kilted sailors?

[KiltedMariner]

Greetings,

I am in search of some historical information. Can anyone place a kilt or kilts on American or British sailors prior to the year 1815?

Thank you,
Richard

[ThistleDown]

I strongly doubt there is any evidence, KM. Even the thought of being wrapped in yards and yard of wool and overboard in the briney makes me gasp for air.

[bluebonnet]

The only reference I've ever seen is the dress of a boy sailor circa 1800.. he was wearing a skirt like middy.

[sailortats]

I would seriously doubt that there were such a thing as kilted sailors prior to 1815. In those days ships were driven by the wind. In many of those ships, not all but many, the crew would have to go aloft to set the sails. Certainly not the place for the wearing of a kilt.
I have worn a kilt on a WWII Liberty ship tied up at a pier and just going up or down a ladder (stairway) kilted is an experienced not to be enjoyed. Going up or down an outside ladder should be avoided at all costs.

[Alan H]

I've actually climbed square-rigger standing rigging and furled a squaresail and I'm here to tell you that wearing a kilt up there is blitheringly stupid.

Which ship? The brigantine, Rendezvous...

[sailortats]

To give some of you non-sail folks an idea of what Alan and I have talked about, here is a pic of me (the one whose legs you can see) and others setting the lower topsail sail on board the ship Balclutha. I cannot imagine anyone doing this or wanting to do this in a kilt.


Technically speaking we are not actually setting the sail. It had been taken off the yard to do repairs to the yard and what we are doing is re-attaching the sail to the yard