Roger Pellett

Unlike the steamboats used on the eastern rivers that used low pressure condensing engines, wetern river steamboats used high pressure engines that exhausted partially expanded steam to the atmosphere. By using high pressure steam, these engines could be quite powerful, but their efficiency was very low as they lost the use of the heat that still remained in the steam at atmospheric temperature.
 
Roger Pellett

Unlike the steamboats used on the eastern rivers that used low pressure condensing engines, wetern river steamboats used high pressure engines that exhausted partially expanded steam to the atmosphere. By using high pressure steam, these engines could be quite powerful, but their efficiency was very low as they lost the use of the heat that still remained in the steam at atmospheric temperature.
 
Roger Pellett

Unlike the steamboats used on the eastern rivers that used low pressure condensing engines, wetern river steamboats used high pressure engines that exhausted partially expanded steam to the atmosphere. By using high pressure steam, these engines could be quite powerful, but their efficiency was very low as they lost the use of the heat that still remained in the steam at atmospheric temperature.
 
Roger Pellett

Unlike the steamboats used on the eastern rivers that used low pressure condensing engines, wetern river steamboats used high pressure engines that exhausted partially expanded steam to the atmosphere. By using high pressure steam, these engines could be quite powerful, but their efficiency was very low as they lost the use of the heat that still remained in the steam at atmospheric temperature.
 
Roger Pellett

Unfortunately, I just found this build log. Before you get too far down the road, I suggest that you purchase a copy of Warships of the Great Lakes, 1754-1834 by Robert Malcomson, an author who specializes in Great Lakes naval history. Among other things, this book includes a copy of the Admiralty draught from which these plans and Howard Chapelle's plans were drawn. The level (or lack of) detail is interesting. For example, there is no stern elevation and the stern shown on the NRG plans is a complete reconstruction. Instead of windows, there is documentary evidence that the Washington had stern chasers, as well as a heavy gun in the bow. Contemporary sketches reproduced in Malcomson's book show these and a letter written by Washington's commander, David Waterbury states that he was forced to surrender because his stern chasers would not bear.
 
After defeating Arnold's fleet in the fall of 1776 the Royal Navy was in complete control of the Lake and no longer had any use for heavily armed warships. They did need transports to keep John Burgoyne's army supplied during its summer 1777 offensive. Therefore, during the winter, Washington was converted to a big and would have served as a transport. Malcomson reports that the guns were removed from the vessels of the fleet in 1777. The work performed in the winter of 1776-1777 would have been extensive as the masts would have been shifted to account for the change in rig.
 
It is fairly clear that the Admiralty draught reflects Washington after she had been converted to an armed brig transport as the bowsprit is shown. As a lateen rigged galley, she did not have this spar.
 
Roger Pellett

Unfortunately, I just found this build log. Before you get too far down the road, I suggest that you purchase a copy of Warships of the Great Lakes, 1754-1834 by Robert Malcomson, an author who specializes in Great Lakes naval history. Among other things, this book includes a copy of the Admiralty draught from which these plans and Howard Chapelle's plans were drawn. The level (or lack of) detail is interesting. For example, there is no stern elevation and the stern shown on the NRG plans is a complete reconstruction. Instead of windows, there is documentary evidence that the Washington had stern chasers, as well as a heavy gun in the bow. Contemporary sketches reproduced in Malcomson's book show these and a letter written by Washington's commander, David Waterbury states that he was forced to surrender because his stern chasers would not bear.
 
After defeating Arnold's fleet in the fall of 1776 the Royal Navy was in complete control of the Lake and no longer had any use for heavily armed warships. They did need transports to keep John Burgoyne's army supplied during its summer 1777 offensive. Therefore, during the winter, Washington was converted to a big and would have served as a transport. Malcomson reports that the guns were removed from the vessels of the fleet in 1777. The work performed in the winter of 1776-1777 would have been extensive as the masts would have been shifted to account for the change in rig.
 
It is fairly clear that the Admiralty draught reflects Washington after she had been converted to an armed brig transport as the bowsprit is shown. As a lateen rigged galley, she did not have this spar.
 
Roger Pellett

Unfortunately, I just found this build log. Before you get too far down the road, I suggest that you purchase a copy of Warships of the Great Lakes, 1754-1834 by Robert Malcomson, an author who specializes in Great Lakes naval history. Among other things, this book includes a copy of the Admiralty draught from which these plans and Howard Chapelle's plans were drawn. The level (or lack of) detail is interesting. For example, there is no stern elevation and the stern shown on the NRG plans is a complete reconstruction. Instead of windows, there is documentary evidence that the Washington had stern chasers, as well as a heavy gun in the bow. Contemporary sketches reproduced in Malcomson's book show these and a letter written by Washington's commander, David Waterbury states that he was forced to surrender because his stern chasers would not bear.
 
