David Stevens wrote in the other day and somehow his question was lost. Here’s his question and my reply:
“i saw parts of the hull frames being replaced and would like to know how were the frame parts attached to one another? were the frames sistered and attached to one another to form one double frame. How were the ends of each part attached to another? Is it possible each frame section was held in place by the planking ?”
Reply:
The frames are in fact held in place by the inner & outer planking. Unlike many boats where the futtocks are joined to each other side-by-side in a brick-laid fashion to create one solid frame, the whaling boat frames went up the hull, end-to-end with few if any fastenings at these butt joints. The height of the butts was staggered so that there were never two butts at the same level next to each other. We ran into the problem of having too many frames end at the same level at one point in our planking and had to replace a number of good frames so that the spacing worked out. The space between frames is often just a few inches, so the net effect of having one butt joint near the middle of the frames next to it is very much like having normal futtocks joined to each other. The payoff, from the builder and owner’s perspective, is that this type of construction is less fussy and can proceed more quickly than the standard joined futtocks.
What of the Morgan’s ironwork. Does the original ironwork survive to be used? What is the extent of remaining work to be done on the ships ironwork? And if their is still ironwork to be made are you fabricating it or forging it traditionally out of wrought iron?
Many of the ship’s original chain plates still survive and we’re keeping as many as is feasible. There are a variety of pins and metal attachments that go on the bowsprit that we’re still using as well. It’s hard to find wrought iron, but we were lucky to get a number of old 3/4″ diameter wrought iron rods from old tiger cages. We use that as much as possible. I’m not sure of the source for the iron making up the replacement chain plates though, it’s thicker than 3/4″. I’ll have to get back to you on that.
The new chain plates are made with 1 1/4″ steel instead of wrought iron. We can’t find wrought iron in the lengths that we need; it’s just not made anymore.
I hope so. I know that the video crew has been coming by regularly and our documentation department has been taking photos throughout the entire project.
when the ship sails , is only crew onboard? Can any one sign up to be a crew member? When the ship sails to these ports ,or you going to have like a first day cover stamp for the occasion
Hi Richard,
There will be both regular crew and guests on board. As you can expect, a lot of people would love to be on board and I’m not sure exactly what the procedure is for getting your name on the list. I’ll get back to you on that.
Love the stamp idea. Something old like a woodcut or etching would be awesome.
Tom
Hello Tom;
I am a ‘traditional’ ship’s sailmaker and am consequently interested in the Morgan’s sails. Any update,especially on the materials used and whether sewn by machine or hand,would be much appreciated.
Many thanks,
Philip Rose-Taylor.
Hi Phillip,
Nat Wilson & Sons from Maine will be making the sails, but I don’t know what material they’ll be using. I can almost guarantee they’ll be machine sewn, but I’ll check on that as well as the fabric.
Tom
Morning,
The rule of thumb I use for eight siding is a ratio of 7-10-7. There is a tiny bit of fudging here. 7-10-7 is rounding off the formula for a right triangle of the two equal sides squared equals the hypotenuse. So its making 7 squared pus 7 squared equals 10 squared. 49 + 49 = 100.
They used to make rules with E and M scales on them which stands for edge and middle. The E would be 7/24 of the diameter measured from the edge of the 4 sided timber. The M would be 5/24 of the diameter measured from a center line. I have rules supposedly from the early 1700′s with a form of these scales. The funny thing is 7-10-7 adds up to 24 so a two foot rule canted can be used to mark of the 8 siding. That is how I do it. Instead of E and M markings the English rules with this scale are marked 8 square.
To 16 side I find the ratio of 1-2-1 is close enough, at least on spars up to 16″ which is the biggest I’ve done. I take a scrap wood as long as the biggest facet from the eight siding and divide it into 1-2-1.
I hope this as been clear. Rob
It is so good to see another piece of history from the great age of sail about to do what it was intended: sailing! Everyone in Mystic can be justifiably proud.
We’ve been following the Morgan on FB and just came across this blog. We are planning to travel to RI next year to see her when she docks there. Very exciting. Thanks to all for this huge undertaking to restore this important piece of American History!!
Oh wow, I just noticed something else… I see planks thru the red paint. I must have missed this back in the blog… did you all remove all the old copper plating? I don’t see any plating anywhere… and if you’re getting ready to put her in the water, then is she not going to have the copper plating anymore?
Correct, we’ve plated the keel only this time around, relying instead on bottom paint to protect the wood. The plating is prohibitively expensive, and it means that any recaulking requires removing the layer of plating and the pine sheathing that goes between it and the hull.
