quite blade heavy and flexible. Because the blade has a symmetrical section, either convex on both sides or diamond shaped, the sweep also can be used with the horizontal stroke. Steering sweeps often have a peg in the han- dle in line with the plane of the blade, so two hands can be used. The oar designed by Douglas Martin (Martin Marine, Box 251J, Kittery Point, ME 03905) is the only recent innovation I’ve seen in sculling oar shape ( Fig. 5). Meant for a vertical stroke, the blade is asymmetrical in plan, with a long curving leading edge end- ing in a small half fishtail. In section, it is a symmetrical airfoil, with the thickest part at the leading edge. The blade flexes and twists through the strokes like a propeller or a fishtail. Only a few degrees of wrist rotation is needed -- pushing it straight back and forth seems almost enough. A most efficient oar for small boats, this oar and Sampans of the Yangtze (Naval Institute Press, 1971). Roger C. Taylor’s The is large and powerful enough to use all the Elements of Seamanship (International Marine, 1982) describes his yuloh, with power you can put into it, and it’s made in a drawing by W.H. deFontaine. A little booklet by W.R. Johnson, Jr., Bahamian two pieces for easy storage. Sailing Craft Exploration Ltd., 1973), provides some nice drawings and descrip- Sculling Sources For detailed informa- tions of these boats and their use. Wooden Boat Issue #100 also has information tion on yulohs, see G.C.R. Worcester, Junks and measurements.

Full & By January 2009 19 Europa - a smaller JC with better food

nice steady tack meaning that the water did (the term ‘dog watch’ seemed to mean By Tom FitzGibbon not go down the plug hole. In such cases it different times to different people). The was much easier to ask a kind soul on the regular crew seemed to work either a set By A brief report on my other side of the ship for the use of their 6 on 6 off or a day watch with the bosun. adventures on the Europa. facilities. The other problem was a lack You only did a half hour turn at each task of large cupboard space to put your gear, so everyone took a turn at the wheel, look few of you may have heard that I which otherwise tended to gravitate to out, as well as standby for both; there was Amade an attempt to run away to sea any empty bunk that was handy and could no MOB lookout, but the lazy helm was (well at least for a short time anyway). I lead to some confusion as to who was available for this. Although I expected, joined the Dutch ship, The Europa, a three wearing your clothes. They have laundry it there was no peggy duty, other than masted barque that regularly sails from her facilities on board so there was no excuse if you were off watch you might end up home-port of Amsterdam to the Antarctic for extended periods of malodorousness* peeling potatoes, or asked to make the fresh waters off the tip of South America and (not that I remember anyone complaining). bread late in the evenings. I’m sure Peter back again. You have the choice of doing Beneath the poop deck are the captain’s Hughes will be amused when he hears I a short two week leg or if you really want and mates’ quarters, as well as radio and was made blue watch leader, not for my to be an old salt, a longer voyage of several computer rooms but what used to be the outstanding abilities or experience, but weeks to months. I stepped aboard in Cape captain’s aft area is now the library and because everyone else stepped backward Town, one of her regular stops on the way chart storage area. It was a great place when they asked for volunteers; as some of back to Amsterdam and had a great time to browse and often ended up being the you know I can be a bit slow on the up-take. and the extended experience was well quietest part of the ship. Actually being watch leader was mostly worth it. Everything is on a smaller scale The regular crew consisted of about to organise schedules for seven of us and than the JC. She has a decent sized deck- 15 people all up; it seemed to take only make sure everyone knew where they were house between the fore and main masts about 6 or so of the crew to handle most supposed to be and showed up on deck. As that is used for lectures, eating or just for of the ship at any one time. The crew part of my JC training of course, I took the relaxing, reading a book or chatting. Be- consisted of a mix of French, Argentinean task seriously looked after my shipmates low decks there is a well equipped galley, (both unpaid volunteer crew) Canadians and made sure they were all there at the dining area, and the cabins. Of course the but were largely made up of experienced end of each watch, which seemed more food becomes a very important part of the Dutch crew members most of whom had important. As time past the regular crew voyage and the galley staff never failed been to the naval training school. In all appeared to get confused enough by our to provide a variety of tasty meals; my aspects I found the crew to be extremely enthusiasm to allow a member of each main favourite was their lunchtime soups, helpful, eager to teach and great to work watch to take control and direct setting or fantastic, even the fussiest eaters who alongside. Although technically, all the taking up sails (this seems to be happening normally would bypass the soup couldn’t passengers are classed as deck trainees, the with increased frequency in the doldrums, resist. If you can arrange to be on board philosophy was that it is really up to the mind you we have been warned that sudden for your birthday, you get to choose your individual as to the level of involvement. down-drafts can be a distinct hazard). favourite soup and the main course, plus Most took advantage of the opportunities to Perhaps their trust lies in the fact that they make you a scrummy dessert. The learn all sorts on new things from handling there is little or no wind. Once again my only risk is that with three fantastic meals the sextant to knot work and regular classes watch make the supreme personal sacrifice and snacks on the night watch you can add in weather and navigation. Initially the and take one step backward thus leaving a lot of excess baggage. regular crew did most of the sail handling, me as the volunteer. I use a loud voice (if The cabins range from 2 persons up to but it wasn’t more than a day or two before your going to cause confusion make sure six and most have their own shower and we were organised into watches and shown everyone can hear it!).and utter commands toilet (cabins! What about hammocks, I the ropes. resulting in instant confusion and mutinous hear you ask.). Unlike the JC they have an The voyage crew, including yours truly, mutterings from my watch. Try again in onboard desalination filter setup so there is are split into three watches, red, white and louder voice as they must be hard of hear- always plenty of water for drinking and a blue, and a day watch (if you were not ing. Strangely enough the effect is the hot shower, absolute luxury I hear you say. inclined to get too involved), with 4 hours same. A crew member gently reminds me Of course you sometimes had the problem on, 8 off and spilt watch at 12:00 to 14:00 of several minor details that are paramount of the ship consistently healing over on a and 14:00- 16:00 to rotate the watches in actually getting things to happen. They

