1848 Tops'l Schooner, the revenue cutter "Californian"

[mdavis41]

While I was visiting HMS Surprise over the weekend I was pleased to discover another reconstructed vessel, the 1848 tops'l schooner "Californian", the original used as a West Coast revenue cutter. Not Napoleonic, but as I'm making a few unrated vessels to augment my Ares fleet, I found many of the details on this schooner very helpful. I have posted more images on my Blog:

http://horseandmusket2.blogspot.com/...ue-cutter.html

As compared to say HMS Pickle, 8 x 12 pounder carronades, Californian has gun ports for 5 per battery, but only 4 brass guns currently mounted plus 2 swivels. The schooner sails every Sunday and does fire its guns apparently. I intend to return and sail in the Californian soon.

The masts and rigging look similar to a Napoleonic tops'l schooner. However the Californian is not flush-decked and has a small quarterdeck.

Californian has a gross tonnage of 130 tons, 93ft 6in deck length and 145 ft sparred length, beam of 24 ft and 9ft 5in draft.
Pickle had a tonnage of 127 tons, 73 ft length, 20 ft beam and 9ft 6 in depth in the hold.

[Nightmoss]

Nice shot. Really shows off the rigging quite well.

[7eat51]

Very cool, Michael. Nice photos on your blog. The one of the mast made me think of the discussion here on how to strengthen masts with the tube sticking a bit out of the hull. Thanks for sharing.

[DeRuyter]

Yes she is a nice ship. I have a crew shirt from Californianwhen she was on the East Coast for a big tall ship event. Sometimes crews swap shirts like footballers! She is similar in appearance to Pride of Baltimore, which is a replica of a Napoleonic era tops'l schooner, and Amistad. Although Pride does not have a quarterdeck. They are all of the "Baltimore Clipper" schooner design for fast coastal trading and of course privateering!