The brazen buccaneers search the seven seas for treasure.

Perched on the weather-beaten wooden deck below black sails waving in the wind, they scan the horizon.

The pirates are in luck. A ship lies ahead.

"Hand me my sword," says the younger corsair.

But the faint of heart need not worry, the privateers are 6 and 8½, the swords are plastic and the ship is actually a home playground.

While Zachary Doerr and his younger brother Jonah are consumed with how well suited the playground serves as their "ship," their parents, Tom and Lori Doerr of Butler Township are more concerned with safety for their boys.

Having two young children, plus having worked as attorneys and as a judge in Tom Doerr's case, the pirates' parents are glad the industry has taken steps to improve the safety of home playgrounds.

Peter Lindenberger, manager of the Lowe's in Moraine Pointe Plaza, said playgrounds used to be manufactured using pressure-treated wood. The chemical-laden wood, however, made it less than ideal for children to be around.

Lindenberger said children often lay their food down on the wood. If they then ate that food, there was a risk of ingesting chemicals. "That was a controversy," he said.

So for safety purposes, companies now manufacture playground sets with untreated cedar for the wooden parts.

Adam Curry, vice president of B.E.A.R. of Pennsylvania in Valencia, said cedar is naturally resistant to rot and decay, bug infestation and splintering.

"It completely makes sense," he said about the switch to cedar.

Tom Doerr has seen the potency of treated wood. After setting the lumber in his yard, it killed the grass it came in contact with.

Gary Pinkerton, director of Butler County Park and Recreation, said playground safety isn't an issue just for public parks.

He said people with playground equipment in their yards also should put in safety surfaces of wood mulch or shredded rubber underneath.

"That's definitely something that should be done," Pinkerton said.

The depth of the material, 8 to 12 inches, depends on the maximum height of the playground equipment. The higher the equipment, the deeper the surface.

Curry agreed that using a surface under a playground is beneficial.

The Doerrs opted to not go that route. Lori Doerr said chips are probably not the best surface to land on.

While the Doerrs did not select an artificial surface either, their playground sits on grass.

Lori Doerr said the playground is situated so children jumping off the swings won't land on the paved driveway.

Tom Doerr stressed a padded surface doesn't prevent every possible injury, particularly if the children aren't monitored.

The Doerrs put up the playground about four years ago. Lori Doerr said that was a prerequisite as far as she was concerned.

"You can't be home with two kids all day without something for them to do," she said.

Along with swings and a slide, the playground has monkey bars, a climbing wall and a sandbox.

A mesh screen covering an opening in the "ship's" roost is among the safety features.

Tom Doerr said the equipment gets a lot of use. In addition to Zachary and Jonah, the neighbor's grandchildren board the pirates' vessel as well.

"Nobody's been hurt on it," Doerr said.

While having a playground in the yard and an interior playroom, the Doerrs ruled out buying a trampoline for safety reasons.

The couple decided against it after talking with a dental surgeon who treated children with injuries sustained in accidents that happened when kids bounced into objects, such as other children's heads.

But Jonah and Zachary aren't worried about the possibility of artificial surfaces or untreated wood. They're just intent on raiding passing ships and busy seaports.

"We attacked two ships today," Zachary proudly boasted.

The blue soccer ball serving as a cannon ball sits close by for imminent launch.

A new target is found.

"I dropped the sails," Jonah tells his fellow pirate.

As the ship heads to port, the final call is made. "All ashore that's going ashore."