20 January 2009 Full & By covertly restore calm and we proceed to group who are still sorting out the pins; so wearing skills and manoeuvres but alas, main mast to repeat the procedure with if you think your watch leader is slacking we really tacked so infrequently that I can’t similar results. Back to the foremast and we off, try it, you’re sure to gain some a new really comment. That’s the thing about tackle the next yard and so on between the perspective and respect for them. these long voyages, one you find the right masts. By the time we get to the last yard When ever at the helm, I usually breeze you tend to stay on a tack for days my watch is having second thoughts about attempted to sail by something other on end with only minor adjustments and in their sacrifice, but no matter I’m on a roll than a strict compass bearing, not quite our case we had a considerable number of now and order everyone to man the main convinced it was by full and by, but close days with the aft. braces (political correctness cast to winds) enough. Surprisingly, it was rather difficult One of the main problems for me was as we are to brace up sharp on starboard to get the other trainees in a similar modus getting re-adjusted to their pins. The tack. A regular crew member politely asks operandum, mostly because many of them size of the ship means that the distance what has happened to the rest of my watch, didn’t quite know what full and by meant between the pins is rather limited and the pointing out that more than two people are and also because they insisted on before arrangement not quite the same. Plus there needed for handling the main braces. Must the wheel (on the wheel house yoga style) were additional lines for the skys’ls and have been something I said....I learn that di- which of course meant you couldn’t see stuns’l which tends to add complications recting traffic takes knowledge and a large the royals anyway. Once you got over the to my limited memory capacity. Setting measure of patience, both of which I have initial wobbles and avoided the submarines stuns’l can be a bit tricky, as the yards, to yet to acquire. I think about the regular she was very easy to steer, even in a heavy which the sail is directly attached to, are crew and wonder if perhaps they are also sea or 35 40 knot winds. They used the not all that heavy and if hoisted incorrectly Zen masters. I’m given the dubious award main and mizzen stays’ls and spanker quite tend to snap. The timing for sheeting in is for having the loudest voice when it comes extensively, as well foretopmast stays’l, also important as the sheets can have quite to giving incorrect orders. The doldrums inner and out jibs and this seems to balance a load on them. In fact it seemed to take are a great place for this as the lack of the ship nicely so you rarely needed much more people to rig the stuns’ls than for wind means the probability of disaster is on the wheel. The major fault appeared any other sail setting. Ironically, with all much less. You may well laugh but it’s not to oversteering. I had been asked by our the stuns’ls set we seemed to slow down! all that easy you know, especially with a bosun to sus out any secret tacking and But doesn’t she look nice! In a lot respects

