Flashing Rapier

General Information

The Flashing Rapier is a 16th Century English Private Man-of-War (Ship) Household based out of the Barony of Glymm Mere, in the Kingdom of An Tir. She was launched in 2001 when her Captain, William Richard Drake, moved to An Tir from Artemesia. The Flashing Rapier is run by Captain Drake with help from his wife Serena Zane, and his crew, which currently numbers around 28 members with a smaller core group of around 10 - 12 that is fully active. The ship started in the Shire of Rivers Bend, where some of the crew still reside, but moved to the Barony of Glymm Mere in 2009. The ship is modeled after the "race built galleon" type of ship from the late 16th century and she is the Flagship of William's fleet. The captain and crew strive to keep things in the household within the pre 1600 period. The crew itself reside in several branches from Dragon's Mist to Glymm Mere along the I-5 corridor.

The Badge of the Ship and Fleet, as well as William's personal badge. Fieldless, an eagle's head couped impaled by a rapier, argent.

Ship Specifications

The Flashing Rapier is a "race-built galleon" with 40 guns, mostly of the culverin and demi-culverin types ranged on two decks. She is 143 feet long from Stem to stern and 167 feet if the beakhead is included. Her keel length is 96 feet and she is 120 feet at the waterline. She has a 33 1/2 foot beam and a 13 foot draft and displaces around 1100 tons. She has four decks plus a fo'c'sul of one deck and a stern castle of two decks. She is equipped with four masts, mounting course sails, top sails and top gallant sails on the Fore mast and Main mast, and a lanteen sail on each of the Mizzen and Bonaventure Mizzen masts. She is constructed of Oak and Sapele wood in the hull, keel and support structure, with the castles and decking of sapele, beech and ash. Her sails and rigging are both woven of a heavy silk, reffited on a journey to the orient. She can travel between 3 to 11 knots fully loaded and has a cargo capacity of 12,000 hundredweight or around 600 tons. She was built and launched in 1579 after a very successful voyage on his previous ship allowed Captain Drake to build a new vessel.

The Flashing Rapier - An English Private Man-of-War built in 1579

Crew

Captain HL William Richard Drake

Captain’s Lady/Cabin Girl HL Serena Zane

1st Mate/1st Lt. /Master (XO) Robert Flood

2nd Mate/2nd Lt. /Master’s Mate Vacant

Adjutant Ethan Elders

Cabin Boy/Ship's Boy Dalton

Boatswain (Bosun) Vacant

Bosun’s Mate Ayden Kincayde

Yeoman of the Halyards and Jeers Set, Isolde van Lyt

Yeoman of the Sheets & Tacks Vaylen, Allen Kincayde

Coxswain (coxun) Vacant

Coxun’s Mate Vacant

Master Carpenter Vacant

Carpenter’s Mates Vacant

Caulker Vacant

Cooper Pete Siefer

Lieutenant Vacant

Corporals Vacant

Armorer Vacant

Mariners/Deckhands Amber Littlejohn, Boston, Bradamante Berta

Chief Musician HL Serena Zane

Swabber Vacant

Swabber’s Mate Vacant

Ship’s Herald HL Eglantyne Merryweather

Pilot HL William Richard Drake

Pilot’s Mate Isolde van Lyt

Quartermaster Alasdair Conner Drake, Isolde van Lyt

Quartermaster’s Mate Vacant

Cartographer Vacant

Master Gunner Frances Flood

Master Gunner’s Mate Lord Rune in Trygvy

Half Gunners Alasdair Conner Drake

Quarter Gunners Aine Ballach

Quartergunner’s Mates/Gun Captains Vacant

Gun Crew Vacant

Yeoman of the Powder Room Vacant

Powder Monkeys Lia, Riona, Mary Kate

Purser HL Kolfinna Knarrarbringa

Purser’s Mates Vacant

Metalsmith Lord Edmund Radcliffe

Metalsmith’s Mate Vacant

Clerk/Historian Vacant

Clerk’s Mate Helena, Lady Maridah du Gevaudan

Surgeon Elizabeth Kincayde

Surgeon’s Mates HL Serena Zane

Ship’s Corpsman Vacant

Corpsman’s Mate Orn Hakason

Galley Cook Lady Maridah du Gevaudan, HL Esme de Blacwatyr

Galley Cook’s Mates Vacant

Ship’s Brewer Lord Rune in Trygvy, Robert Flood

Steward Vacant

Steward’s Mates Vacant

Sailmaster Vacant

Sailmaster’s Mates Sorcha McLaughlin

Strategist Lord Rune in Trygvy