MORE HANDBOOKS ARE ON THEIR WAY! We will let you know when they get here.
×
ClipperFan
-
Posts
2,152 -
Joined
-
Last visited
Content Type
Profiles
Forums
Gallery
Events
Everything posted by ClipperFan
-
As promised, I've gone "back to the drawing board" to recapture the feel of "Glory of the Seas." This is a small sketch, based on the San Francisco dockside photo. Much smaller than the others. However this feels right when compared both to that image and the other broadside one. The masts are all arrow straight, the curve is actually in the paper itself. For this sketch, since I was so slavish on trying to reproduce precise dimensions, in the large work and completely lost the feel of the vessel, I completely abandoned that approach and just did this by eyeball. It just looks right to me. Now I need to reconcile this with her known dimensions. I went back and used a ruler to hold down the upper edge. As you can see, this is 8 1/2" wide by 5 1/2" deep, as it's a regular sized paper folded in 1/2.
- 3,560 replies
-
- 4
-
-
- clipper
- hull model
- (and 2 more)
-
Vladimir_Wairoa I agree entirely. She must have been quite a spectacle when first launched. Her dazzling white lovely figurehead, perched serenely atop shimmering gold leaf carving, contrasted by cabinet smooth freshly painted black siding with glimmering yellow gold metal below. She was huge too. Her Depth of Hull was 28'6", 3 decks with 8'2" of height for the two lower decks, 140' long at the Keel, 165' length from Taffrail to Knightheads, 44' width. At her Starboardside Docking Port, I've been able to count 9 strakes below, 4 besides and another 7 above. Using 1' for each strake puts her height above the waterline as 20 feet, with approximately 7' Sidewalls above her Main Deck. Now take into account that her highest portion of Hull is clearly at the Bow and it was about 7 feet higher still, as her Sheer is reported to be 7 feet, you get a vessel that is about 34' above the Waterline. Even without her towering masts, she must have been a truly impressive sight!
- 3,560 replies
-
- 2
-
-
- clipper
- hull model
- (and 2 more)
-
Unfortunately, her beautiful, elegantly carved scrollwork on her Cutwater arch has been all but washed away by decades at sea. Glory's carved naval hoods however remain intact. As eerily described in the contemporary newspaper article about the sad loss of the beautiful S Boston female model who posed for her figurehead, the Grecian Goddess Athene is missing her entire right arm up to her shoulder. Still, there is a serene loveliness to her which is unmistakable. Glory's Bow still has an imposing beauty to her, as well.
- 3,560 replies
-
- 3
-
-
- clipper
- hull model
- (and 2 more)
-
In further efforts to locate as of yet unseen images of "Glory of the Seas" I found another image of her Bow, the same one from 1900 but this allowed me to do a compressed jpeg file, which yielded a larger, more clear picture. The other Clipper is a Starboard view of William Webb's most famous Clipper "Young America." This particular scene I've never seen before. It clearly shows her unique trailboard of a seated Lady Liberty resting between two furled American flags at her Starboard Bow. Her Port Bow had an entirely different trailboard design. I just thought you guys might appreciate seeing these.
- 3,560 replies
-
- 6
-
-
- clipper
- hull model
- (and 2 more)
-
Druxey Good point! I think Glory may be just slightly Bow down, which would naturally make the Stern a little higher. I think I have to not follow this so slavishly and go back to utilizing all views in order to more accurately capture the true beauty of this vessel.
- 3,560 replies
-
- 3
-
-
- clipper
- hull model
- (and 2 more)
-
From "Some Famous Sailing Ships and their Builder Donald McKay" is an authentic Builder's Model of 'Stag Hound' Donald McKay's first Extreme Clipper Ship built in 1850. Cornelius McKay states that he built this particular Half Hull Model personally, taking offsets directly from the Molding Loft as the actual vessel herself was being built. He admits that there may be a few other 'fancy' models around but that all of the authentic Builder's Models have been lost. One fascinating aspect I've noticed when viewing McKay's own work is that the length to depth ratios of his works, especially his Clipper Ship Hulls is very reminiscent of... Canoes.