Full & By January 2009 21 it really only took two people to furl most of the (sails except the coarses), and in fact many of the regular crew do a quick job furling everything above the tops’ls single-handedly. She has skysails above the royals and not a upper and lower t’gallant, as I had first assumed; however, I admit I only went up to skysail yards once; they are rather small and don’t seem all that strongly attached to the top of the mast and the fore skysail mast had a distinct wobble, which rather put me off. For most of the trip we had light winds and this meant that the accursed motors had to used for a certain portion of the time; this was always a reluctant choice but a schedule had to be adhered to and deadlines met. We did manage to get a good gale as we approached the English Channel. It really is quite exciting and ex- hilarating to be up in the rigging furling sail with the wind howling and the ship rolling about; my friends think I’ve got a mid life crisis or death wish but I think it makes you feel alive! They put up storm netting and safety lines, and although there was a certain amount of water over the waist deck you never really felt in any great danger (except perhaps from your own stupidity) as she is really a solid sturdy little ship. We did cross the equator (just! as there was bugger all wind) and so officially I’m now a shellback (aka The Pelican) and sur- vived the court of King Neptune but that’s really a tall tale for another time. All in all it was great fun and I would recommend it to anyone.

Pieces I wrote for the web log on Eu- ropa.

Date: May 27 2007 Noon position: 07-32N 024-53W Course: 330 Speed: 6.1 kn Days run: 142 nm off course. volunteer. I use a loud voice and utter com- Cloudcover: 0/8 The wind has shifted round to our head mands resulting in instant confusion and Wind: NE 5 and freshened and above the noise of the mutinous mutterings from my watch. Try Barometer: 1014.7 wind the ship continues to talk to me, now again in louder voice as they must be hard Air temp: 27.0 in two tones changing in rhythm with the of hearing. Strangely enough the effect is Water temp: 28.0 ship riding up and down the swell. The the same. A crew member gently reminds headsails luff and you can feel the ship me of several minor details that are para- Taking over control (?) tremor with life as each new gust comes mount in actually getting things to happen. Three in the morning and things are upon us.... Something strange is happening They covertly restore calm and we proceed quiet on the helm. The wind is behind us on board ship. The regular crew appear to main mast to repeat the procedure with and I hear the ship talking to me in low confused enough by our enthusiasm to similar results. Back to the foremast and we tones. You look up at the stars in wonder allow a member of each watch to take tackle the next yard and so on between the and contemplate the universe and ask deep control and direct setting or taking up sails masts. By the time we get to the last yard and meaningful questions. You almost have (this seems to be happening with increased my watch is having second thoughts about the answer when you are called back to the frequency in the doldrums). Perhaps their their sacrifice, but no matter I’m on a roll present by a crew member politely asking trust lies in the fact that there is little or now and order everyone to man the main how things are going, now interpreted no wind. Once again my watch make the braces (political correctness cast to winds) as ‘where do you think you are going?’ supreme personal sacrifice and take one as we are to brace up sharp on starboard given that you are now several degrees step backward thus leaving me as the tack. A crew member politely asks what has

