Windships

Brigs and other merchant vessels built in the 1820’s were bluff-bowed as compared to later designs which were more toward what we see as clipper ships. get a copy of Chapelle’s The History of American Sailing Ships (1935)

Ahh, thanks for the reminder. A Hitchcock model named Pilgrim was commissioned from Mike Wall's gallery by the Santa Barbara Maritime Museum many years ago. Mike told me the basis was the 1837 US brig Washington. A vessel way too sharp in form. The model is finely crafted and still on display. Those plans are probably in Chapelle's The History of The American Sailing Navy (1949). The Hitchcock family often made more than one model of a particular vessel, so I imagine that's how/why Larry Lannan has/had one as well. Although I have a paper set of the Spillane drawings -- for both Pilgrim and Alert (the latter completely speculative based on the scant descriptions of her in Two Years Before The Mast) I will not propagate copies. A personal preference as an historian to not encourage more models of any vessel where we know that depiction is demonstrably in error. If you saw my study of Hannah (1765-1775) published in 2022 on the NRG web site (Extended Content) and still available there, you will more fully understand why I believe as I do. ALL the earlier depictions of Hannah in model form, and most notably those built from my friend Harold Hahn's plans are incorrect. This study proves it. Yes, I call my new depiction an "informed speculation" and not a reconstruction or some such. But the "informed" part comes from primary sources about that Hannah, and what we know about vessels of her type, size and purpose of that time period. I try very hard to discourage other builders from wasting their precious time with such fictions. Which also perpetuates false impressions and understandings of significant vessels in our history. See Mike Morris's build log of his exceptional model to these drawings. Sorry, enough of my "waxing pontifical". Thanks

Jerry and Arlene live(lived?) in Aptos, and good friends of the late Tom Fordham. Jerry is a superb model builder with many museum pieces and commissions to his credit.

On the model (photos posted just now)... Thanks I'd have to check but again, will guess this was built to Spillane's drawings. Never saw a kit of Pilgrim offered. Up to you how you invest your time. If you just want to refine your skills, then this is as good a project as any. But as I explained earlier, the result won't be a responsible model of Dana's Pilgrim. It might be a suitable decorator piece, if that's all you want. There is more than enough in the surviving model to eliminate any need for reference to plans to put it back together. I've done a number of (and some highly complex) reconditioning projects. There are ways of "seamlessly" repairing spars and mast doublings which do not require wholesale replacement. Worth mentioning that there are actually three sets of plans aimed at depicting Pilgrim. The earliest was done by, or for, J. Porter Shaw himself. The model in the San Francisco MM is to those plans. To Shaw's credit (albeit in fine print on the plan) he calls it a "brig resembling Pilgrim" or words to that effect. The hull form is close to Ray Aker's reconstruction, whereas that by Spillane is in error by his misunderstanding of what is presented on a vessel Register. The Depth on the Registers of that period is 1/2 the Breadth, and not the true Depth in Hold. Therefore, Spillane's hold is too shallow. Other issues too as revealed in the 1830 watercolor mentioned earlier.

Couldn't agree more about our beloved pal Ray Aker. Glad to hear from another of our crowd celebrating Ray's life and contributions. It is sad that his work has not received the recognition due. Regarding the JPS Library... Gina Bardi (World's Finest Reference Librarian) is a special Friend of mine. And has contributed generously to my research in a number of areas. About 8-9 years ago she hosted my presentation on Pilgrim at the JPS. Other institutions did as well (Santa Barbara MM, LA MM, Dana Adobe, Dana Point Historical Society) Coincidentally, I just snapped photos of a collection of images of Steam Schooners which I will probably soon donate to JPS, if not duplicates. Pretty sure the JPS has a copy of the Annotated Bibliography I mentioned, because I sent it (MS Word) to each of the major institutions which helped me. None of the other material has been placed or shared except as noted with the HSOY, and my guidance for modeling Pilgrim, I think in the Ship Modelers Association of Southern California in a newsletter. I was a member there for decades until we moved to Idaho in June 2017. My interest in the Drake is that the material could be accessible online. I've not discussed any of this with them, or with Gina. Happy to get to know you Bob. p.s. I have lost track of Jerry and Arlene Blair. Have you heard from him?

