Help Decide The Name Of S/v William Bligh's New Dinghy. Poll

[Robinsvoyage]

I picked up an 8'6" Zodiac type from West Marine today, it'll be propelled with an Evinrude 4 h.p. that used to be on my other boat, s/v Hard Knots.

I'm compiling the ideas others too, but am trying to decide by the end of the weekend.

Robin

[Kaptain von Klepper]

Fletcher Christian was my automatic response before I even saw your choices. I sort of like Pandora too, but more for a yacht itself. Putting the genie back in the bottle is sort of the same as trying to quit travelling/sailing once the bug has caught. I'm not sure many would make the connection between William Bligh and the HMS Pandora. Now if you could only find out what the crew members called the launch Bligh Captained back to civilization, that might also be a choice. Definitely go with Fletcher Christian.

[Robinsvoyage]

I've searched and searched for the name of the launch, and I'm bewildered... I don't think it had one! I only see it refered to as, "Bounty's Launch," even in offical text.. if anyone else knows, that was the first thing I wanted to find... but have failed.

Originally Posted by Kaptain von Klepper

Fletcher Christian was my automatic response before I even saw your choices. I sort of like Pandora too, but more for a yacht itself. Putting the genie back in the bottle is sort of the same as trying to quit travelling/sailing once the bug has caught. I'm not sure many would make the connection between William Bligh and the HMS Pandora. Now if you could only find out what the crew members called the launch Bligh Captained back to civilization, that might also be a choice. Definitely go with Fletcher Christian.

[Auzzee]

Hi Robin,

I seem to remember you were keen on archery...Therefore, I think 'Fletcher' is appropriate (aside from the Bligh/Christian connection)....Given your love for your feline offsider, what about 'Moggie'?

Cheers

David.

Interesting note. British naval seamen's hats traditionally bear only the legend 'HMS'...particularly up to and including the second world war. That way, dead sailors could not be identified to a ship which may or may not have been sunk. Having spoken just now to my father who is compiling a history of the ships upon which he served, he tells me the RN did not name their longboats, whalers etc to avoid nominating the ship to which they were attached when mounting raids. I therefore suggest Bligh's longboat (was it 18' or 23'...different histories: different specs) deliberately bore no identifying name or number save for an admiralty mark and the ever present white ensign.

DF

[MMNETSEA]

Hi Robin,

HMS RESOURCE A 34-foot schooner bought by Bligh in Coupang on Timor and armed with four swivel guns and a fourteen stand of small arms in order to defend against pirates. Bligh and the surviving loyalists sailed to Batavia in HMS Resource where it was sold together with the Bounty’s launch which they had in tow.

BATAVIA Now called Djakarta (Jakarta); city on the north coast of West Java. . .6º South x 106º 45 East.

Bligh arrived in Batavia on October 1, 1789, having sailed 1,800 miles from Coupang in Timor in the schooner Resource. He lost four men to the tropical fevers of this settlement (one died at sea on the homeward voyage).

NB. Coupang now called Kupang 10º 15' South x 123º 30' East The reported distance of 1800 miles appears to be inaccurate - 1100nm more likely.

I suppose as the 26ft launch which was previously the HMS Bounty's launch was now the HMS Resource's Launch when it left Kupang on tow by the Resource, and as launches were not named individually but merely as the HMS "XYZ"s launch.

Therefore Robin , you could call your dink "Resourceling" - "Resourceful" or just simply "William Bligh's Launch", to keep the protocol going.

Richard

P.S.

It is amazing what they could get on a 34ft Schooner and at the same time tow a 26ft launch. !!!!! Just think what size boats people want today.

[Robinsvoyage]

Wow you guys are smart. I was starting to lean towards Fletcher, but now I'm going to think the whole thing over again. Interesting to learn about the lone HMS on the hats of sailors in the RN... never realized that. The whole thing with not naming smaller vessels is a fact I missed during my own research.

OK.. I'll keep thinking about this... but one thing I want to stress is I feel uneasy having a boat with no name. I know, it's odd.

Robin

[Kaptain von Klepper]

Have you read Men Against the Sea by Nordhoff and Hall? Mutiny on the Bounty is a fairly easy read, quite informative and entertaining. It was my first "grown up"/over 350 pg book. I imagine Men Against the Sea which chronicles Bligh's smaller command will have a reference to the launch's name, even if fictitious. Sailor's can be a very sentimental lot and it is very doubtful the launch didn't have at least a nickname, -HMS Cockleshell?

[Robinsvoyage]

Originally Posted by Kaptain von Klepper

Have you read Men Against the Sea by Nordhoff and Hall? Mutiny on the Bounty is a fairly easy read, quite informative and entertaining. It was my first "grown up"/over 350 pg book. I imagine Men Against the Sea which chronicles Bligh's smaller command will have a reference to the launch's name, even if fictitious. Sailor's can be a very sentimental lot and it is very doubtful the launch didn't have at least a nickname, -HMS Cockleshell?

I never read "Mutiny on the Bounty," but have read the Biography of William Bligh and "What Really Happened on the Bounty," both of which when I lived out in Hawaii aboard Luana, my first boat. I'll pickup Men Against the Sea, however, as it sounds like you're endorsing it.

[Kaptain von Klepper]

I was just thinking, speaking of sailors being a sentimental lot, if Master and Commander has any accuracy to judge by, I remember all ot fhe guns having nicknames rather than just numbers... just a thought.

[MMNETSEA]

Perhaps, Admiral William Bligh might have a quiet smile at the suggestion that he was sentimental.

However, if not sentimental certainly superstitious ! :-

For sailors, it was unlucky:

* to name the boat with a word ending in "a"

* to have the bottle not break when used in the launch ceremony

* to change the name of a boat

[Kaptain von Klepper]

I didn't remember that Lieutenant Bligh ever made it to Admiral, but low and behold he did!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Bligh

Truly amazing considering penchant for mutinies and rebellions...