After defeating Arnold's fleet in the fall of 1776 the Royal Navy was in complete control of the Lake and no longer had any use for heavily armed warships. They did need transports to keep John Burgoyne's army supplied during its summer 1777 offensive. Therefore, during the winter, Washington was converted to a big and would have served as a transport. Malcomson reports that the guns were removed from the vessels of the fleet in 1777. The work performed in the winter of 1776-1777 would have been extensive as the masts would have been shifted to account for the change in rig.
 
It is fairly clear that the Admiralty draught reflects Washington after she had been converted to an armed brig transport as the bowsprit is shown. As a lateen rigged galley, she did not have this spar.
 
Roger Pellett

Unfortunately, I just found this build log. Before you get too far down the road, I suggest that you purchase a copy of Warships of the Great Lakes, 1754-1834 by Robert Malcomson, an author who specializes in Great Lakes naval history. Among other things, this book includes a copy of the Admiralty draught from which these plans and Howard Chapelle's plans were drawn. The level (or lack of) detail is interesting. For example, there is no stern elevation and the stern shown on the NRG plans is a complete reconstruction. Instead of windows, there is documentary evidence that the Washington had stern chasers, as well as a heavy gun in the bow. Contemporary sketches reproduced in Malcomson's book show these and a letter written by Washington's commander, David Waterbury states that he was forced to surrender because his stern chasers would not bear.
 
After defeating Arnold's fleet in the fall of 1776 the Royal Navy was in complete control of the Lake and no longer had any use for heavily armed warships. They did need transports to keep John Burgoyne's army supplied during its summer 1777 offensive. Therefore, during the winter, Washington was converted to a big and would have served as a transport. Malcomson reports that the guns were removed from the vessels of the fleet in 1777. The work performed in the winter of 1776-1777 would have been extensive as the masts would have been shifted to account for the change in rig.
 
It is fairly clear that the Admiralty draught reflects Washington after she had been converted to an armed brig transport as the bowsprit is shown. As a lateen rigged galley, she did not have this spar.
 
Roger Pellett

Unfortunately, I just found this build log. Before you get too far down the road, I suggest that you purchase a copy of Warships of the Great Lakes, 1754-1834 by Robert Malcomson, an author who specializes in Great Lakes naval history. Among other things, this book includes a copy of the Admiralty draught from which these plans and Howard Chapelle's plans were drawn. The level (or lack of) detail is interesting. For example, there is no stern elevation and the stern shown on the NRG plans is a complete reconstruction. Instead of windows, there is documentary evidence that the Washington had stern chasers, as well as a heavy gun in the bow. Contemporary sketches reproduced in Malcomson's book show these and a letter written by Washington's commander, David Waterbury states that he was forced to surrender because his stern chasers would not bear.
 
After defeating Arnold's fleet in the fall of 1776 the Royal Navy was in complete control of the Lake and no longer had any use for heavily armed warships. They did need transports to keep John Burgoyne's army supplied during its summer 1777 offensive. Therefore, during the winter, Washington was converted to a big and would have served as a transport. Malcomson reports that the guns were removed from the vessels of the fleet in 1777. The work performed in the winter of 1776-1777 would have been extensive as the masts would have been shifted to account for the change in rig.
 
It is fairly clear that the Admiralty draught reflects Washington after she had been converted to an armed brig transport as the bowsprit is shown. As a lateen rigged galley, she did not have this spar.
 
Roger Pellett

The doctor was a boiler feed pump that drew water from the river and pumped it directly to the boiler. The high pressure engines used on Western Rivers steamboats did not condense steam and recycle the feed water. Steam from the engine cylinder was exhausted to the atmosphere.
 
Roger

Further to my last post:
 
The drawing that you have was apparently prepared by the U.S. National Park Service from the salvaged remains of USS Cairo. It would be as close to an as-built drawing that you are likely to find.
 
The drawing in the U.S. National Archives is the drawing prepared by navel constructor Pook. The actual vessel was apparently changed somewhat during construction. The major change mentioned in the book involved the joint between the hull and the casemate.
 
Roger

In my opinion, the best published source on the ships of the Union Civil War Navy is the two volume "The Old Steam Navy" by Donald L. Canney. Volume Two covers ironclad vessels.
 
This book includes a reproduction of the above drawing which is credited to the National Park Service. The book also includes a companion cross section that I assume you also have. The scale "ruler" on the drawing is 10ft long.
 
Canny lists the dimensions of these City class ironclads as length: 175 ft length on deck x 50 ft extreme breadth. This would not include the rudder.
 
Roger Pellett

The doctor was a boiler feed pump that drew water from the river and pumped it directly to the boiler. The high pressure engines used on Western Rivers steamboats did not condense steam and recycle the feed water. Steam from the engine cylinder was exhausted to the atmosphere.
 
