ClipperFan

The true heroism of Mary Ann Brown Patten fascinates me. She was so intent on performing her duties of navigating the big ship, being a leader to her crew, policing a mutionous bully First Mate and acting as a nurse to her gravely ill husband that she never even changed her clothes! Not part of the Mystic exhibit but Arader galleries has a beautiful Chinese import piece of Neptune's Car in Hong Kong harbor.

Ed Tosti's 1853 Webb, NY built extreme clipper Young America (243') came immediately after the Downeaster. The layout of this exhibit was set up in a receding timeline. As it was Ed's spectacular build that I came to see, I took 21 pics of her, most of any model. She was mounted with her starboard side against the wall, so only port scenes were available. I appreciated that Mystic included covers of all 3 of Ed's highly informative books on the subject of his build. There was a fascinating tribute to women aboard ship. It featured Mary Ann Brown Patten who at age 19, while pregnant took command of the 1853 Gosport, VA built extreme clipper Neptune's Car (216') when her husband captain Joshua became incapacitated and severely ill. For between 56 to 59 days, she was her captain, suppressing a mutiny, earning the trust of her crew, safely rounding Cape Horn and even piloting her beyond the Golden Gate into San Francisco itself! There's a fascinating connection of this vessel with Donald McKay. Builders copied Flying Fish as their pattern to build Neptune's Car! Her figurehead was quite ornate: King Neptune riding a shell towed by seahorses. Francesca "Ett" Allen wife of captain Zacheus "Tiger" Allen lived her life and raised her son's on board various ships. A routine letter accompanies a photo of her and her son.

While Rob is away on vacation, I'm sharing my visit June 2nd to the Mystic Seaport Museum, Mystic, CT. It was the final day of our 40th Anniversary stay at the Inn at Stonington, CT and we were on the way home. The exhibit "From Clippers to Containers" is located on the 2nd floor of the Stillman building a three story brick structure on the South courtyard accessed from the museum's main southern entrance. Since my wife Peggy was patiently waiting in our car, I was very aware of the time to not make her wait a moment longer than necessary. So, I totally skipped over modern Container ships. This is where Ed Tosti's magnificent extreme Webb, NY clipper Young America is featured. As I entered the exhibit, across the room was the massive ship's wheel of the Benjamin F Packard. First up after a few modern ships was an entire wall dedicated to the 1883 Bath, Maine Downeaster Benjamin F Packard (244'). There wasn't enough room to get decent photos of the huge wall mural but I did my best and then edited sections. Other items were easier to get pics of. Her gold-leaf embellished billethead was large, impressived and gorgeous. Each model was preceeded by a billboard describing her and another afterwards covering their class. At the aft port end of the Downeaster is another tan ship's silhouette. That is the 1841 New Bedford, Massachusetts, Whaler Charles W Morgan (113'). After exiting the exhibit, I took a couple quick snaps of the restored Whaler herself as a means of comparison. The size difference of the two vessels is staggering. I've walked the decks of the Whaler often and she's never felt small to me. Following the Downeaster was Ed Tosti's clipper, which I took the most pictures of. Let's just say that she is a work of art. I will cover her next.

@Jared I know exactly what you mean. I've been on the decks of the Frigate USS Constitution "Old Ironsides", the whaler Charles W. Morgan when she was still a full-rigged ship as she was launched and the barque USCGS Eagle. Each time it was a dizzying experience to comprehend the gossamer webbing of lines, blocks and tackles.

@Jared It constantly amazes me how much complex rigging is involved in these beautifully designed clipper ships. Painstaking doesn't even come close to describing the immense patience required to successfully duplicate this in scale.

@druxey it's those waterline grids, buttock lines and diagonals that were key in achieving the progress I've made so far. Getting everything aligned properly is the tricky part but it also practically guarantees results will be accurate once done correctly. When I sketch out these plans, all grids will be precisely parallel and 90° perpendicular to each other. I will also precisely measure out each distance to match all specs supplied in the Boston Daily Atlas. This is the only way to accurately recreate Stag Hound.

@Jared she's shaping up to be a very impressive vessel.

@druxey to give you an idea of where this began, here's the original image. It looks like I've taken this as far as possible with a limited cell phone app....

@druxey thanks for challenging me to improve the body plans. I took a closer look at the original source and did the following revisions. Not perfect but I think you'll agree these are improvements. The bow looks damn near perfect, based upon the straight alignment of the lower scale. The stern is very close but still has slight curling at the ends of the scale. However, the pronounced "v" is gone. None of these preliminary plans are to be considered finished products. They're merely guidelines which I intend to use to create more accurate illustrations.

While we're waiting for Rob's return, I figured this would be a good time to update my progress on illustrating Stag Hound plans. Anyone who's been following Rob's build by now knows I'm working on developing the most accurate Stag Hound deck and sheer plans possible. Focusing on Chappelle plans from the 1967 "The Search for Speed Under Sail" I now have five digitally virtually identical sections combined into coherent units. I will reconcile sheer and body plans with Vladimir's cgi work based on the Cornelius McKay hull model. Next, in this process is to trace these patterns with specific emphasis on maintaining accurate specifications. Then I will recreate all deck furnishings based on the McLean descriptions in the Boston Daily Atlas article.

@rwiederrich Enjoy the wedding, have a great vacation. Stag Hound is proceeding beautifully.

