Also, what does all the different positions mean/what do the positions entitle, what do they do? Like, first mate, crew? And how would someone advance to a higher position?
2006-10-07 21:09:35 · 8 answers · asked by Anonymous in Cars & Transportation ➔ Boats & Boating
Ironically, on a pirate ship, there were NO real hierarchical ranks, because the Captain was ***Elected*** by the crew...and, in most cases, had an equal share of the spoil. In an era of oligarchy, these ships were the first (real?) democracies...
The only real "ranks" were due to specialized knowledge (pilot, gunner, etc) and advancement would come as a result of learning those skills (and showing them off during battle). Positions would be determined by who had learned those skills before they joined the pirate crew.
2006-10-07 21:27:41 · answer #1 · answered by blktiger@pacbell.net 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Captain
First Mate (Number One)
Second Mate
Ship's Surgeon (Doctor)
Quartermaster
Gunner (or Gunnery Officer)
On board a Ship, the Doctor has the same power as the Captain, except when the Ship is under fire.
Most savvy Captains were more than glad to share power with Ship's Doctors.
As to the Crew, there were:
Bo'suns and bo'sun's mates
mast hands ,rammast hands , fommast hands ,jibmast hands, and just hands.
Also Cooks, Sloppers, Chandlers,Salmakers. Ropers, and the occasional Cabin Boy.
Life on a floating city was never pretty.....Eat your oranges.
2006-10-08 04:39:24 · answer #2 · answered by d_cider1 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Pirates are not the most organized group of seafarers and thier organization would have more to do with the skills and abilities or each crewmember. Ship using a letter of Marquis from the British Navy would have roughly the same organization as any other ship of the line. Captain, First Officer, etc.
2006-10-08 10:42:13 · answer #3 · answered by Kenneth H 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well dear, Pirates by virtue of their vagabond status, did not always comply with the rank conventions of the Navy.
Not a great deal is know of how the 'rank' structure aboard pirate ships held up under pressure... but perhaps you were looking for a less serious answer such as:
1. Blackbeard
2. Black mustache and Goatee
3. Black sidewhiskers
4. Wispy 'bumfluff'
2006-10-08 10:56:06 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Vice Commander?
2006-10-08 04:16:51 · answer #5 · answered by Cat Commander 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They used the same system as merchant men. the captain then 1st mate, 2nd mate and 3rd mate then the specialized skills. mates 1-3 were in charge of a mast and it's crew. The fore mast belonged to the 1st mate as it was the most complicated to operate. 2nd mate had the main mast as it was simple but had a lot of sails but not as many as the fore mast . The 3rd mate had the mizzen mast this was the smallest and closest to the captain so he could see to the young mates education in handling mast and men. To advance usually someone would die. you could advance if you proved yourself knowledgeable and trustworthy and capable of handling more responsibility or you could just use the old fashion way suck up in a massive fashion.
2006-10-09 13:59:50 · answer #6 · answered by brian L 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Mates ! After 3 months at sea, they were all mates !
2006-10-08 08:46:00 · answer #7 · answered by sonny_too_much 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
arrrh they all smell the same
2006-10-08 04:19:17 · answer #8 · answered by martinmm 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