- 3,560 replies
-
- 2
-
-
- clipper
- hull model
- (and 2 more)
-
Keith Black, I have to double check my dimensions one more time, as I wrote, the Hull depth is a guesstimate and it looks like I made the Hull just a little too deep. The sheer just doesn't quite look right either, especially if it's compared to the San Francisco image where you can clearly see her quite graceful curving sheer. The Hull gradually curves down to the front of the Main Shrouds, appears to level a short distance after that and gently rises up the the Stern, which is noticeably lower than the Bow. My latest attempt just doesn't seem to fully capture those elements. One particular element I did finally appear to capture is the Bow rake, naval hoods and figurehead. Oh well, as they say... back to the drawing board.
- 3,560 replies
-
- 2
-
-
- clipper
- hull model
- (and 2 more)
-
Rob, Draft of "GLORY of the SEAS" is basically done. Still, my artist's eye tells me that, while all "specs" line up, the drawing just doesn't seem to accurately capture the graceful "feel" of this lovely vessel as portrayed in the 1907 San Pedro dockside photo. Not having a complete underwater Hull, I had to estimate and now that she's complete, it looks like I may have made the Hull just a little too deep. Meanwhile, the Stern looks a little high compared to the Bow. Let me know what you think.... It's damn difficult to capture sharp details at this scale, since it's necessary to take pics from a good distance to get the entire image. Both the 1907 photo and sketch had to be laid flat on the floor to minimize distortion. As I said before, each ledger page is 11" × 17", 3 laid out together equal 41". The 4 sketch pages are roughly equivalent.
- 3,560 replies
-
- 1
-
-
- clipper
- hull model
- (and 2 more)
-
Since McKay's Clippers were often favorably compared to Man O War Naval vessels, it's reasonable that his Shipyard would follow similar construction practices. A contract dispute he had with the US Navy also contributed to his financial woes. During the Civil War, he had contracts to build Naval vessels. During construction the US War Dept, kept continually revising their requirements leading to cost overruns. McKay and some other contractors eventually won their legal battle but it was years later and it was at considerable hardship. Another Clipper Captain, possibly Andrew Shewan of the lovely 3 Skysail Yarder 'Norman Court' in his book "The Great Days of Sail" told of Chinese thieves who would secretly strip sheets of metal from the hulls of Tea Clippers as they were anchored waiting to be loaded. Apparently they would use driftwood logs to swim up to the ships at dusk. Then under the cover of darkness they'd pry as many plates free as they could. Tea Clipper Captains would order their sailors to shoot at any 'driftwood' that approached their vessels. Often these sailors would be rewarded with the sight of the flotsam changing direction away from their ships. Still, many a Sea Captain would later discover that their ships were missing random plates after a stay in Chinese Harbors...
- 3,560 replies
-
- 2
-
-
- clipper
- hull model
- (and 2 more)
-
Here's the original source for the colorized photo of Glory on the Ways. A pipe ad from 1946. This probably came from a Life magazine, which back then was huge (11" x 17") compared to today's much more modest productions.
- 3,560 replies
-
- 4
-
-
- clipper
- hull model
- (and 2 more)
-
Druxey, I have no idea about coppering process of either merchant or US Naval ships. It was just my layman's observation that the majority of Glory's Hull is already coppered while she's on the Ways. The forefront of the ship appears to have a dark covering which blurs her strakes, while further back they're visible again. I've read that there was an underlay, kind of like tar fabric which was intended to form an additional barrier between the muntz metal and the underlying wood.
- 3,560 replies
-
- 2
-
-
- clipper
- hull model
- (and 2 more)
-
Rare port side of Glory's Grecian Goddess 'Athene' figurehead. From the article on the transformation of McKay's last Clipper to a Salmon Cannery. Here you can see the iron support rod has been relocated from further back and inside the carved naval hood to further up and now outside. The shackle connection is now apparently on both ends of this reinforcing bar. From her dark hair and possible lipstick, it appears some bored sailors sadly "dolled up Athene."
