(click on image to return to Longshipco.org portal/home page)
Schedule
Schedule of Upcoming Activities and
Events 2024
Appearances/Demos/Gatherings
ListServ Info
T-Shirts For
Voyage Regulations
Voyages & Work Sessions
All dates and details should be confirmed through the LSCo
Hotline 301-390-4089 - note, this is a person's house, please don't call before
Email longshipco
AT hotmail.com for more information on all events
Current voyage schedule
The Sae Hrafn is out of the water for winter/spring maintenance - (See Work Sessons)
Great thanks to all of you who helped work on the ship last year and took part in the 2023 sailing season. .
December 9 2023 was the best December Saturday tide-wise for haul out, and the weather turned out wonderfully cooperative; 50s, sunshine, very light wind from SW. With a total of 8 crew we had enough people to cover all the vital tasks. Although running a bit later than high tide, the wind blowing water up the bay and creek helped us out. With additional ballasting of the rear of the ship, we avoided the usual struggle getting full forward on the trailer, so things went relatively quickly and smoothly. We got the ship back to Oakley and into the shelter with daylight to spare
June 1 - Tentative launch date for the 2024 season
-
INTERESTED IN COMING ALONG ON A VOYAGE?
Our typical voyage is a casual afternoon trip of a few hours, devoted to
developing ship handling skills, conducting archeology by experimentation, scouting
locations for future filming or other activities, and/or just enjoying the the water, sun, surroundings, wildlife, etc. while getting
some great exercise. Those guests physically able to do so are expected to help in
rowing and the general operation of the ship as needed. Depending on crew size, the weather, and other conditions, we may go out on the lower Potomac (or Chesapeake or Patuxent - depending where we are docked), or explore some of the nearer and more sheltered estuaries in the area. If you would like to take part in a voyage, we
welcome you to come along as a guest -- space and circumstances permitting.
Contact us to make arrangements and get the required information. There
is no charge. However, donations to the organization are most welcome, and enable us to maintain these unique historical and educational resources here in the mid-Atlantic region.
You can join our ListServ
which gets information on upcoming Longship Company
voyages, other activities and events, discussion of boats, etc., please visit the
for information or send an email to mailto:longshipco@hotmail.com
Work Sessions
Maintaining the ship is critical to the Longship Company, and participating in the work provides as much, or more, historical experience and insight as sailing and rowing on her.
WORK SESSIONS 2024 -- Dates and tasks are tentative depending on the weather. Check for updates on the listserve
Saturday April 27 - Work Session Some members will be at the SoMD Cekltic Festival, so we probably won't be attempting any major projects, and instead, replacing decking, touching up gloss finish on the ship and mast, working on oars, etc.
Saturday May 4 - Work Session Bottom painting and misc. work.
Saturday May 11 - Work session Raising the ship to do a minor repair on the keel guard and paint the bottom of the keel.
Saturday May 25 - Work Session Work on the shelter and final preparation of the ship for launch
Saturday June 1 - Launch
Gyrfalcon Refinishing Sanding and refinishing of the Gyrfalcon was started a couple of years ago. It needs to be completed. Although ideally that would be done in the shelter when the Sae Hrafn is in the water, much of the remaining work could be done in the open, just pulling the boat out in front of the barn. (There is a 10'x10' pop-up canopy frame in the barn, which could be set up in front of the barn with a tarp draped over it for shade and/or protection from rain - with the tarp perhaps extended back to the barn to give full coverage of the boat if need be.) Anyone interested in taking on this as a project, let us know - Two or even three people could comfortably work on the Gyrfalcon at a time, and would be sufficient to man-handle it around as needed
At home work projects We described some projects that people can work on at home via the listserve. Watch for updates.
June 1 thru November 30 - Hurricane season standby Should there be credible prediction of a hurricane or tropical storm hitting the region, an emergency work party will be scheduled to secure the ship, the shelter, etc. We usually have about a week's warning when forming Atlantic tropical storms and hurricanes first become potential threats to the Mid-Atlantic coast, and usually know with some certainty whether they will actually make landfall in this area about three days before they reach here.
