Pirates and Eyepatches

[Gustavo]

We should read -- some of us, read again ... -- Treasure Island

R L Stevenson did make his trips around the world, so, his novel must be quite efficient, even being a fictional writing.

I'm still about to order it in English. I have a version in Portuguese, but I hate to read translations from English to Portuguese.

CONCERNING EYEPATCHES

It could still be some sort of protection against unexpected powder accidents , but I doubt it : we would have account on this, as a naval warfare tecnique. Therefore, it isn't to prevent injury, but to cover injury.

I also don't believe that it has anything to do with light "tricks" on sea: if it was so, it would be more ancient than this, back from Renaissance, Romans, Greeks & Phoenicians. Therefore, it's to do with powder, & with powder accidents ...

And there's Cachalote's eyewitness of light at sea, during the night, too.

Concerning a trick to go below deck, I don't know, Martin, but it doesn't sound like a procedure for same reason : we would have account on this.

I am very inclined to the hypothesis of the powder accidents, BUT every hypothesis is a hypothesis until proved or refuted, once taught me a Law student, to whom I used to teach some Latin (...).

Gus

[macgayver]

lol

this is fun reading

my opinion , think the pirate is missing a lot

an eye , a hand , a leg 

 

I had few times an eye-injury because of work

I can tell you , wearing an eyecab is not so funny
you loose debtside , is funny (mostly for others ) when you grab for something and you miss 
and driving a car is not that easy too 

wonder how pirates managed to shoot straight

on other hand , most people close one eye when schooting a gun

  

I need holidays 

[CountBogro]

.... on other hand , most people close one eye when schooting a gun ...

bugger! That's what I've been doing wrong. I always closed both eyes and then managed to shoot the referee  I haven't been allowed the shoot anymore  ...

Bogro

[cachalote]

just to let you all know, and after trying it in a sailing boat off-shore, THERE IS NO NEED TO WEAR AN EYE-PATCH. 

none of the possibilities that everyone has come-up with is true.
an eye-patch serves no purpose aboard, day or night.

o.k., people can find it to be a cool look (and that can be useful aboard, depending on your company and your intentions) but that's all.
i guess it's a bit like having a duelling scar if you are a studebt in heidelberg - it gives you "status".

[CountBogro]

Besides, if it was so helpfull (one way or the other) then why didn't everyone wore one.
And, as far as I know, Nelson only wore one to cover the place where once his eye used to be 

Bogro

[Martin Milner]

Besides, if it was so helpfull (one way or the other) then why didn't everyone wore one.
And, as far as I know, Nelson only wore one to cover the place where once his eye used to be 

Bogro

Nelson never wore an eye patch, that's a myth or misunderstanding. He had lost the sight of one eye, but the eye itself was still intact.

http://www.forteantimes.com/strangedays/mythbusters/356/lord_nelsons_eyepatch.html

[Gustavo]

just to let you all know, and after trying it in a sailing boat off-shore, THERE IS NO NEED TO WEAR AN EYE-PATCH. 

none of the possibilities that everyone has come-up with is true.
an eye-patch serves no purpose aboard, day or night.

o.k., people can find it to be a cool look (and that can be useful aboard, depending on your company and your intentions) but that's all.
i guess it's a bit like having a duelling scar if you are a studebt in heidelberg - it gives you "status".

 

Giro, pá!*, or, as we say in Rio: manêro!!* Ye actually did it!


*Cool!!!

Besides, if it was so helpfull (one way or the other) then why didn't everyone wore one.
And, as far as I know, Nelson only wore one to cover the place where once his eye used to be 

Bogro

The question, Bogro, would be more like "why do (most) everyklicky wears one?" ...
The deeper question would be "why every Hollywood pirate movie had at least one man who wears it?"

It is expected that a few men of the sea would wear an eyepatch, because, specially in war vessels, there's lots of wood cracking all around, when powder exploded.

What hasn't been mentioned by Hollywood is that most of these guys would end up in the ship's kitchen ...

About (most) every klicky wearing an eyepatch, it's the old "problem": it's "toy for children", and children will like pirates better if they look weird & odd ... We have to deal with it, and change heads.

(That's my two pennies )

Gus

[CountBogro]

I guess that's the same question as "why do (nearly) all the vikings wear horns on their helmets even though there's no evidence of them ever having worn them?". And I guess the answer is the same.

It's public view that they have them and therefore to create a perfect recognisable stereotype of the figures they get them. If they had them or not is irreleveant. They get them nonetheless ...

[Gustavo]

& The "educational toy" concept goes to ... somewhere bad to say.

It's their reputation at stake, not ours!

Let them do whatever they want! We're only collectors

It's a good stand to me. I'm right, they're wrong. I have nothing to do with the fact that they're wrong. &C. (...)

Gus

[Indianna]

& The "educational toy" concept goes to ... somewhere bad to say. . . .

Many people seem to be bothered when Playmobil toys are not historically accurate, but I don't think that Playmobil is meant to be educational in the sense of teaching about history.  It is meant to stimulate the imagination and involve children in creative play that encourages them to create stories and adventures.  This type of activity promotes development of motor skills, language skills, creativity, etc. 

The lack of historical accuracy can be a teaching tool in itself.  When a child plays with a Playmobil pirate, the adult play partner can say, "You know, not all pirates wore eye patches and hats with the skull and crossbones . . . "  Or, when playing with an American Indian klicky, the adult can say, "There were many different native peoples in North America before Europeans arrived . . . "  Or, if playing with Romans, "Look how I have customized 1000 klickys into a perfectly accurate Roman Century . . . "  (at which point the child runs screaming from the room!)    (No offense intended, Martin!)

-  Anne