- 3,560 replies
-
- 2
-
-
- clipper
- hull model
- (and 2 more)
-
I actually have the original glossy photo of Glory near the Glacier Fish dock which I managed to score off e-bay years ago. By the time this impressive picture was taken, her Goddess figurehead had been removed. It adds to her forlorn situation. The image courtesy of Michael J Mjelde shows her with her figurehead still in place. All images do reinforce that below the waterline her Hull is practically verticle.
- 3,560 replies
-
- 2
-
-
- clipper
- hull model
- (and 2 more)
-
In regards to "Glory of the Seas" on the Ways, I agree that this is most likely not her launch day. More likely as others have described as an Open House to "bring your family to view the latest McKay Clipper" Day. Compare images of the Clipper "Great Republic" launch, where there are hundreds, maybe thousands of people surrounding the massive vessel, with clearly a mere handful of dignitaries on board to the crowds of people on board Glory with only a handful of spectators on the grounds. As to her yet incomplete coppering process, that too contributes to a sense that this isn't her launch day. Towards the Bow just above the coppered area, there appears to be black felt underlay. Farther back, just behind scaffolding it looks like this material has yet to be applied. My guess is that this particular vessel's launch didn't occur until after the entire underwater Hull had received all her copper plates (actually called yellow metal).
- 3,560 replies
-
- 2
-
-
- clipper
- hull model
- (and 2 more)
-
I found these on my laptop. First two are from the Alaska State Library, digital archives. Interestingly, search for 'Glory of the Seas' and you'll get no results. Look for Alaska Fish Cannery and there she is! "Alaska Fish Company, Floating Cannery, Hawk Inlet, Alaska" is still available as a free download. The other image no longer seems available on-line. GLORY of the SEAS in Middle Waterway, Tacoma, 1917 shows poor Glory with her Grecian Goddess figurehead intact. It's apparent that Glory's lower Hull has a long, practically straight Cutwater that slopes ever so slightly back from straight verticle.
- 3,560 replies
-
- 3
-
-
- clipper
- hull model
- (and 2 more)
-
Rob, Here's the original Captain's Cabin interior of the Penobscot, Maine 'Downeaster' Benjamin F Packard which is reconstructed entirely intact at Mystic Seaport, Mystic, CT
- 3,560 replies
-
- 6
-
-
-
- clipper
- hull model
- (and 2 more)
-
Druxey, Yuck! That's such a gross and unpleasant description of wood rot. I never knew that's what your username meant, I just thought it was your last name. Truly, you learn something new every day. However, I'm sure you are nothing like the moniker you've chosen... Rob This is probably the clearest PEM image of Glory on the ways. I counted about 80 people, including many women in skirts. Never mind climbing that rickety ladder 50' in pants, can you imagine attempting that in the type of full length skirts, as well as the undergarments women wore in those times? I once had an opportunity to enter the original cabin saved from the Downeaster "Benjamin F Packard" at Mystic Seaport. It was really beautiful. "Glory of the Seas" was described as having no expense spared in her luxurious appointments. I hope to get the final Stern of Glory done this Weekend.
- 3,560 replies
-
- 3
-
-
- clipper
- hull model
- (and 2 more)
-
Rob, I was serious about the lighting idea. I was joking about the hyphenated name for the druxey correction. The thing that amazes me about Doris's work, which really livens them up is the lighting she incorporates. That and the way she actually invents interiors for her vessels. Anyhow, this is your model, your project, I'm just honored to participate.
- 3,560 replies
-
- 3
-
-
- clipper
- hull model
- (and 2 more)
-
Rob, I was joking. It was my form of humor, obviously an acquired taste....
- 3,560 replies
-
- 2
-
-
- clipper
- hull model
- (and 2 more)
-
Rob, I regret to inform you that it's just to unwieldy to refer to the Bow revision as the "Druxey-Wiederrich" Correction. Henceforth we shall simply refer to it as the "Druxey Correction." On a more salient topic, I'm fascinated by your description of carving in hard Dental wax. It sounds like you're experienced in that. Is this some type of molding wax used to make teeth implants? I'm just curious. As regards to Doris, maybe you can take a page out of her book and light your Glory of the Seas replica too...