Appearances/Demos/Gatherings/Events
April 27 - Southern Maryland Celtic Festival At Jefferson Patterson Park and Museum. Longship Company members will be there with the Gyrfalcon
May 25 - Tentative - Leonardtown Wharf We were invited to bring the Gyrfalcon to an event at Leonardtown Wharf, but it does not appear as if the event will actually take place
All dates and details should be confirmed through the LSCo
Hotline 301-390-4089 - note, this is a person's house, please don't call before
Email longshipco
AT hotmail.com for more information on all events
.
ListServ Info
If you are interested in joining our ListServ
which gets information on upcoming Longship Company
events, related events, discussion of boats, etc., please visit the
for information or send an email to mailto:longshipco@hotmail.com
Longship Company T-Shirts
Are available. $12 for
members, $15 for non-members plus postage. Email longshipco@hotmail.com for ordering
information.
All activities of the Longship Co., Ltd.,
including activities involving the Sae Hrafn or the Gyrfalcon, are at the discretion of the Board
of Directors. If you have any questions about specific events contact the
person(s) listed above, if you have something for the board, the newsletter, or
want more info on joining, please contact the board at the company email box LongshipCo@hotmail.com --- or call the
Longship Hotline at 301-390-4089 (Maryland, USA) for
more information.
VOYAGE REGULATIONS
While serving aboard Longship Company vessels you are expected to obey the following regulations:1. All crew (LSCo members and guests) and officers are expected to row if physically possible. Guests MAY be excused from this requirement.
2. Personal Flotation Devices (Life Preservers) are stowed under the thwarts. If you can't swim or are a poor swimmer, we strongly recommend that you wear one. If you are a good swimmer, be sure to keep it at hand. If you are below the age of 13, Maryland law requires that you wear one at all times. If conditions warrant it, you will all be ordered to wear them. The Mate will demonstrate how they are worn.
3. Please feel free to ask questions or request help from any officer or crew member.
4. In addition, we request that you report any danger or unusual occurrences that you may observe. We can't see everything all the time.
5. In the event that someone falls overboard, speed is of the utmost importance and their rescue shall take precedence over everything else. Shout "Man Overboard!" as loudly as you can and immediately throw a life vest, life ring, or anything that floats, towards them. Even if they are already wearing a life vest, additional flotation will still be useful. If they sink, it will mark the spot we need to return to. Under no circumstances should anyone else jump overboard, as we do not need to try to rescue two people at the same time. If you fall overboard, don't panic. We will be making maximum, and as speedy as possible, effort to retrieve you. And, in some of the areas where we normally take the ship, the water is less than five feet deep, meaning that a person can stand touching bottom with head above water.
6. We carry ample water aboard. Please avail yourself whenever thirsty, or in hot weather, even before you're thirsty.
7. Please keep one hand for yourself and one for the ship.
8. Ask permission before moving from your station.
9. Please ask permission if you want to use any ship's equipment.
10. Please do not litter. Trash will be stowed in designated places.
11. Never jump into any vessel. They are not built for it.
12. Orders will be given by the officers and will always be clearly indicated. Any sentence beginning with "I wonder what . . . " or "I think we should . . . " is a matter being considered and/or discussed, and NOT an order, so do not jump the gun and start the action before the actual order is given.
13. You are reminded you are on this voyage voluntarily. As such, you are responsible for your own safety. Please act prudently and responsibly in all situations.
14. There will be no smoking on this vessel.
15. The use of alcohol will be strictly controlled*, and at the discretion of the Captain.
16. The possession and use of any drugs not prescribed by your doctor, or any illegal substances, is forbidden. If any violation of this regulation is revealed, the vessel will return directly to port, and the authorities will be notified. The Coast Guard will seize any vessels with drugs aboard, and we wish to avoid that fate.
(*Out on the water in general, and especially on a crew-dependent ship like ours, consumption of alcohol even in moderate amounts can be dangerous. So, while alcohol is not absolutely prohibited in all cases, safety is paramount. When allowed, consumption of alcohol will be limited to amounts that will not affect performance and will not have any possibility of jeopardizing safety.)
(click on image to return to Longshipco.org portal/home page)