Senior ole salt

...the now rotten or buried hulk In or around Hell's Gate, East river, NYC?
 
Reputed to be the British pay ship for H.M troops engaged in suppressing the American revolution. The British captain didn't listen to the East River pilot. The ship hit Pot rock and sank with
a number of American P.O.W. aboard as well as gold and silver.
 
SOS
 
http://www.nytimes.com/2002/02/17/nyregion/ship-of-dreams.html?pagewanted=all
 
 

An old chart depicting the HMS Hussar's last voyage.
 
SOS
 

An old chart depicting the HMS Hussar's last voyage.
 
SOS
 

The Ship that Held Up Wall Street

By Warren C. Riess with Sheli O. Smith

College Station: Texas A&M University Press, 2014

8-3/4” x 11-1/4”, hardcover, 112 pages

Illustrations, diagrams, sketch maps, notes, glossary, index. $29.00

ISBN: 9781623491888

 

            In January 1982 a backhoe digging a trench at a New York City construction site uncovered the remains of a buried ship—an old one. The trench, one of four, was part of an archeological survey prior to clearing the site for the foundations of a thirty-story office building in Manhattan’s financial district.           

            It was soon apparent the ship likely dated from the early eighteenth century. It offered insights on a little-understood period of naval architecture. Construction could be delayed for only a short time. Any study or recovery of the ship in situ had to be completed by March 1.

            The Ship that Held Up Wall Street, by Warren C. Riess with Sheli O. Smith, tells what happened next. It reveals the story of a month-long sprint to unearth the ship and the decades-long marathon to unlock the secrets of the find.

            The book opens describing the 28-day site dig. Riess relates an urban adventure worthy of an Indiana Jones movie. The excavation took place in February in pre-Giuliani New York City. The archeologists not only had to fight time and February weather, they had to contend with picket lines and gang violence. (Local community activists protested the lack of minority workers at the dig site until they learned the diggers were low-paid archeologists, not high-paid construction workers. A street gang attempted to fire-bomb the ship for reasons still unknown.)

            This is followed by a section describing preservation of artifacts and explains what was chosen for preservation and why. It provides a clear, understandable introduction to the science behind stabilizing fragile timber and artifacts.

            Riess next unravels the identity of the ship uncovered by construction. The chapter reads like a first-rate mystery novel, as Reiss pieces clues together. Evidence as diverse as the design of the ship, the timber used in construction, and even the species of shipworm which attacked the hull provided critical data. Combined with archival research, it allowed a tentative identification of the ship.

            For those most interested in sailing era naval architecture, this is likely the most fascinating chapter. The ship is revealed as a transitional design, a cross between the Dutch fluyte (or flyboat) and British merchant frigate. It was significant find.

            After developing the probable career of the ship, Riess explains how and why this ship ended up buried one-tenth of a mile from Manhattan’s present coast. To do this he examines the history of early eighteenth-century New York City. He takes readers into the commercial life of the city, and introduces them to the individuals who developed the lot in the 1740s and 1750s.

            The Ship that Held Up Wall Street is a delightful book on several levels. In addition to adventure, mystery, and history, Riess introduces touches of comedy and tragedy describing missteps, near-catastrophe, and dropped opportunities occurring in every effort with tight deadlines and many participants.

            The only real disappointment—for model-makers—is a lack of technical detail about the ship’s design and construction. Riess promises that in a second book about the ship, one he is currently preparing. The Ship that Held Up Wall Street will hold model-makers until then.

 

Mark Lardas

League City, Texas

Looking good Sal.    I guess you found the right deadeyes 
 
SOS

My name is SOS  and I'm a clutterholic
 
My  work station must be the worst.  I have all my tools handy including paint brushes  fittings in containers and more model stuff too numerous to list. As a result the model is surrounded by my self inflicted CLUTTER. Help!
 
Are there any others out there ?  Fess up.
 
. What do you do to work efficiently ?
 
SOS
 
 

I examined my model boat work station a bit more thoroughly.   I seem to have  to much tool duplication like several tweezers, Xacto knives,files of all kinds and sizes, same for sanding boards and measuring devices., Various drills all mounted  with spare bitts in separate containers. I save table saw scraps left overs in a jar which I find useful in making small parts etc.   Various small artist brushes reside in a handy jar. In defense of my clutterholic, I must say that I rarely loose store bought fittings as they are stored in small containers further housed in an old cigar box. They are guarded by swivel guns, ( not loaded of course ) but the key to the guns access I will not reveal here.   I did construct years ago a tiered carousel with appropriate holes for various tools and a lower compartments for small stuff. It worked quite well for some time .... then I became aware of Micro-mark tool catalog.  Well ....you know the rest
 
Now by contrast my  regular work shop for full sized boats and " The Admiral" type projects is very neat  with all hand tools up on a peg board. So go figure.
 
