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.
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.
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