Roger

The doctor was a boiler feed pump that drew water from the river and pumped it directly to the boiler. The high pressure engines used on Western Rivers steamboats did not condense steam and recycle the feed water. Steam from the engine cylinder was exhausted to the atmosphere.
 
Roger

The doctor was a boiler feed pump that drew water from the river and pumped it directly to the boiler. The high pressure engines used on Western Rivers steamboats did not condense steam and recycle the feed water. Steam from the engine cylinder was exhausted to the atmosphere.
 
Roger

The doctor was a boiler feed pump that drew water from the river and pumped it directly to the boiler. The high pressure engines used on Western Rivers steamboats did not condense steam and recycle the feed water. Steam from the engine cylinder was exhausted to the atmosphere.
 
Roger

I have built several models of warships boats with carved hulls. I am presently building a 1:32 model of a Royal Navy longboat. All of these models require the hulls to be thinned out on the inside until the hull becomes a hollow shell. Many years ago, I began building carved hulls by carving two half models to be joined after carving. This has several advantages.
 
1. There is always a defined centerline
 
2. As carving proceeds each half hull can be laid on a flat surface representing the keel plane for checking with templates resulting in a very accurate hull.
 
3. It is much easier to hollow out two half hulls than one full one.
 
4. With some pre-planning the keel can be sandwiched between the two hull halves.
 
For my last couple of models, I have been making three sub assemblies, two halves and a keel and incorporating as much work as possible in each before joining them together.
 
Roger

Further to my last post:
 
The drawing that you have was apparently prepared by the U.S. National Park Service from the salvaged remains of USS Cairo. It would be as close to an as-built drawing that you are likely to find.
 
The drawing in the U.S. National Archives is the drawing prepared by navel constructor Pook. The actual vessel was apparently changed somewhat during construction. The major change mentioned in the book involved the joint between the hull and the casemate.
 
Roger

In my opinion, the best published source on the ships of the Union Civil War Navy is the two volume "The Old Steam Navy" by Donald L. Canney. Volume Two covers ironclad vessels.
 
This book includes a reproduction of the above drawing which is credited to the National Park Service. The book also includes a companion cross section that I assume you also have. The scale "ruler" on the drawing is 10ft long.
 
Canny lists the dimensions of these City class ironclads as length: 175 ft length on deck x 50 ft extreme breadth. This would not include the rudder.
 
Roger Pellett

Further to my last post:
 
The drawing that you have was apparently prepared by the U.S. National Park Service from the salvaged remains of USS Cairo. It would be as close to an as-built drawing that you are likely to find.
 
The drawing in the U.S. National Archives is the drawing prepared by navel constructor Pook. The actual vessel was apparently changed somewhat during construction. The major change mentioned in the book involved the joint between the hull and the casemate.
 
Roger

In my opinion, the best published source on the ships of the Union Civil War Navy is the two volume "The Old Steam Navy" by Donald L. Canney. Volume Two covers ironclad vessels.
 
This book includes a reproduction of the above drawing which is credited to the National Park Service. The book also includes a companion cross section that I assume you also have. The scale "ruler" on the drawing is 10ft long.
 
Canny lists the dimensions of these City class ironclads as length: 175 ft length on deck x 50 ft extreme breadth. This would not include the rudder.
 
Roger Pellett

Hi John,
 
I read today in Wooden Boat Magazine that Hokule'a is scheduled to be at the Wooden Boat Show at Mystic, Conn this year in late June. If you anywhere the U.S. East Coast this would be worth seeing.
 
Roger

Further to my last post:
 
The drawing that you have was apparently prepared by the U.S. National Park Service from the salvaged remains of USS Cairo. It would be as close to an as-built drawing that you are likely to find.
 
The drawing in the U.S. National Archives is the drawing prepared by navel constructor Pook. The actual vessel was apparently changed somewhat during construction. The major change mentioned in the book involved the joint between the hull and the casemate.
 
Roger

In my opinion, the best published source on the ships of the Union Civil War Navy is the two volume "The Old Steam Navy" by Donald L. Canney. Volume Two covers ironclad vessels.
 
This book includes a reproduction of the above drawing which is credited to the National Park Service. The book also includes a companion cross section that I assume you also have. The scale "ruler" on the drawing is 10ft long.
 
Canny lists the dimensions of these City class ironclads as length: 175 ft length on deck x 50 ft extreme breadth. This would not include the rudder.
 
Roger Pellett

Hi John,
 
I read today in Wooden Boat Magazine that Hokule'a is scheduled to be at the Wooden Boat Show at Mystic, Conn this year in late June. If you anywhere the U.S. East Coast this would be worth seeing.
 
Roger