SOS
 
PS a possible solution is to keep all the tools out of reach . That way i have to get up to obtain them so then I get a bit of added exercise.
 
I forgot to mention  numerous pliers,hammers and saws. I found a place for them in  two drawers beneath the tiny space left for the model to be built is on.
 

I examined my model boat work station a bit more thoroughly.   I seem to have  to much tool duplication like several tweezers, Xacto knives,files of all kinds and sizes, same for sanding boards and measuring devices., Various drills all mounted  with spare bitts in separate containers. I save table saw scraps left overs in a jar which I find useful in making small parts etc.   Various small artist brushes reside in a handy jar. In defense of my clutterholic, I must say that I rarely loose store bought fittings as they are stored in small containers further housed in an old cigar box. They are guarded by swivel guns, ( not loaded of course ) but the key to the guns access I will not reveal here.   I did construct years ago a tiered carousel with appropriate holes for various tools and a lower compartments for small stuff. It worked quite well for some time .... then I became aware of Micro-mark tool catalog.  Well ....you know the rest
 
Now by contrast my  regular work shop for full sized boats and " The Admiral" type projects is very neat  with all hand tools up on a peg board. So go figure.
 
SOS
 
PS a possible solution is to keep all the tools out of reach . That way i have to get up to obtain them so then I get a bit of added exercise.
 
I forgot to mention  numerous pliers,hammers and saws. I found a place for them in  two drawers beneath the tiny space left for the model to be built is on.
 

My name is SOS  and I'm a clutterholic
 
My  work station must be the worst.  I have all my tools handy including paint brushes  fittings in containers and more model stuff too numerous to list. As a result the model is surrounded by my self inflicted CLUTTER. Help!
 
Are there any others out there ?  Fess up.
 
. What do you do to work efficiently ?
 
SOS
 
 

Looking good Sal.    I guess you found the right deadeyes 
 
SOS

Ahoy all Modelers,
 

 
Coming along on the model. and got the swivel guns mounted on the poop deck. Also an officer was piped aboard this week to help supervise the further construction. I got a different scheme for mounting the gun port lids that might be unorthodox. If it works Ill post it here. Still to go some kind of binnacle , channels and deadeyes ( awaiting the blackening agent).
Notice the cable going to a holes in the fwd. grating and below to the cable locker.
 
Thanks for the help in various questions I posted in other threads.
 
S.O.S.
 
 

Looking good Sal.    I guess you found the right deadeyes 
 
SOS

Looking good Sal.    I guess you found the right deadeyes 
 
SOS

Ahoy all Modelers,
 

 
Coming along on the model. and got the swivel guns mounted on the poop deck. Also an officer was piped aboard this week to help supervise the further construction. I got a different scheme for mounting the gun port lids that might be unorthodox. If it works Ill post it here. Still to go some kind of binnacle , channels and deadeyes ( awaiting the blackening agent).
Notice the cable going to a holes in the fwd. grating and below to the cable locker.
 
Thanks for the help in various questions I posted in other threads.
 
S.O.S.
 
 

Looking good Sal.    I guess you found the right deadeyes 
 
SOS

Ahoy all Modelers,
 

 
Coming along on the model. and got the swivel guns mounted on the poop deck. Also an officer was piped aboard this week to help supervise the further construction. I got a different scheme for mounting the gun port lids that might be unorthodox. If it works Ill post it here. Still to go some kind of binnacle , channels and deadeyes ( awaiting the blackening agent).
Notice the cable going to a holes in the fwd. grating and below to the cable locker.
 
Thanks for the help in various questions I posted in other threads.
 
S.O.S.
 
 

]Lower deck guns rigged and run out .. ready for the first broad side... well ...almost. Got all of the poop deck to do as well as its fittings  rails and swivel guns. etc. (  deck not glued down in the image") For now I'd like to know just what sort of binnacle was typical for a 18th century ship during the American revolution. The plans I have show a deck box and I assume engine controls probably a compass etc . Also where the ships bell might be.
 
My big question is a rigging plan. My plans show only standing rigging and main peak & throat  blocks  halyards etc.with no clue as to just where they might go. So my question is any one here knowledgeable where all the running rigging should go and belay to?  
 