IF you have photos of the model you want to repair please send them as email attachments and I can comment further. Some Questions and Cautions The plans of Pilgrim which have been circulated since the 1940s were made by Cornelius F. Spillane of New York. In all probability, the model you have will have been made to those plans. Although they can be used to produce a lovely model, his is not an accurate depiction of this brig, based on newer research by my late friend Raymond Aker of Palo Alto, California, and my own c. mid-late 1990s. Spillane's model (exceptional craftsmanship) is in the Mystic Seaport Collection and I had the privilege several years ago to view and photograph it extensively. But I cannot share those images. There are copies of Ray's drawings "out there" and without his or his widow's permission (both deceased) but even they are incomplete. Nevertheless, I have seen at least three models made using them, and each are excellent. Strangely, I suppose... but although I can confidently say I know more about this Pilgrim than anyone living, I never built a model of her or contemplated doing so. Having just begun my 80th year, I am considering gathering my research and posting it on the new website established by the Drake Navigator's Guild https://nasoh.org/news-and-announcements/f/new-digital-journal-the-bowsprit If you decide to build a model of Pilgrim, I can also provide guidance toward what I believe will be as accurate a depiction as can be derived from known primary and secondary sources. Not long ago the Historical Society of Old Yarmouthport published my research on an 1830 watercolor proven to be of this Pilgrim, in the harbor of Palermo in 1830. Guessing my entire body of findings -- including a 160+ entry, annotated bibliography, would run to several hundred pages. Too busy for that now, as I am deep into developing a new biography of Howard Irving Chapelle (1901-1975). On letter exchange with Chap is about this Pilgrim, which curiously, Chap had never studied or written about. Good Luck! windships@earthlink.net

Worked Great!

lovely Maury!

Yup, that's the McCalip article I had in mind.

Hello Mates - Happy Fourth of July!! A few thoughts on your post Greg (some of this may be a repeat from earlier posts...) If you haven't read my study (2020-2021) on Hannah, you can get it from the NRG web site if you are a member (it's on the Extended... pages). If you're not a member, and would like to read it (about 270 pages, printed out) I can send it to you in PDF as email attachments. Highly illustrated. I didn't provide a masting and rigging plan, but did provide guidance that I would use, were I to build the model to my drawings as Mike is doing. Dana McCalip was a student of the schooner rig for that period, but I don't recall him speaking to Hannah, only about Sultana (?). The masting and rigging Chapelle did for Model Shipways' SULTANA is about as close as we'll get I think, with allowances for the differences in size of the two schooners. Re: the Hahn model you mention. The "Navy" helped me a lot with my research. In fact, they mentioned his model was on indefinite loan, and they thought it should be returned to the Hahn family after he passed. Because I was in touch with Chris Hahn, I passed his contact info along, but have no idea whether Chris asked that it be returned. If you read my study, you will learn that Harold's interpretation (as are every other one we found in prominent institutions) is in error in several ways. How and why we got to Harold's version is quite fascinating, and an intriguing detective story if I may say so: Hannah was 45 tons burthen, not 78. The lines Hahn used were based on a "Banks fishing schooner" of some years later than Hannah, the plan for which by Chapelle, was given to Victor Grimwood for his book. Chap never intended this to represent Hannah. He told me so, himself. The c. 1970 model in The Smithsonian was based on Merritt A. Edson, Jr.'s interpretation from the draught called "Marble . Head" from which Sir Edward Hawke and Earl of Egmont came. Those two were built in New York for British Navy service on the Jamaica Station. The model in the Peabody Essex Museum has the same basis, and hence the same faults. My report speaks to other details (armament, bulwarks - I do not believe Hannah had raised bulwarks, boats, pumps, windlass, and other minor things). I do not claim my interpretation to be exact as to her appearance. No thoughtful person would. But I will stand by my claim that it is based on the best primary source material available. I encouraged readers to come to their own conclusions from that evidence, and if they would, produce their own drawings and descriptions. Regrettably, very few people found their way to the report on the NRG web site, and so the incorrect models, paintings and other narratives about Hannah persist, no matter my efforts. This seems to be true for the Navy, and even displays in the towns of Marblehead and Beverly. Tradition dies hard, even when presented with new evidence. Thanks for indulging my comments. Happy to help anyone who has an interest. Later KEEP GOING MIKE!!

Just follow Ashley for attaching sails to mast hoops

Mike just now saw this more soon i am humbled by what you have done my Friend randy

Re Pacific Marine Research Society you mentioned records of the group are still preserved. Can you share where they are please this is a significant topic of interest for me looking for a Roster of the members thanks

Very Happy for You Eric!! Truly an inspiration! What's' next? Randy

Mike, Sorry for the delayed response. The interior is authentic based on all we know about the small vessels of this period, and your superb craftsmanship has presented it beautifully. Yes that quarterdeck margin plank is a challenge, as I learned on my 1:64 model based on the 1768 Chaleur draught. Excellent, clean work on those quarterdeck scuppers and those on the main deck. Uniformity is very difficult to achieve but you nailed it. I need to get out of my "rocking chair" and back to my bench. Thanks for the inspiration. But, it's 104 outside at 8:00pm and 86 in my shop! So, I've been inside--doing research and writing on other subjects/vessels. Catch up with you soon. Randy