Tom,
Thank you! If they’re now part of her now, then I will definitely add them to my paint scheme. But this leads me to one more question, if I may. From what I can see on the photo they go as high as 12… Do they go any higher, and if so, what’s the last number up?
Thanks again… watching the restoration blog has been great fun, and also a great help on my model. Just wish I wasn’t so far away (I live in Florida) or I’d come visit
So far the numbers only go up to 12. There’s room on the sternpost for higher numbers and it’s likely that we’ll add more to go up to the waterline there. 12 is just below the waterline at the bow.
I have a question. I am building a model of the Charles W. Morgan, and I was curious about the numbers painted up the stem. I assume they’re to measure the depth of the ship…. so my question is, are they permanent? If so, I’ll adjust my paint scheme accordingly and add them.
Thank you, have fun, and keep up the great work!!!
Hi Jim,
The numbers are lead, and applied with fasteners, so for all intents and purposes they are permanent parts of the boat. They were not on the original boat, however, so you may want to consider that when finishing your model. -Tom
Entertaining post. Thanks! The obsession with “gossamer shavings” cracks me and my fellow amateur woodworking friends up like crazy. We were joking that LN and others use shavings on planes like Sports Illustrated uses beach sand on swimsuit models! You are right. Some times the actual wood we work on can make us stop in our tracks and just stare. Any way, as a hobby wood worker and someone who actually read Moby Dick twice, keep up the good work and enjoy!
I am from Texas and will be visiting Mystic Seaport sometime between July 9 and July 13. Will the Charles Morgan whaler be available to see? I understand from the blog it will be under the last phase of restoration and will be launched July 21. Was the restoration done by volunteers?
Hi Ken,
At that time the ship will be on the lift dock and should be open to the public. At the very least, visitors will be able to walk around it, but we’re building a stair tower to allow visitors to come aboard as well.
The restoration has been a group effort involving volunteers & paid staff. The bulk of the work that typically is identified as Restoration is done by paid staff (removing planks, spiling, cutting and installing new planks for instance), but there is a HUGE amount of necessary work that is done by volunteers as well. Less obvious tasks like scraping, sanding and painting are led by volunteer groups, for instance. The volunteers also perform countless support tasks that make it much easier for the paid staff to do their jobs.
Tom
This is a cool post! What progress you all have made. I cannot wait to be one of the many who will welcome the Morgan back to New Bedford in 2014. I loved the comment “The look is positively yachty” about how the ship looks after a coat of linseed oil. I only wish there were space on board (surely I’m not alone in that sentiment).
I live in Sydney, Australia though I originate from New Zealand
I am envious of those who are working on this wonderful project. Whilst attending a conference at Boston in 1997, I took a special trip to Mystic Seaport and was delighted by the Morgan.
I built my own wooden yacht 20 years ago and have since circumnavigated, half of it solo and thus appreciate well the skills and dedication that those who work on restoring this ship. I only wish that I lived closer to be able to lend a hand.
Thankyou for keeping history alive.
Regards
Peter Hendra
Hi Peter,
Thanks for writing, we’ll make sure we have lots of photos of her sailing after all the work is done. We’ve got a year of rigging to go, after the launch this July, so there will be many more updates as time goes by.
And congratulations on your own shipbuilding and circumnavigation! Who designed your boat?
Beautiful work. Interesting to see the techniques you’ve developed to bend and fit the planking; also the importance of the detailed patient work of scraping old paint and priming the seams.
Looking at the size and spacing of those frames, I wonder, how was a whale ever able to sink the Essex?
Hi Daniel,
It’s true, these ships are built like tanks. However, so are sperm whales… When the sailors talked about feeling the blows from the whale shaking the whole ship, it speaks to their tremendous power. I can see how, if the whale hit the stem / keel joint from the side at just the right place that it might open up a seam there. Doing a post-mortem on the wreck would be really interesting…
As the great granddaughter of Captain John M. Tinkham, I have visited Mystic Seaport many times over many years. It has been exciting to watch the wonderful development of the village and the expanding number of vessels preserved along the waterfront. We have watched the continued efforts to preserve this unique and only remaining example of a time gone bye.
It has been a special experience to see the actual work being done through the written and photographic updates provided by the Seaport. The craftsmen of the team will have used their knowledge and special skills to bring this ship back to her proud heritage for many to know years into the future. Congratulations to all – a wonderful job!
I am looking forward to the launching in July and seeing her once again sail into my hometown of New Bedford in 2014.
Thank you so much for writing, Nan. I hope you’ll make it to the launching! We should have a section in the stands just for relatives of captains and crew… there are so many people we’re meeting who’ve been directly associated with this ship, it’s really amazing and cool.
Hey Ben, great to hear from you!
