Goofy, fun additions? (plus questions on flag etiquette, ratlines)

[wkwray]

Hello,

Just this summer I got a 25' Tanzer. I don't plan on racing it (its rating would be through the roof), so I plan on making it as fun of a cruising vessel for college kids like myself as possible. I get my racing fix on a J34 - I'm willing to sacrifice speed and beauty for fun on my boat.

I want to add ratlines for no purpose other than to make it look more like a pirate ship, and perhaps get a bosun's chair or harness just for fun. I'm working off a college kid's budget, so I was curious as to whether any of you had suggestions for a very cheap way to install ratlines.

I was also curious as to whether painting the hull all black would be a bad idea for any reason other than reducing resale value.

Where would I fly a pirate flag if I wanted to do so with proper flag etiquette? My guess is that I should do it on the backstay below an American flag. If I wanted it to be bigger and more of an eyesore, though, couldn't I fly it off the port shrouds or spreaders or something?

Please let me know if you have any suggestions for interesting, creative additions that don't require electricity. It's ok if they're an eyesore or are impractical for blue-water cruising. What would you do if you were a 20 year old who didn't worry about his boat being an eyesore?

[Sapperwhite]

Originally Posted by wkwray

I want to add ratlines for no purpose other than to make it look more like a pirate ship, and perhaps get a bosun's chair or harness just for fun. I'm working off a college kid's budget, so I was curious as to whether any of you had suggestions for a very cheap way to install ratlines.

I don't think there is an expensive way to put up rat lines . If you want some "shippy" ideas for your boat, drop $12 on a book called "The Marlinspike Sailor". It gives instruction on how to make ratlines, rope mats, rope fenders, and other old school sailing fun. Then, all you have to do is get your hands on some three strand and start ratlining the hell out of your shrouds.

The Marlinspike Sailor at Amazon

Another cool looking and actually functional idea would be baggy wrinkles. They are fluffed up old rope pieces that go around the shrouds in areas where the sail material touches. They look cool and protect the sail from chaffing the shrouds. The Marlinspike Sailor teaches you how to make baggy wrinkles. See..... baggy wrinkles:

[hellosailor]

"Where would I fly a pirate flag if I wanted to do so with proper flag etiquette?"

You wouldn't. Any member of a civilized society would have opened fire on a pirate ship and sunk it on sight.

[Stillraining]

If it were me Id find me a rigger and see if he will give you some old standing rigging off something else hes got lying around and run an extra set for the ratlines leaving your standing rigging unaffected and cobbled on. Cheap cable clamps and oak boards from free pallets will do the rest. Attaching it all is going to be the hard part.
FWIW your adding a lot of weight aloft and it will make your boat noticeably more tender me thinks....

But we only get to be kids once even though we may wear dippers twice..

[mwrohde]

Originally Posted by hellosailor

"Where would I fly a pirate flag if I wanted to do so with proper flag etiquette?"

You wouldn't. Any member of a civilized society would have opened fire on a pirate ship and sunk it on sight.

*rolls eyes*

He's doing it for fun. He's not /really/ a pirate, nor would anyone today likely confuse him for one. This is something that's pretty common place, and can be done without harm.

[capttb]

As mentioned there is no proper flag etiquette for flying a flag signifying you are an outlaw, might I suggest a first navy jack or other American historical flag ? As you may have guessed, many sailors REALLY dislike piracy and don't see the fun in flying their flag.

[RichNH]

Originally Posted by wkwray

Where would I fly a pirate flag if I wanted to do so with proper flag etiquette?

I was always under the impression that pirates didn't pay much attention to etiquette of any sort... :-)

[jjablonowski]

Add one (or several) of these:
Maybe paint on some gun ports.

[marinegirl405]

Where would I fly a pirate flag if I wanted to do so with proper flag etiquette?

"Proper" Flag etiquette has no place for a pirate flag / Jolly Roger. So your question is not possible to answer. (but that never stopped me before)

Flying such a flag is technically illegal, at least in some countries (e.g. the UK. However the US - where I presume you live and sail - does not seem to have any real flag "rules"). Wherever you are it still upsets some people. However if you are going to fly one, most people seem to fly high from the shrouds. If you fly it on the back, certainly NOT above the country flag. Note - you do not need to fly a country flag unless you leave your national waters, and you probably would NOT want to fly it in international waters - so you could simply fly it instead of the country flag.

As for a black Hull, no real problem with that... although if you sail in especially hot climates it will be a heat sink and may be unbearable to sleep in. Of course if you are sailing in more northerly waters that would be a benefit to soak up extra heat :-) I used to have a dark green Hull - dark hulls (well kept) look way better than white ones.

Whatever you do - have fun!

[poopdeckpappy]

SapperWhites suggestion on the book is a good one, we have one onboard and have made some cool stuff with this book as a referance, like a old school rope boarding ladder

Ratlines can be a simple as wooden (teak ) stock between the lower shrouds up to the speader, see these all the time,check out some other boats around to see how the secure them to the shrouds

As far as the pirate flag, don't pay any attention to the stuff shirts, fly it off your spreaders, fly it off your stern, it's a novality for christ sakes, doesn't make you a criminal