22 January 2009 Full & By happened to the rest of my watch, pointing the enthusiasm for later work and disrupts out that more than two people are needed the repeated conditioning and memory for handling the main braces. Must have pounding used to establish the names of the been something I said....I learn that direct- ropes. At 1400 persuade the Blue Watch ing traffic takes knowledge and a large to take over from WhiteW by promising a measure of patience, both of which I have similar short work period and the possibil- yet to acquire. I think about the regular ity of another food reward. Between 1600 crew and wonder if perhaps they are also and 1700 supply more round food pellets Zen masters... On a sadder note today, my and strong coffee as part of the reward sailing hat, to which I was most attached, structure now established. 1600 persuade apparently was not as attached to me as I RedW to take over from BlueW with a thought and took the opportunity to jump promise of greater rewards if they stay on ship and is currently headed for Brazil. It watch for another 4 hours (this is initially will be sadly missed and being Sunday I necessary because they may remember shall say a prayer for its safe voyage, and they started the process at 0800, after two protection from sunburn (does anyone weeks this will not be a problem as short- know of a good patron saint for that?). term memory will not be functioning well). At 1800 give WhiteW and BLueW further Date: June 5th 2007 food rewards (vegetable pellets or salted Noon position: 24-39W 033-40W discs are popular). Alcohol may be given Course: 332 to the Blue watch to shorten their memory Speed: 7.0 kn of the time sequence imposed earlier but Days run: 145 nm not sufficient to make them to sleepy, Cloudcover: 2/8 only limited amounts should be given as Wind: NE 3+ a reward to WhiteW as they may loose Barometer: 1022.1 interest in further training that evening. At Air temp: 24.9 1900 give large food reward to all watches, Water temp: 24.1 tasty desserts are particularly useful in this training method. Following the induced The Pavlovian Method for Training euphoria, WhiteW may be more easily Voyage Crew (or Why the Galley Rules) persuaded to take over the duties of RedW On board ship there is a recognised at 2000 given that WhiteW have already chain of command where the Captain is been food rewarded, RedW’s behaviour considered to be the ultimate authority may be further reinforced by alcohol. At (some might say God) and voyage crew 0000 allow WhiteW to go to their bunks for at the bottom of the command chain. The sleep, convince them that this is a reward voyage crew look to the more experienced for unspecified hard work. Wake up the crew members for instructions and inter- BlueW, give them strong coffee and before pretation of the captain’s or first mate’s they are fully cognisant get them to go to wishes and indeed, they have had some their stations. The smell of fresh baking success and the voyage crew have now at 0100 will result in the watch assuming mastered the difference between fore and another food reward is close at hand and mizzen masts. However, after careful induce them to remain at their posts. At study and observation I have concluded 0400 wake up RedW, supply both watches that this power hierarchy is an illusion. The with another food reward, this can be real training is subtly directed by another left-overs from the items supplied at 1300 more powerful source within the crew, their small food reward (small round food pel- because none of the voyage crew will be training method is outlined below. lets with sugar appear to be useful). This fully awake to notice the difference. At On the first day of sailing wake the all reward should be sufficient to convince 0700 once again supply breakfast but this voyage crew up at an early hour, 0630 to them to continue working until 1200 but time convince WhiteW to begin the cycle 0700. This may be a rude shock to many of not enough to satiate them. Gently suggest again at 0800. In this way the time domain them so reward them for their appearance that if the next watch (White Watch) take of the voyage crew is constantly changing by serving a good breakfast and strong cof- over the duties of RedW they will shortly causing greater confusion and thus forming fee (coffee should be supplied ad lib over be rewarded and only have to work half the a clear dependence on the arrival of the the entire 24 hours, see below). A cheery hours that Red Watch worked. At 1300 give food reward. After two weeks the voyage smile and hello is optional at this point in all watches another more substantial food crew will be sleep deprived, confused and training as responses may be limited or reward and compliment them on their hard not know what day of the week it is nor very slow. After the food reward, persuade work (accurate descriptions of the work the date but will be specifically trained to one watch (for the sake of clarity they will output are not helpful at this stage in the show up at defined time intervals so that be called Red Watch) to go to their stations training). A variety of liquids in the form the regular crew (on a modified training such as helm or lookout, then persuade the of soup seem to be particularly effective in scheme) can teach them something about other watches to do exciting tasks such as achieving a manageable level of euphoria sailing. rust busting and sanding. At 1000 give within the voyage crew. On no account Changing the timing once it has been the voyage crew more strong coffee and a serve alcohol at this time as this may dull established, for example clock changes