It’s true, the sheathing looks incredible. It’s a shame that only the fish will be able to appreciate it. In the old days, the whole boat was sheathed up to the water line. These days we a) can’t afford to do it and b) want easy access to caulking seams.
I first visited the Charles W. Morgan in 1964 as a cadet in the Coast Guard Academy. What an amazing job of reconstruction you are doing! I particularly wanted to thank you for the extensive chronicle you have created of the work. Your comments and pictures are so good that I feel as if I was there watching the work. Best regards to all. Can’t wait to see her under weigh again.
I can smell the sawdust and linseed oil all the way to Missouri! The Morgan looks wonderful. Quick question: Do you refer to the ship as a “she” even though she has a man’s name? Keep up the great work–cannot wait to see “her” sail again.
Yep, all boats get the feminine pronoun, even the USS Admiral Nimitz! Thanks for following this restoration, and be sure to visit if you’re in the neighborhood.
You all are doing such a wonderful job on restoring such a historic ship. Whale Hunt and Capt. Haley, along with all the rest, are with you in spirit. What a project to coordinate. Great Job!!!
I am truly amazed with all the hard work that has been going on over the past two years I have been watching, both at the Seaport visiting and here on line. It will be a wonderful day when the Morgan is sailing in the ocean once again. All the best!!!
Thanks Paul, it’s been a long steady project, and we’re lucky to have Rob project managing this. Of course, the crew is one of the best group of folks I’ve ever had the privilege to join. Just tons of talent both in building and in working as a team.
I am constantly impressed with the work your doing with the MORGAN.
I am a board member of the Bourne Historical Society, MA
The Morgan I am Told will be the Lead Ship, through the Cape Cod Canal. This will be for the Canals 100 Birthday. Same as the Panama Canal.
I can not thank you enough for the wonderful photos and narrative. My relocation to North Carolina in 2005 from Chaplin, CT was by family mandate. I hugely regret and miss my too short time volunteering at MSP shipyard. I especially enjoyed working on ANNIE and AMISTAD and many other projects.
Scott, Walter, Kevin, Quentin and Danna are always on my mind;
praying especially for safety each day. My activities with the Coast Guard and Coast Guard Auxiliary here in NC are never boring. Best regards to all. William (Bill) Gerdsen
Does the trunnel go into a blind hole? Is it wedged on the inside? I see that the trunnel is tight on the outside. What keeps it tight on the inside so that the plank stays firmly attached to the frame or first layer of planking? Thx for great pictures!
The holding power of the trunnels comes from their swelling as they get damp. We size them very carefully to go in hard when they’re dry, and it doesn’t take a lot of moisture to swell them up. Some people have done double-wedged trunnels, where a wedge is put on the inside end of the trunnel, and then this wedge is driven home when the trunnel bottoms out. That’s a lot of work and we don’t really see the gain. This is quite apparent when we remove original planks. Even though the planks are long and heavy, they stay attached to the boat until we cut the very last trunnel holding them in place. After 170 years, that’s pretty impressive.
Folks,
I work at SF Maritime NHP where we have been doing similar work on the schooner C.A. Thayer. We found that a lot of her knees were able to be re-used.
Thanks for the note Charles. My dad used to teach at Southwestern at Memphis (now Rhodes College) right across the street from the zoo, and I also remember visiting back when the cat house was just a big, loud ugly building. It’s been good to have had a hand in repurposing these bars.
-Tom
I’m from Memphis and I remember those tiger cages! The old Cat-house was an awful place… it smelled horribly and was depressing to see those majestic creatures cooped up in such a small grim environment.
The structure itself is still there and is now an over-priced concession stand.
I’m thrilled that land-locked Memphis could make a contribution that will help hold the Charles Morgan together.
What week or day in July of 2013 will you be re launching the Charles W. Morgan after it’s restoration. Would like to know so I can plan on being there that day for a most historical event.
Glad to hear you faired. Well.I worked at the museum in 98.we had to get ready for Floyd when I was there amistad was just being built I helped raise some frames.Doug butler still at the shipyard.? Tell him I said hi, I sure miss that place hopefully. I can come for the boat show next year take care…
paul
This is an excellent post, gives a wonderful flavor of just how massive and complex (did I mention expensive?) this project is, and is a credit to the museum’s web outreach. Very well done!
–sb
Fascinating! What a great job you at Mystic Seaport to restore the Morgan! Really looking forward to the day she sails again!!! Can’t wait to get aboard her some day!
Keep up the great work!
Are you going to make a video of the restoration when it is done, so the public can buy it. And where is the ship going to sail to ? IT would be great to have a first day cover stamped on her sail,after so many years.
