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She's a little before our time, but Suzanne took this coming in to Plymouth today.
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Attachment 59946
She's a little before our time, but Suzanne took this coming in to Plymouth today.
Weather permitting, two days from now we should be tying up just down from Old Ironsides.
Great to see these old ships reproed and actually sailing Dobbs.
You seem to have pole position for all these ships passing bye.
What a pretty picture she makes too.
Rob.
I grew up in Fairhaven Massachusetts, about 40 minutes away from Plymouth. I didn't have to go to Plymouth to see the Mayflower as it was brought to Fairhaven whenever it needed an overhaul. I was quite surprised the first time I saw it in the yard in Fairhaven.
We also have an old repro of Cabot's ship the Matthew in Bristol.
You can see it here in a post I made way back in 2015.
https://sailsofglory.org/showthread....hlight=matthew
Rob.
I look forward to coming to England at some point and seeing your historic ships, Rob.
We arrived in Boston today, sailing over the same waters wher and Chesapeake and Shannon settled their differences.
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Constitution as seen from our marina. Tomorrow we explore.
While we were in Plymouth we got to talk to a crewmember and apparently they take her to Mystic Seaport these days. She's looking pretty fresh off a recent refit.Quote:
Originally Posted by TwoSheets
It would certainly be great to be able to entertain you both over here in Blighty Dobbs.
Meanwhile i will just feast my eyes on your wonderful bit of history and dream of my next visit to the USA. whenever we can arrange it. Speedwell lass wants to revisit Willamsburg.
Rob.
Don't forget to post us a few more shots of your adventures up tne coast Dobbs. Boston is another of those places I have always wanted to visit.
Rob.
Exploring the Constitution, day 1:
Our first discovery was this mock-up of the lines to control a 24 pdr. I'm always impressed that the ring bolts for the breeching line don't pull through the ship’s hull.
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Establishing shots:
The stern
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Port Quarter - The main topmast had some rot and had to come down. The fore and mizzen t'gallants were unstepped because of rigging attaching to the mainmast. It was very interesting to see how they were storing the t'gallant masts vertical in front of their respective topmasts (I a pictureshowingthison day 2).
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The Captain's Cabin - it's fun to compare the scenes in "Master and Commander " to this. 1000 more tons gets you some more room.
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This is a great picture of the diagonal bracing that allows for a long ship with only one gundeck.
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This gives an idea of how reinforced the stern needs to be to handle the loads from the rudder. She does not have the lines run to her wheel here. Of interest are the numbers on the beam so that she can be steered from below deck with the relieving tackle if the wheel gets shot away (as happened fighting Java).
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After checking out the ship we wandered into the museum. It has a lot of interactive displays for young and old. Our favorite was a full size yard with sail attached hanging about 4 feet (1.25m) off the floor to allow folks to try their hand at furling a sail. Suzanne and I jumped at the opportunity and laughed ourselves silly while grabbing yards of canvas while balancing on the footrope. She got more gaskets tied than me.:surrender:
Day 2: On the first day, we learned from the crew that Constitution was going out for a turnaround the next day. They do this periodically to allow her to weather evenly. Unfortunately, this cruise was not open to the public. It was a thank you to Vietnam War vets. However, we were staying in the marina right next door.
Here she is returning from the turnaround and firing on a private vessel that offended her captain.
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Seriously, she's firing a 17 gun salute to the Coast Guard station. She only has 2 active guns but they must be breech loaders, because it was only about 10 seconds between shots.
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17 rounds makes a bit of smoke. It just goes to show that our use of cotton balls is pretty accurate.
After the fireworks, it was just a question of tucking her back in.
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All secure.
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Seeing the real ship up close and personal, I think Ares did a pretty fine job on their model.
very interesting and informative set of pholos Dobbs. A couple of attatchments are not showing up for me but otherwise all is great.
Rob.
I think it is worth adding these photos to your album Dobbs.
Rob.
I can't figure out how to do that from my phone.Quote:
Originally Posted by Bligh
You may need to save them from your phone onto your computer first.
I will ask my techii.
Rob.
Wow what a spot! Sometimes arriving by boat gets you the best parking spots.:happy:
I am amazed they are still working on the rigging. Must be another scheduled refit. I was onboard after last major overhaul and drydocking. I bought a pen in the store made from wood taken from the hull and I keeping telling myself it has a sliver of the original in it. :sly:
Prior to the last refit and of course COVID they had a lottery system for the annual turnaround, so a few members of the public could make it onboard. I hope they bring it back.
The museum has some nice artifacts including several swords and possessions of her wartime commanders.
Good timing. I live in Mass and have not seen a turn around yet. One of these years now that I'm retired...
There are some very historical artifacts around if you can get hold of them Eric.Quote:
Originally Posted by DeRuyter
I subscribed to the fund to get the SS Great Britain back to Bristol from the Falklands, and when they were replacing her deck, they were turning out door stops from the timber. In mine you can see a section of one of the cut nails used and the pitch line where the caulking ran.
Rob.
That's pretty cool about the Great Britain, Rob! I. K. Brunel is one of my heros.
Mine too Dobbs.
An outstanding engineer. if only the rest of the railway companies had adopted his 8ft gauge we would have a much smoother railway network and faster too.
Re the Great Britain. The first time I visited after it returned, it was just a shell, with chalk marks on the bulkheads showing where all the fittings, engines and drive shafts were going to be. Now it is fitted out just as it would have been on its maiden voyage.
Rob.