Full & By January 2009 23 caused by shifts in longitude, should be just have to remember to stand back and were the kind of words that could be used avoided as this may cause stress to the let the new crew have a go a hauling and at a polite society dinner. Perhaps not. The whole crew thus disrupting the normal heaving on the lines. After so many weeks galley was a particularly exciting place as flow of things (e.g. the unscheduled ap- of rust busting and painting etc one feels far as crashing and banging was concerned. pearance of salivating crew members at a strong bond with the ship and a certain This was of great concern to me, having the food station). The ad lib coffee also amount of pride in helping the crew to briefly seen several very tasty looking produces a certain dependence in the crew make her look more beautiful than before, apple tarts and what promised to be yet and ensures they venture out onto the its our ship now but we must not be too another excellent meal; had it all landed deck but sudden withdrawal may cause jealous to share her with the new crew. on the galley floor? A vision too horrible unwanted side effects such as aggressive Pride goeth before a fall they say and it is to contemplate. This was follow by a level behaviour, additional fatigue and reduced a long way down from the Royals. This is of verbal noise greater than usual and did work output. always a difficult transition, a whole new not end with the sound of laughter signal- It seems clear to me that even the set of faces and names to try and remember ling only a minor disaster. I decided it was captain and mates have been specifically (thank goodness for the rouges gallery of safer on the royal yards in a force 10 gale trained by this method. photos with names in the deck house), new than to ask if dinner might be delayed and So I ask the question, who is re- watches and watch leaders and different made a hasty retreat to the helm. Bravery ally in control here? versions of how to construct a duty sched- is one thing but going where angels fear Must be morning tea time...... ule. After two days there seems to be less to venture is another. Miraculously din- confusion and the ‘where am I supposed ner was on time albeit served at an angle to be? questions are getting less frequent. of 15 degrees to starboard and the apple A Short Poem. The Galley are hard at work training the tarts had survived (the angels obviously new crew; the old crew provide excellent had more courage than most of the crew). Waves and wind tease and beckon, examples of Pavlovian training and this It’s amazing how accustomed you become “Come dance with me beneath the pale speeds up the process. Just follow the rush to such noises once you climb into your blue sky”. of the old crew at specific times and you bunk. Lately the only thing that has woken She thrums and hums a windsong of get food, so simple and subtle. Lots of wind me up was the fire alarm at about 4 in the joy, and good sailing since leaving the Azores morning, and this lasted only long enough skipping across the quicksilver sea. helps to merge the old and the new, more for me to get my feet out of the bunk and Partners are we, caught up in the same yarns and stories to hear and the shared on the floor, then retreat back beneath the dance experiences of getting the old girl up to 7 duvet and think it was all a dream. We towards that far horizon where sea and or 8 knots. So little time and so many new see so many ships now and the jet trails sky are but one. stories to hear. in the sky that it is hard to forget that the voyage is nearing an end. There is also a T.FitzGibbon aka the Pelican disturbing reappearance of mobile phones Thomas FitzGibbon aka The Pelican attached to the ears of the crew, civilisation – voyage crew is approaching all too quickly and I fight Date: 15th June 2007 a feeling of sadness. There are one or two Noon position: 38-32N 028-36W Datum: 24 June 2007 brave souls who still hope for a good gale Course: at anchor Middag positie: 50-37N 001-40W before we get to port just to complete the Speed: nil Koers: 036 sailing experience, strangely there appear Days run: nil Snelheid: 4.1 to be very few of the voyage crew that Cloudcover: 3/8 Dag afstand: 128 nm share this hope. Wind: WNW 3 Bewolking: 8/8 Barometer: -- Wind: SW 3 Pelican signing off, Air temp: -- Barometer: 1006.3 Water temp: -- Lucht temp: 15.2 Water temp: 15.0 * To find out if it is New Crew time to change your The green and wet shores, pleasant Things that go bump in the night. Today cafes and cosy places to drink a few beers is Sunday, a day of rest and relaxation and socks or underwear in Horta, are already becoming a distant time to enjoy some typical English summer memory behind us. Once all the crew were weather, grey skies and rain (you can tell : Throw them at the aboard the commands were given to sail off from the temperature in the log, 15.2C, so the anchor and the old voyage crew leapt to warm!). The last two days have given us bulkhead and if they the rigging, to unfurl sails from the royals relatively calm seas and good winds but down and the headsails. We made every prior to that we had a stiff breeze of force stick it is time to effort to look like well trained topmen (or 6 off the port quarter and a big rolling toppersons if you prefer) to impress and sea. Above the sounds of the wind in the change. amaze the new crew members coming rigging and luffing of the sails, there were aboard and give the impression at least that frequent banging and crashing noises from Peter Davey we knew what some of the numerous lines various parts of the ship. These were often are meant to do. You can fool some of the followed by alarming shouts and bellows, people some time, one hopes anyway. We often in Dutch, making me wonder if these