A video is being made, but I’m not sure what will be done with it. It may end up being just for documentation. I know at least one person is making an independent video, but I’m not sure when it will be done and how much it will cover.
As far as the sailing schedule goes, the plan is to take her to major past whaling ports like Nantucket and Gloucester. I’d imagine that this schedule is still being worked out.
What is a first day cover? I’m not familiar with that…
Tom
Hi Jacqueline,
The seaport has many many opportunities for volunteering. In fact, volunteers are absolutely critical to just about every aspect of the museum’s operation. On the Morgan, we have people helping with painting, prepping, salting in between frames, all kinds of things. Probably the best place to start is on the volunteer page here. Wednesday is the main day that volunteers help out at the shipyard, and you can come by and chat with them about what kinds of things they do. That might give you a good idea about the kinds of things you could expect to be doing.
Thanks for your interest!
Tom
Tom:
I understand that you are coating the planks with Linseed oil to keep them from drying out. Can you comment on this choice as opposed to red lead? Thanks.
Hi Denny,
You’re right, the linseed oil is strictly for slowing down the planks’ inevitable drying out while the boat is out of the water. We’re trying to minimize plank shrinkage and checking. The red lead is most often used as a way to slow rot in a boat, so it’s painted on the faying (mating) surfaces of wood parts, such as where the planks rest against the frames. It’s also often used in places where the boat is continually damp, like the bilge. It’s very toxic stuff and kills just about anything it comes in contact with. You could make the case that painting the inside faces of the planks is a good way to slow down moisture transfer, but the cost of doing this is
1) expense and time (red lead paint is Very expensive)
2) the steaming process will cause much of the paint to release, thus negating it’s effectiveness
3) it’s not historically accurate
4) The salt from the salt shelves does a good job of preserving the wood without the paint.
We wouldn’t paint the outside of the planks with red lead to slow down the drying because we plane the outer plank faces to fair them, and that would spread highly toxic lead all over the place. It would be a nightmare to contain.
We’re not using red lead on the frames to address future rot issues during this round of restoration, I think because of the expense, lack of historical accuracy, and because we’ve found that the salting seems to do a very good (and non-toxic) job of preserving the wood. I’ll check in with Rob and Quentin to verify that as well.
David Stevens wrote in the other day and somehow his question was lost. Here’s his question and my reply:
“i saw parts of the hull frames being replaced and would like to know how were the frame parts attached to one another? were the frames sistered and attached to one another to form one double frame. How were the ends of each part attached to another? Is it possible each frame section was held in place by the planking ?”
Reply:
The frames are in fact held in place by the inner & outer planking. Unlike many boats where the futtocks are joined to each other side-by-side in a brick-laid fashion to create one solid frame, the whaling boat frames went up the hull, end-to-end with few if any fastenings at these butt joints. The height of the butts was staggered so that there were never two butts at the same level next to each other. We ran into the problem of having too many frames end at the same level at one point in our planking and had to replace a number of good frames so that the spacing worked out. The space between frames is often just a few inches, so the net effect of having one butt joint near the middle of the frames next to it is very much like having normal futtocks joined to each other. The payoff, from the builder and owner’s perspective, is that this type of construction is less fussy and can proceed more quickly than the standard joined futtocks.
What of the Morgan’s ironwork. Does the original ironwork survive to be used? What is the extent of remaining work to be done on the ships ironwork? And if their is still ironwork to be made are you fabricating it or forging it traditionally out of wrought iron?
Many of the ship’s original chain plates still survive and we’re keeping as many as is feasible. There are a variety of pins and metal attachments that go on the bowsprit that we’re still using as well. It’s hard to find wrought iron, but we were lucky to get a number of old 3/4″ diameter wrought iron rods from old tiger cages. We use that as much as possible. I’m not sure of the source for the iron making up the replacement chain plates though, it’s thicker than 3/4″. I’ll have to get back to you on that.
The new chain plates are made with 1 1/4″ steel instead of wrought iron. We can’t find wrought iron in the lengths that we need; it’s just not made anymore.
Are they going to have a DVD for sale of the restoration of the ship and also when the ship sails to other ports?
I hope so. I know that the video crew has been coming by regularly and our documentation department has been taking photos throughout the entire project.
when the ship sails , is only crew onboard? Can any one sign up to be a crew member? When the ship sails to these ports ,or you going to have like a first day cover stamp for the occasion
Hi Richard,
There will be both regular crew and guests on board. As you can expect, a lot of people would love to be on board and I’m not sure exactly what the procedure is for getting your name on the list. I’ll get back to you on that.
Love the stamp idea. Something old like a woodcut or etching would be awesome.