 
 
Thanks
 
S.O..S

Well the Providence is moving along. For me the rigging of the cannons was challenging but  I had to install at least 4 of them before the poop deck work was to proceed as the beams and deck would make access to those 4 cannons difficult. ( for me at least) I first tried to rig up the tackles separately, attach them to the cannon and then move the cannon into place tackle and all. That didn't work.as there was a lot to manage all at the same time So I next  stropped the block with becket & line to the bulkhead  by drilling a small hole that matched the stropped block in the bulkhead and just glue in the block, strop and line. Same goes for the  single block on the gun carriage Then I glued the gun carriage in place, let the glue dry. With tweezers, two needle threaders I rigged up the tackles as depicted in the photo. The coils are separate and all glued down. I still have to install the  gun barrels and iron work to hold down the trunnions.
 
The in place deck beams are not complete as there are two extensions P&S from the existing beams. All other deck work shown are removable for now to give more space for installing the other 6 cannons and tackles..
 
I gave up the idea of furnishing the main cabin as peering into it would be hopeless  with the eventual  poop deck, case would permit. I'll let the imagination of the viewer supply what John.Paul Jones and officers had for comfort. maybe even a wench or two. After all guys are guys.  Thanks for viewing.
 
S.O.S

The sloop Providence will be soon ready to have mast stepped and the rigging started   But wait a minute I have no detailed rigging plan.   Guess work will not work . I'm at the stage where I have to order blocks single , double and some triple but how many and what size. Same with the cordage. what size and thickness etc.
 
So I'm thinking the Cutter Cheerful 1/48 scale is similar in size and era and should be near enough. Chuck's thick ness gauge is a help. But still doesn't solve my problem.
 Which is:
 
Just what sizes and # of single blocks
 
                               # of double blocks
 
                              # of triple blocks
 
I have the dead eyes for the main mast and enough for the top mast
 
Also just what thickness cordage for various members of the standing rigging, fore and back stays for main mast and top mast and associated yards 
 
and the running  rigging for all of the above.
 
I guess I'm aiming at the HMS Cutter Cheerful   builders here . Can they come to the aid of a Revolutionary Man-O.- War Sloop Providence ??
 
Thanks
 
S.O.S.
 

Thanks folks. I used the blackening agent that Bluejacket sells. It worked out great.
 
S.O.S.

Thanks folks. I used the blackening agent that Bluejacket sells. It worked out great.
 
S.O.S.

Thanks folks. I used the blackening agent that Bluejacket sells. It worked out great.
 
S.O.S.

Thanks folks. I used the blackening agent that Bluejacket sells. It worked out great.
 
S.O.S.

I am re posting this from another topic so its easy for folks to find should they need it.
 
Its very difficult to measure rope using any method.  That technique of wrapping it around a dowel is not very good either.  There is too much variation depending on how tightly you wrap it.  It would flatten out the rope and distort it.   It is also hard to get a consistent space next to each revolution around the dowel.   One may be closer than another.  It may be squishing the wrap next to it etc.  If you did it ten times or asked two different people to measure the same rope that way you would never get the same measurement.  It may be close but you would be surprised.
 
Thankfully You would also be surprised how sophisticated our software has become.   I use Corel Draw and Illustrator all of the time.   When you draw a line in either program its thickness is measured in points.  Lucky for us there are many conversion tables and apps that will convert points to inches.....or metric.  Whichever you prefer.
 
If you know that a line you need is .018" and you want to see what that exact thickness or diameter in our case is....then do the conversion.  
 
.018" is equal to 1.296 points.   If you create a line in any of those programs and make it 1.296 points thick.....its pretty darn accurate.  You will know what a .018 size rope should be....
 
Here is a chart I have on my site for folks that need a more visual way to see what these sizes actually look like. 
 
http://www.syrenship...pesizechart.pdf
 
Its pretty darn on the money and I have one close by at all times when I make my rope.  Its leaps and bounds the more accurate way with technology to measure rope accurately.   Also set your printer for the highest quality print job........
 
Maybe when I get some time I will create a new chart which contains even more size variations.  Maybe every .005" or something.  Here is a good inches to points conversion calculator.   Its the one I use.
 
http://www.thecalcul...s-to-inches.php
 
Chuck

My name is SOS  and I'm a clutterholic
 
My  work station must be the worst.  I have all my tools handy including paint brushes  fittings in containers and more model stuff too numerous to list. As a result the model is surrounded by my self inflicted CLUTTER. Help!
 
Are there any others out there ?  Fess up.
 
. What do you do to work efficiently ?
 
SOS