24 January 2009 Full & By Original customer satisfaction survey

hile searching through the archives * Overload her with highly insured * As a prop to make moving pictures Wof papers related to the building of works of art and have her capsize at sea * Transporting spices from the Indies the Clan McLeod, Mike Richter found a * Abandon her in some remote bay as * Prison Hulk surprising document dated April the 1st, far from Sunderland as possible * Getting away from the wife to spend 1874, which showed that marketing was the weekend on board with your Mistress already an important skill over 130 years Financing a replacement * Coal Hulk ago How will you earn your next 10,000 pounds to buy your next vessel from this Main reason for buying from us Bartram & Haswell shipyard New Ship Owner’s Feedback Form * Avoid paying taxes by registering her * Winning the Tea Clipper Race so I can in the Bahamas put another Trophy on my shelf Best feature * Exploit the working class * Winning the “Port Jackson to Van Please indicate which feature convinced * Pay my sailors a pittance Diemens Land” Yacht Race next Boxing you to buy this vessel * Employ drunks as masters and pay Day * Her trim Clipper lines them in whisky * Winning the “Fastest Atlantic Cross- * The busty figurehead * Make a 1000% profit on the cargo ing without hitting an Iceberg” Trophy * The capacity of her hold * Cor’, the owners daughter ain’t ‘alf * The neckline on the figurehead Futuristic Features gorgeous, I wouldn’t mind having her as * That round thing at the back with When our Research Department comes my mistress. spokes sticking out of it, turns ever so in on Monday after a weekend on the Mead nicely they don’t ‘alf come up with some weird Lost at Sea * The Figurehead looks exactly like ideas. To stop them wasting my money my Mistress on useless inventions, please indicate if Should your vessel sink, here are some * That hull is so-o-o-o-o-o black you could ever contemplate buying any hints on filling in you’re your insurance of these “features” on your next purchase claim so that you will have enough money Naming from this shipyard to buy another vessel from us (courtesy of How did you choose the name for the * Heads which make ye filthy nightsoil Lloyds “Lutine-Bell Clangers”) vessel disappear from your view at the press of * I didn’t realise Icebergs came this * My son and heir a magic button far south * The last cabin boy * Winches which let you brace all yards * I turned hard to larboard with all * My mistress using only four sailors instead of 17 sails set into what I thought was my usual * A device for raising the anchor from berth, only to find a Manly Ferry already Ultimate disposal any depth just by pushing a button, while moored there When this vessel eventually becomes your crew relax in the sun enjoying an * But Wolf Rock is definitely not uneconomic to own (ha! you’ll notice ale. marked on my chart there’s no steam engine to wear out ! ) how * A device for stopping fresh meat from * I thought “Sow and Pigs dry at high do you propose to dispose of her. (Some going rancid on the long voyage from the water” was a warning that farm animals clown down in Whitehall claims he is the colonies rest here when swimming across the har- world’s first Envirotormentalist or some- * A device that allows your Mistress to bour here regularly thin’ and passed a law which forces us to dry her hair with a device the size of a be- * I painted this beautiful big Rainbow ask you this dumb question ) laying pin, rather than using a moths supply on her side and next thing I know there’s * Sell to the Government as a Prison of coal to stoke up a massive fire. a big explosion Hulk * I didn’t want to waste the owners * Wait until ebay is invented and describe Main use money loading useless rocks on board after her as a rust-free core structure moored in What will this vessel be mainly used I had unloaded all the cargo a serene bay with idyllic views for ? * I thought “Exxon Valdiz” would be a * Wait 130 years and sell her to a Mari- * Transporting poor souls to the colo- really exotic name for a coal carrier time museum in the antipodes for a gross nies * I was in the cabin with my Mistress profit of 7 million pounds * To take tourists out on day sails when I felt the earth move ….. * Sell to the Government as a Merchant * Transporting hopeful souls to the Navy Vessel goldfields C l a n M c C l e o d Wa r r a n t y. d o c

Full & By January 2009 25 A bit off-topic but an interesting holiday snap from John Spiers at Otago Heads, NZ

Genuine ancient mariner

26 January 2009 Full & By