Tom
Excellent photos and commentary on Mast & Spars. Great video on the Atlas beast!
Very informative all around. Keep it coming.
Hello Tom;
I am a ‘traditional’ ship’s sailmaker and am consequently interested in the Morgan’s sails. Any update,especially on the materials used and whether sewn by machine or hand,would be much appreciated.
Many thanks,
Philip Rose-Taylor.
Hi Phillip,
Nat Wilson & Sons from Maine will be making the sails, but I don’t know what material they’ll be using. I can almost guarantee they’ll be machine sewn, but I’ll check on that as well as the fabric.
Tom
The sails will be cotton. I wouldn’t be surprised if there’s some synthetic incorporated for strength though.
Morning,
The rule of thumb I use for eight siding is a ratio of 7-10-7. There is a tiny bit of fudging here. 7-10-7 is rounding off the formula for a right triangle of the two equal sides squared equals the hypotenuse. So its making 7 squared pus 7 squared equals 10 squared. 49 + 49 = 100.
They used to make rules with E and M scales on them which stands for edge and middle. The E would be 7/24 of the diameter measured from the edge of the 4 sided timber. The M would be 5/24 of the diameter measured from a center line. I have rules supposedly from the early 1700′s with a form of these scales. The funny thing is 7-10-7 adds up to 24 so a two foot rule canted can be used to mark of the 8 siding. That is how I do it. Instead of E and M markings the English rules with this scale are marked 8 square.
To 16 side I find the ratio of 1-2-1 is close enough, at least on spars up to 16″ which is the biggest I’ve done. I take a scrap wood as long as the biggest facet from the eight siding and divide it into 1-2-1.
I hope this as been clear. Rob
Nice, thanks Rob. Robert Kipping’s 1853 “Masting and Rigging” also advises builders to use the 7/24 and 5/24 measurements.
That is one really fine piece of wood you’ve selected for the mast; and a beautiful job of shaping it! Nice going! Thanks for sharing the photo.
It is so good to see another piece of history from the great age of sail about to do what it was intended: sailing! Everyone in Mystic can be justifiably proud.
thanks for the great pictures
Thank you for the superb work done! Keep up good spirits for next 12 months
We’ve been following the Morgan on FB and just came across this blog. We are planning to travel to RI next year to see her when she docks there. Very exciting. Thanks to all for this huge undertaking to restore this important piece of American History!!
Thanks for the update!! you folks are amazing!!
Thank Whomever that there are still such talented shipwrights avail to do such amazing work. We are all lucky for your talents and dedication!
OK, wow… thanks! I’ll have to think about how I’m going to paint mine now.
Have un!!!
Oh wow, I just noticed something else… I see planks thru the red paint. I must have missed this back in the blog… did you all remove all the old copper plating? I don’t see any plating anywhere… and if you’re getting ready to put her in the water, then is she not going to have the copper plating anymore?
Correct, we’ve plated the keel only this time around, relying instead on bottom paint to protect the wood. The plating is prohibitively expensive, and it means that any recaulking requires removing the layer of plating and the pine sheathing that goes between it and the hull.
Tom,
Thank you! If they’re now part of her now, then I will definitely add them to my paint scheme. But this leads me to one more question, if I may. From what I can see on the photo they go as high as 12… Do they go any higher, and if so, what’s the last number up?
Thanks again… watching the restoration blog has been great fun, and also a great help on my model. Just wish I wasn’t so far away (I live in Florida) or I’d come visit
So far the numbers only go up to 12. There’s room on the sternpost for higher numbers and it’s likely that we’ll add more to go up to the waterline there. 12 is just below the waterline at the bow.
Good question, I’ll get back to you on that.
I have a question. I am building a model of the Charles W. Morgan, and I was curious about the numbers painted up the stem. I assume they’re to measure the depth of the ship…. so my question is, are they permanent? If so, I’ll adjust my paint scheme accordingly and add them.
Thank you, have fun, and keep up the great work!!!
Hi Jim,
The numbers are lead, and applied with fasteners, so for all intents and purposes they are permanent parts of the boat. They were not on the original boat, however, so you may want to consider that when finishing your model. -Tom
Congratulations on the incredible milestone! It’s been great to follow the project from the beginning. Keep up the good work!
Entertaining post. Thanks! The obsession with “gossamer shavings” cracks me and my fellow amateur woodworking friends up like crazy. We were joking that LN and others use shavings on planes like Sports Illustrated uses beach sand on swimsuit models! You are right. Some times the actual wood we work on can make us stop in our tracks and just stare. Any way, as a hobby wood worker and someone who actually read Moby Dick twice, keep up the good work and enjoy!
nice work guys an gals wish I could have been there ohelp with the finish she looks beautiful go team woooow!!!!!!!!