More examples of American clippers which all had double rigged shrouds irons. Earliest known pre-clipper, the Baltimore, MD built Ann McKimm, a Mystic, CT built clipper, Galatea, Massachusetts and David Crockett, Mystic, CT.

Daniel, Everything we do is based on following accurate historic images and documentation. Here's two such images confirming that McKay had always installed double channels on his vessels. First is an 1854 daguerrotype of the clipper Champion of the Seas. Second is of the 1869 clipper Glory of the Seas, taken in 1911. Both have double channels installed.

@Jared Stuns'l booms definitely add color contrast and interest to your yards. Mentioning incense sticks, besides being an innovative idea brings me right back to the 70's when everyone who was anyone had sandalwood punks burning in their homes....;-)

@Rick310 perhaps that's why the stuns'l booms were hung below yards as well. That way the booms wouldn't interfere with crew working the sails.

Rob, Using genuine old-fashioned paper "cut & paste" I finally combined all 4 Chappelle clipper Stag Hound hull & deck profiles to create one full image. Each section is correct but wrinkles in paper make it appear distorted. The stern still appears to be too small in comparison. I also used the same procedure on the 1881 Hall clipper Flying Cloud which was cleaner as it was just 2 halves. Next step is to trace these prints to generate a more accurate plan.

@Jared I hope you don't mind but I realigned both images and took some of the graininess out of your enlargement. No surprise, I agree with Rob. Stowing stuns'l booms in a traiangular criss-cross setup must have only been employed while a clipper was docked for an extended period of time. At sea, it would make sense that these same booms would be rigged for most immediate deployment as circumstances demanded.

@Jared Nice recovery on that fore gaff.

@Jared technically fore and main gaff are at the same inclination. I doubt anyone will fault you for leaving it alone if you're concerned that it's too hard to fix. You could also add some sailors working on it to show activity to adjust the boom's position as well.

@rwiederrich how I arrived at the original main mast height of 210' is by using the following process: 88' main mast to top, add 14' for hounds = 102' add 51' for topmost but subtract 14' for hounds since it's offset down to the top = 37' + 9 & 1/2' for hounds = 46 & 1/2' + 102' = 148 & 1/2' then add 28' topgallant - 9.5' for 2nd offset down of hounds to trestle tree = 167' + 19' royal, 15' skysail + 9' pole = 210'. I used the same formula for both fore and mizzen masts. As for "Main Mast to Truck 166" I figure that takes in the pole too, however if it means to the skysail mast top, then 9' would be added to 166' for 175.' I'm just not that familiar with "truck" to know the exact meaning of the word. I do know each masthead was fit with golden tops which would have lightning rods above that. *update: according to a Google term search "Deck to Truck" measurement is to the top of the flag pole halliard. A screenshot shows that Great Republic had a Deck to Truck height of 216'.

@rwiederrich Rob Aug 1, 2024 post #268 includes the entire Nov 18, 1896 4 page letter from Cornelius McKay to Captain Arthur H Clark included with delivery of his unique 1850 Stag Hound builder's model and as of yet undiscovered scale plans. On the last handwritten page, last entry reads: "Main Mast Deck to Truck 166." Using mast specs I calculated the total main mast spar heights as 210'. Subtracting 166' results in 44' below deck. Using that same standard, fore mast comes to 146' and mizzen mast is 129'. For convenience, I've attached a screen shot of my notes too.

@Sailor1234567890 There were short ladders going down 3 feet to windlass, dual heads and crew quarters below. Adding 4 feet 9 & 1/2" to height brings this space up to nearly 8 feet before reducing it again for ship's structures. After carefully reading a description of the Stag Hound forecastle accommodations in the Boston Daily Atlas article, Rob and I determined that this had to be the only sensible arrangement since there's simply no other way to safely provide crew quarters in this area of the ship. I just took a day sail on the Mystic Schooner Argia and had an opportunity to take her companion ladder below. The ladder was so steep as to be nearly vertical. The safest way down was to descend facing forward.

Rob, This entirely new interpretation of an authentic McKay forecastle bulkhead will most certainly raise some eyebrows. From a nautical engineering aspect this makes so much more sense. Placing a new patented windlass below improves weight balance, provides sensible working room for unit maintenance and better weather ability. Meanwhile, closing off an aft forecastle bulkhead is the only logical way to create a safe space to serve as crew accommodations. This also emphasizes a greater difference in substantially larger American clipper design capabilities as compared to much smaller British ones. Incidentally, a description of Webb built New York extreme clipper Challenge has an identical forecastle arrangement for their crew as well. Rob your inclusion of foul weather shutters is a nice touch. Besides, answering questions before asked they provide a nice focus of interest. Painting them the same light blue of your waterways might also help them stand out as well.

Rob, Another factor I missed in my sketch is the substantial inward rake of the ship's hull which also would affect workable items such as ladders, companions and windows. As for future possible projects, I now have trued out the following sheer, body and deck profiles: McKay twin packets Star of Empire & Chariot of Fame clippers Stag Hound, Flying Cloud, Flying Fish, Sovereign of the Seas, James Baines, Lightning, Great Republic, Donald McKay, Mystic, Connecticut clipper Andrew Jackson (Belle Hoxie) and Rockland Maine Red Jacket. Currently for obvious reasons, my total fous is on Stag Hound but all the others have been digitally corrected so that vertical and horizontal lines have been reconciled as accurately as possible.