- 3,560 replies
-
- 2
-
-
- clipper
- hull model
- (and 2 more)
-
Rob, Thanks for the high praise, I appreciate the compliment. "The Druxey Correction" may go down in modeling history. He certainly opened my eyes to a hidden bias I didn't even realize I had. Another benefit of that revision is that the lower carved arch is now clearly longer than Glory's figurehead. Speaking of which, you might want to look at the incredible cardboard Ship modeling work of a European lady named Doris. She uses a form of sculpey clay and gets amazingly lifelike results. This not to disparage your carving abilities, it's just that with this huge scale you might be able to achieve some finer results doing sculpture. Anyways, if you haven't had a chance to see Doris's work, it's phenomenal. All scratchbuilt, all hand sculptured, magnificent creations.
- 3,560 replies
-
- 3
-
-
- clipper
- hull model
- (and 2 more)
-
Rob, Latest progress update on full scale "GLORY of the SEAS" recreation. Due to light wash out, the Mizzen Mast section is very light. It's basically down to one last section The Stern now. Druxey, Thank you for your sharp eyes, as you can see, the revised Prow is much closer to where you indicated it should be. Another surprising development, is that at this size, the sheer is so subdued that much of the Hull is actually a straight line. The sheer is there but much more subdued than I first anticipated.
- 3,560 replies
-
- 4
-
-
- clipper
- hull model
- (and 2 more)
-
Rob, Since I've only seen a few illustrations published of Donald McKay's work, I can only surmise what other details he might have done too. I do remember that the particular appendix does refer to him preparing this book for publication in expectations of doing a more extensive trip beyond England to other European nations, in order to promote his Shipyard and drum up business. As was sadly usual in his challenging life, some setback occured that ended his plans for this fascinating planned trip. It's either speculation or memory, I believe it might have been the illness and death of his wife. I have both of the books you mentioned and a few others. One has a real nice publication of the "Monster Clipper Donald Mc'Kay." Apparently when she was in drydock, English Shipwrights were so impressed with her that they took precise "lines" of her, which are published in this book. It might be McLean's "Fast Sailing Ships."
- 3,560 replies
-
- 2
-
-
- clipper
- hull model
- (and 2 more)
-
Rob, Peg and I observed our 35th June 1st. Exchanged lovely cards and sentiment. Nothing fancy. Just grateful to both be alive and healthy... Any Glory or other McKay ship images you feel like sharing is fine with me. I'm about half way through Glory's Hull, just before her Main Mast position. Her Prow is still somewhat a work in progress. I remember reading in one of the appendices of Richard McKay's book that, in a final aborted attempt to develop more European interest in his Shipbuilding capabilities, Donald Trump did dozens, maybe hundreds of sketches for an anticipated and as of yet still unpublished book. All of these documents now reside in the Peabody Museum. Just one image is the twin hulls of Star of Empire & Chariot of Fame. Someday I want to contact the Museum and see what interest they may have in finally making Donald McKays works available to the public.
- 3,560 replies
-
- 2
-
-
- clipper
- hull model
- (and 2 more)
-
Rob no lie. I began working on Glory of the Seas's accurate Hull and Sail plan in late May 2009. I know because it was the eve of our 24th Anniversary. My wife found a lovely place, the Inn at Stongington, a little shoreline town in CT which just happens to have the Capt Nate B Palmer House museum. Back then (has it really been 11 years?) There were no clear images of Glory besides those published in Michael Mjelde's two excellent books. The 1907 San Pedro pic wasn't available until 2017. So it's truly been a long strange trip... I have saved the article on Glory's transformation as a pdf file and can share it, including the image of her figurehead. Druxey, Misspelling Donald McKay's last name in the article shows how little attention was given to his contribution to American Maritime History. Sad how shabbily Glory was treated in her later years. Perhaps if Americans of that era had been more aware of the significance of McKay's contributions, his last Clipper wouldn't have met such an ignominious and fiery end...
- 3,560 replies
-
- 3
-
-
- clipper
- hull model
- (and 2 more)
Our Emblem ®
