Shipcraft
 

 

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Rope Handling

Charting Position

Working in the Rig

Craftworks

Music
Although we do have some modern amenities onboard the replica Half Moon, we still sail and maintain our ship in much the same way Hudson's crew did in their day. Operating the Half Moon can require tasks that take the crew from the very top of the rigging right down to the bilge.

 
Rope Handling

We have nearly three miles of rope onboard the Half Moon, and every line performs a specific task. Thus, literally "learning the ropes" is one of the first and most central challenges for any new crewmember.

 

 

 
First, the new crew learns how to properly coil ropes and belay them securely on the pin rail, as Laila and Nora demonstrate above. It's a simple job but an important one. Coiling ropes clears them from the deck, preventing the formation of tangled piles that could otherwise snag people's feet or snarl nearby lines.

 
Now that the crew knows how to tidy the ropes, it's time to learn how to tie them. Like the lines themselves, there are scores of different knots a crewmember can learn, each one best suited to a specific role.

Students such as Nicole and Samantha (left) begin by learning the basics: the square knot, the sheet bend, and the bowline knot (and sometimes even the tricky one-handed bowline). These three knots can take a crewmember a long way.
Once they've learned how to handle the ropes, the crew needs to learn each line's role in working the sails. The students may not know a clew from a bunt from a sheet when they first come on board, but they're soon ably using the lines to set the sails, brace them to the wind, and much more.

 

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Charting Position

 

 

 
The student crew learns how to read charts of the Hudson River, even comparing our modern charts to those from the 17th century. With that knowledge in hand, students like Abel can find surrounding landmarks and use a hand-bearing compass (above left) to accurately triangulate the ship's current position.

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Working in the Rig

Some of the most thrilling opportunities onboard the Half Moon await high above its weatherdeck. Many crewmembers climb the rigging as part of their duties, whether it's to work the sails or just to rescue a snagged flag.

Safety is of utmost importance onboard the Half Moon. Before anyone -- including both students and adults -- is allowed to climb the shrouds (the black, ladder-like rigging to either side of the ship, above), they must pass a climb test. Under experienced crewmembers' close supervision, the new crew learns the proper methods of safely wearing and using a safety harness.

Above, you can see some of our new crew being escorted up into the rigging under the watchful eyes of Mr. Meilick, Ms. Oosterloo, and Mr. Mangrum, who are all making sure they keep every safety guideline in mind. To complete their climb test, the new crew are asked to hang from just their hands for a few seconds, giving them a feel for how much strength they need to support their own weight in case of an accidental slip.

 

Once crewmembers pass the climb test, they're qualified to work in the rigging.

Nora (above) may appear to be in a precarious position, but she's quite secure. She's heeding everything she learned in her climb test: Her safety harness is securely clipped in and she's obeying the three-point-contact rule: Out of two hands and two feet, at least three limbs must have a firm grip on support (such as the shrouds) at all times.

 
No one is required to climb the rig if they don't want to, but most crewmembers (such as Abel and Peter, right) jump at the chance.

Some crewmembers are leery of heights, but many still consider climbing the rig a personal challenge to be overcome, pushing themselves to climb up a bit higher each time.
Before they know it, climbers can find themselves standing more than six stories above the water, taking in breathtaking views of the Hudson River Valley as they help work the topsails or furl the sails (lashing them when they're not being used so the wind can't grab them).

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Craftworks

The Half Moon also requires constant upkeep to keep her sailing smoothly. In their off-hours, the crewmembers often grab needle and thread to make and repair various tools for use around the ship, just as Hudson's crew would have done.

Here, several crewmembers are making sturdy canvas buckets. Once they're complete, we can use these buckets to draw water from the river for deck washes or tie them to a running line and use them to quickly send tools, water, or other supplies up to crewmembers working in the tops.

 
Leathercraft also comes in handy. Here, Thanasi helps create a new sheath for a work knife. Once he finishes sewing this seam shut, he'll insert the knife and soak the sheath in water overnight. This shrinks and hardens the leather, fitting it to the knife's shape.

The leather straps you see the crew wearing on their hands are called palms. They work like thimbles, helping the crew comfortably push a needle through heavy material.

 

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Music

Of course, it isn't all hard work onboard the Half Moon. Just for fun, the crew joins in sing-alongs of a selection of sea shanties, including crew favorites like Drunken Sailor and John Kanaka. In the age of sailing ships, work songs like these helped coordinate crews while they performed complex tasks, such as working the capstan.

On this voyage, we were also treated to the presence of two full-fledged musicians, Mr. Zantkuijl and Mr. Weisse, who treated us to still more traditional tunes, such as the Dutch national anthem.

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