Thanks Bob! Send us fishing pix from up there in the frozen wilderness.
I am from Texas and will be visiting Mystic Seaport sometime between July 9 and July 13. Will the Charles Morgan whaler be available to see? I understand from the blog it will be under the last phase of restoration and will be launched July 21. Was the restoration done by volunteers?
Hi Ken,
At that time the ship will be on the lift dock and should be open to the public. At the very least, visitors will be able to walk around it, but we’re building a stair tower to allow visitors to come aboard as well.
The restoration has been a group effort involving volunteers & paid staff. The bulk of the work that typically is identified as Restoration is done by paid staff (removing planks, spiling, cutting and installing new planks for instance), but there is a HUGE amount of necessary work that is done by volunteers as well. Less obvious tasks like scraping, sanding and painting are led by volunteer groups, for instance. The volunteers also perform countless support tasks that make it much easier for the paid staff to do their jobs.
Tom
This is a cool post! What progress you all have made. I cannot wait to be one of the many who will welcome the Morgan back to New Bedford in 2014. I loved the comment “The look is positively yachty” about how the ship looks after a coat of linseed oil. I only wish there were space on board (surely I’m not alone in that sentiment).
Matthew Bullard
Boise, Idaho
Thank you very much for these photos.
I live in Sydney, Australia though I originate from New Zealand
I am envious of those who are working on this wonderful project. Whilst attending a conference at Boston in 1997, I took a special trip to Mystic Seaport and was delighted by the Morgan.
I built my own wooden yacht 20 years ago and have since circumnavigated, half of it solo and thus appreciate well the skills and dedication that those who work on restoring this ship. I only wish that I lived closer to be able to lend a hand.
Thankyou for keeping history alive.
Regards
Peter Hendra
Hi Peter,
Thanks for writing, we’ll make sure we have lots of photos of her sailing after all the work is done. We’ve got a year of rigging to go, after the launch this July, so there will be many more updates as time goes by.
And congratulations on your own shipbuilding and circumnavigation! Who designed your boat?
Tom
I like the stools that the guys fitting the stern port lights are using. Whose design?
Dan
Hard to say, things like this are just… around. There’s a lot of history via accretion at the Seaport!
It would be nice to be able to buy a dvd of the total restoration of the ship and a first day cover of the launch day, post marked,just a ideal!
Beautiful work. Interesting to see the techniques you’ve developed to bend and fit the planking; also the importance of the detailed patient work of scraping old paint and priming the seams.
Looking at the size and spacing of those frames, I wonder, how was a whale ever able to sink the Essex?
Dan
Hi Daniel,
It’s true, these ships are built like tanks. However, so are sperm whales… When the sailors talked about feeling the blows from the whale shaking the whole ship, it speaks to their tremendous power. I can see how, if the whale hit the stem / keel joint from the side at just the right place that it might open up a seam there. Doing a post-mortem on the wreck would be really interesting…
As the great granddaughter of Captain John M. Tinkham, I have visited Mystic Seaport many times over many years. It has been exciting to watch the wonderful development of the village and the expanding number of vessels preserved along the waterfront. We have watched the continued efforts to preserve this unique and only remaining example of a time gone bye.
It has been a special experience to see the actual work being done through the written and photographic updates provided by the Seaport. The craftsmen of the team will have used their knowledge and special skills to bring this ship back to her proud heritage for many to know years into the future. Congratulations to all – a wonderful job!
I am looking forward to the launching in July and seeing her once again sail into my hometown of New Bedford in 2014.
Thank you so much for writing, Nan. I hope you’ll make it to the launching! We should have a section in the stands just for relatives of captains and crew… there are so many people we’re meeting who’ve been directly associated with this ship, it’s really amazing and cool.
Was there last Fall and saw the Morgan. What a monumental undertaking. Nice work, folks. I appreciate your time, patience, and skill.
Thanks folks,
I’ll pass your complements to the team!
So much respect for all of you working on the Morgan!!! Thanks so much for your skillful and dedicated work!!!
Awesome work Tom, that copper sheathing is super cool.
Hey Ben, great to hear from you!
It’s true, the sheathing looks incredible. It’s a shame that only the fish will be able to appreciate it. In the old days, the whole boat was sheathed up to the water line. These days we a) can’t afford to do it and b) want easy access to caulking seams.
Awesome blog ,thanx for the great photos and technical explanations!
Thanks, feel free to ask for clarification if something isn’t clear.
