Search the Community
Showing results for tags 'Brigs'.
Found 2 results
-
Post 1 The Beginning I start this log before starting the actual build as I am completing to gather the research involved after having selected a subject. This build will include more Boothbay Built vessels, and I chose to study our brigs. I began some time ago with the following image from our local Boothbay Region Historical Society of the Torrent. She was one of the last brigs built in 1855 and will surely be part of the story. 1. This painting was made in Genoa, Italy I believe in 1856. Apparently, a result of a practice of the time, where an aspiring artist would sketch, then quickly paint and sell an image to the visiting captain. I am naming the project Brigs of Boothbay. The first recorded Brig in 1825, was Albert and the last recorded in 1855 was the HG Berry. I will represent both within this log, but the real build will be the newer and large vessel of 1855. I will build that vessel. H G Berry as a POF build partially completed on the ways. But first to explain the plan: I turned to the wonderful book, the Shipping Days of old Boothbay by George W. Rice. There and within a few other sources, we have found recordings for 32 brigs built here between 1825 and 1855. I will include that list in a table later. I characterize the list as follows. The early brigs included at least one full rigged version, but soon most became half rigged. The hermaphrodite brig [ I am told here in Maine is a half brig] was apparently preferred on the coast associated with Maine sailing. It seems that much of service was to and from the West Indies, however the practical need to sail up wind remained the deciding factor. To sail from New England to New York and beyond means up wind all the way! They often took lumber, dried, or salted fish south and brought molasses and trade goods back. Reading further though the book, Mr. Rice tells of many worldly voyages to the Caribbean, the Mediterranean and further in these sturdy vessels. The earliest Boothbay brigs were roughly 75 feet and just over 120 tons. After 1850 they passed 200 tons and by the end of their run in 1855, they, including Torrent and H G Berry, were 110+ feet and roughly 320 tons. There are five of each large and small, and that is what I plan to show……bookends one might say. Large Boothbay brig; Plank on Frame. H G Berry 112 ft 320 tons. .....I believe after taking time to make frames they are a feature of the build. The easy way to make that part of the show is to have the vessel partially planked and decked, so one can see inside. Then I also like to show a vessel sailing. My solution this time will be to have two vessels. Small Boothbay brig; POB partially completed kit hull. Albert 75 ft 120 tons......Retasking of an old build. I started the kit for Kate Cory years back. I had two hulls and at the time thought to build two whalers. I will continue the log of that build using one of the partially built hulls completed as a period schooner after this build. The second hull was to be an 1829 Massachusetts brig Pavilion. I will use it for the small brig I reference here. The completion of that model will represent all the rigging and sails that obviously cannot be shown with a vessel under construction on the ways. She will be called Albert, the first brig built in 1825 but will represent all the 5 smaller versions. They were built 1825 to 55. She was 120-ton version brig and will be shown under light sails [ most furled]. Thus, I can complete a full build [ sort of]. And I can at least practice all the tasks. Furling silkspan will be a new one to me. My last two builds, if combined, were like this one. One was plank on frame on the ways and the most recent POB sailing. They were done at a comfortable 1:48 scale. As I look around at my partially completed projects and consider the practicality of sharing displays, I have decided to try this build a bit smaller at 1:64. The brig H G Berry I plan to build as the feature of this project is one of the last four Brigs locally built. For the image I will use Torrent shown above. As partially built, that will be limited to the hull. Four of the five large Brigs were built in East Boothbay, so I will select East Boothbay as the site. Torrent and H G Berry were built less than 150 feet from each other less than a year apart. I must assume with so many people working amongst the yards in this small village, that very few variations existed. I will explain that more in an update about the local shipyards. There was an interesting twist to the original design of Torrent to record but not build, and that was altered some 15 years after. The captain’s cabin like a few other brigs of the time, crossed the entire deck. Most would have maintained deck level passage outside the cabin. This cross-deck configuration forced the crew to climb on the roof deck to tend sails and to gain access the wheel, located aft of the cabin. To avoid all this interruption, the original build moved the wheel forward of the cabin and used chains from the wheel art to the rudder post. The full after deck area, normally for the wheel ,was incorporated into the captain’s cabin. The noise of the chains was apparently unpleasant to the captain’s companion. The owner cut off the aft section of the huge cabin and replaced a normal wheel and exposed deck aft of the cabin. That revision was a more normal configuration that I have read was shared on H G Berry. next up getting plans all for now .
-
I wanted to share the images of the Lady Washington when we visited Port Townsend this weekend. she was hauled out for her semi-annual maintenance and refit. Beautiful Brig.
- 16 replies
-
- 23
-
-
- brigs
- sailing ships
- (and 1 more)
Our Emblem ®
