Royal American never owned the Pirate. Joe Noerper ( Archway Amusements) owned it. It came out of the 1984 New Orleans Worlds Fair. Joe had 2 Huss Pirates and the show owns a Chance Pharo's Fury. One of the Pirates was sold to a park in the American southwest a few years ago.
Joe put his Pirate in Ocean City Md. park ( Jolly Rogers I think) for a couple of years, it did well one year then not so well the next.
Joe was the driving force for getting Larry Davis's Giant Wheel in St. Louis' Forest Park this year for the 100th anniversery of the Worlds Fair. In a gesture of thanks, Larry Davis' son in law Dave Helms ask Joe to bring his Pirate out to the west coast this year and work with him, since Joe hasn't had any where to take it since RAS went off the road, and Jolly Rogers fell flat.
If any of you have any questions about the ride, I"ll be having lunch with Joe and his family this Thrsday and I'll be glad to ask him.
I hope that helps.
Scott