I first visited the Charles W. Morgan in 1964 as a cadet in the Coast Guard Academy. What an amazing job of reconstruction you are doing! I particularly wanted to thank you for the extensive chronicle you have created of the work. Your comments and pictures are so good that I feel as if I was there watching the work. Best regards to all. Can’t wait to see her under weigh again.
I can smell the sawdust and linseed oil all the way to Missouri! The Morgan looks wonderful. Quick question: Do you refer to the ship as a “she” even though she has a man’s name? Keep up the great work–cannot wait to see “her” sail again.
Yep, all boats get the feminine pronoun, even the USS Admiral Nimitz! Thanks for following this restoration, and be sure to visit if you’re in the neighborhood.
We visited Mystic last year in June and have enjoyed seeing the progress.
Thanks,
Linda, Laura, Phoenix and Indie
Thanks Linda et al, the Seaport is really quite a place to visit. I’m still totally green about what goes on at the north end of this campus…
You all are doing such a wonderful job on restoring such a historic ship. Whale Hunt and Capt. Haley, along with all the rest, are with you in spirit. What a project to coordinate. Great Job!!!
I am truly amazed with all the hard work that has been going on over the past two years I have been watching, both at the Seaport visiting and here on line. It will be a wonderful day when the Morgan is sailing in the ocean once again. All the best!!!
Thanks Paul, it’s been a long steady project, and we’re lucky to have Rob project managing this. Of course, the crew is one of the best group of folks I’ve ever had the privilege to join. Just tons of talent both in building and in working as a team.
I am constantly impressed with the work your doing with the MORGAN.
I am a board member of the Bourne Historical Society, MA
The Morgan I am Told will be the Lead Ship, through the Cape Cod Canal. This will be for the Canals 100 Birthday. Same as the Panama Canal.
Good Luck with all your work.
Michael P Eden
Thanks Michael, we have a very good crew here, and everyone is more than a little excited about seeing her sail!
Thank you for explaining the details and providing the pictures. What a great project.
I love the mustard/tan paint used inside the Morgan. Can you tell me what color it is and the brand?
Thank you
Hi Karen,
We’ve been using a Kirby paint, called Morgan Deckhouse Tan. Pretty appropriate name, yes?
Hi Karen, I’ll check with the folks at the paint shop and get back to you.
-Tom
I can not thank you enough for the wonderful photos and narrative. My relocation to North Carolina in 2005 from Chaplin, CT was by family mandate. I hugely regret and miss my too short time volunteering at MSP shipyard. I especially enjoyed working on ANNIE and AMISTAD and many other projects.
Scott, Walter, Kevin, Quentin and Danna are always on my mind;
praying especially for safety each day. My activities with the Coast Guard and Coast Guard Auxiliary here in NC are never boring. Best regards to all. William (Bill) Gerdsen
Fantastic to see great interest in saving these old whaling vessels. great job.
Thanks! Hopefully you can come by to see her while she’s still out of the water.
Does the trunnel go into a blind hole? Is it wedged on the inside? I see that the trunnel is tight on the outside. What keeps it tight on the inside so that the plank stays firmly attached to the frame or first layer of planking? Thx for great pictures!
The holding power of the trunnels comes from their swelling as they get damp. We size them very carefully to go in hard when they’re dry, and it doesn’t take a lot of moisture to swell them up. Some people have done double-wedged trunnels, where a wedge is put on the inside end of the trunnel, and then this wedge is driven home when the trunnel bottoms out. That’s a lot of work and we don’t really see the gain. This is quite apparent when we remove original planks. Even though the planks are long and heavy, they stay attached to the boat until we cut the very last trunnel holding them in place. After 170 years, that’s pretty impressive.
My body is in Switzerland, but my heart is in Mystic on the CW Morgan
Ah Rosie, turning heads wherever she goes…
But oh my, WHAT is that saucy little portugee green boat in that last shot? She’s a sweet little lady!
Folks,
I work at SF Maritime NHP where we have been doing similar work on the schooner C.A. Thayer. We found that a lot of her knees were able to be re-used.
Were you able to do this on the bark C.W. Morgan?
Thanks for the note Charles. My dad used to teach at Southwestern at Memphis (now Rhodes College) right across the street from the zoo, and I also remember visiting back when the cat house was just a big, loud ugly building. It’s been good to have had a hand in repurposing these bars.
-Tom
I’m from Memphis and I remember those tiger cages! The old Cat-house was an awful place… it smelled horribly and was depressing to see those majestic creatures cooped up in such a small grim environment.
The structure itself is still there and is now an over-priced concession stand.
I’m thrilled that land-locked Memphis could make a contribution that will help hold the Charles Morgan together.
What week or day in July of 2013 will you be re launching the Charles W. Morgan after it’s restoration. Would like to know so I can plan on being there that day for a most historical event.
Thanks,
Rich Doskoez
P.S. – Can’t Wait
Hi Rich,
We’re launching on the 21st if all goes as planned. Keep in touch, though, and we’ll update you if there are changes.
Tom
Glad to hear you faired. Well.I worked at the museum in 98.we had to get ready for Floyd when I was there amistad was just being built I helped raise some frames.Doug butler still at the shipyard.? Tell him I said hi, I sure miss that place hopefully. I can come for the boat show next year take care…
paul
Hi Paul,
yep, Doug is still around! He’s a great guy, and I’ll pass along your greetings.
Tom
This is an excellent post, gives a wonderful flavor of just how massive and complex (did I mention expensive?) this project is, and is a credit to the museum’s web outreach. Very well done!
–sb
OUTSTANDING! What a wonderful informative site.Keep up the good work…Sail Ho !
Fascinating! What a great job you at Mystic Seaport to restore the Morgan! Really looking forward to the day she sails again!!! Can’t wait to get aboard her some day!
Keep up the great work!
Respectfully,
Guy Lister
looks great
Are you going to make a video of the restoration when it is done, so the public can buy it. And where is the ship going to sail to ? IT would be great to have a first day cover stamped on her sail,after so many years.
A video is being made, but I’m not sure what will be done with it. It may end up being just for documentation. I know at least one person is making an independent video, but I’m not sure when it will be done and how much it will cover.
As far as the sailing schedule goes, the plan is to take her to major past whaling ports like Nantucket and Gloucester. I’d imagine that this schedule is still being worked out.
What is a first day cover? I’m not familiar with that…
Tom
Thanks Doug. I’ll see if other folks around here call it that as well.
Here in Gloucester ,Your lagged C clamp is a rather simply designed clamp that we call a “Jenny”
What is the costof having your name on a tunnel, that used to fasten a plank.
We’re asking $5 to put your name on a trunnel. I think we’ve already started installing the ones that people signed over the boat show weekend.
Tom
Will they have a dvd for sale on the restoration, when the ship is done?
Hi Richard,
Good question, I’ll check into that. I wouldn’t be surprised if something’s in the works.
Tom
Hi,
I currently live in New Haven, CT and I’m very interested in volunteering on this project. Are there any upcoming opportunities to do so?
Thanks!
Jacqueline
Hi Jacqueline,
The seaport has many many opportunities for volunteering. In fact, volunteers are absolutely critical to just about every aspect of the museum’s operation. On the Morgan, we have people helping with painting, prepping, salting in between frames, all kinds of things. Probably the best place to start is on the volunteer page here. Wednesday is the main day that volunteers help out at the shipyard, and you can come by and chat with them about what kinds of things they do. That might give you a good idea about the kinds of things you could expect to be doing.
Thanks for your interest!
Tom
Tom:
I understand that you are coating the planks with Linseed oil to keep them from drying out. Can you comment on this choice as opposed to red lead? Thanks.
-Denny
Hi Denny,
You’re right, the linseed oil is strictly for slowing down the planks’ inevitable drying out while the boat is out of the water. We’re trying to minimize plank shrinkage and checking. The red lead is most often used as a way to slow rot in a boat, so it’s painted on the faying (mating) surfaces of wood parts, such as where the planks rest against the frames. It’s also often used in places where the boat is continually damp, like the bilge. It’s very toxic stuff and kills just about anything it comes in contact with. You could make the case that painting the inside faces of the planks is a good way to slow down moisture transfer, but the cost of doing this is
1) expense and time (red lead paint is Very expensive)
2) the steaming process will cause much of the paint to release, thus negating it’s effectiveness
3) it’s not historically accurate
4) The salt from the salt shelves does a good job of preserving the wood without the paint.
We wouldn’t paint the outside of the planks with red lead to slow down the drying because we plane the outer plank faces to fair them, and that would spread highly toxic lead all over the place. It would be a nightmare to contain.
We’re not using red lead on the frames to address future rot issues during this round of restoration, I think because of the expense, lack of historical accuracy, and because we’ve found that the salting seems to do a very good (and non-toxic) job of preserving the wood. I’ll check in with Rob and Quentin to verify that as well.
-Tom
sono venuto in possesso di un incisione su dente di tricheco lunga 1 metro della CHARLES.W.MORGAN DEL 1842 .IN ITALIA CIAO SERGIO
Translation via Google:
I came in possession of an engraving of a walrus tooth length of 1 meter of CHARLES.W.MORGAN OF 1842. HELLO IN ITALY SERGIO
Interesting! Photos?