Original 44 frigates' ship wheel

[myhr99]

I've read when the original frigates were built, they had single wheels (the USS CONSTITUTION in Boston now has a double wheel).
What would the single wheel arrangement look like?

[michaelpsutton2]

Pretty much like the double but there would only be  a wheel at the foreward end of the barrel. Here is the wheel on the inboard works of the Seaford class sloop HMS Rose of 1757. Think similar but larger

[myhr99]

Nice!!  Thank you, Michael!!

[michaelpsutton2]

Every example I have of a single wheel is for a vessel either much smaller or about 20 years earlier than the US 44 gun frigates. I would double check my sources.

[trippwj]

Where was the single wheel mentioned?  That seems odd for the period and the designer.

 

 

[myhr99]

'k, thanx!

I probably misinterpreted the reference...

In "Constitution Close Up: Minutiae for the Modeler and Artist" by Cmdr Tyrone G. Martin, U.S. Navy (retired}, he writes "1804 - Ship fitted with single wheel. [Quarter Bill, American Antiquarian Society.] Inferred from the fact that the bill provides for only two men on the wheel." And then

"Feb 1809 - Ship fitted with double wheel. [Midshipman John M. Funck Quarter Bill, USSCM.] Inferred from the fact that four men are provided for the wheel."

Maybe the ship's wheel was damaged and they had to use a single until proper repairs were made...?

[uss frolick]

A ship of 1500 tons would need enough 'spoke-space', if you will, for four men in rough weather, if needed. A single wheel wouldn't give enough purchase for a ship of the USS Constitution's class. She displaced nearly enough water as a British 74. 

 

The USS Wasp of 1806, however, is thought to have had a single wheel, but she was only 500 tons.

[Marcus.K.]

As Martin points out: he concluded a single and a double wheel just because on number of payed "men on the wheel" (two in case of single wheel and 4 in case of a double wheel).

 

But that calculation has anyhow a flaw:

if one assumes that 2 men would man the single - and 4 man would man the double wheel, we would in fact need 4 men for the single and 8 for the double wheel - right?

So that each watch had a full manned wheel. So to conclude for the number of wheels just by the paid helmsmen, we would need the double amount of personel.

 

IF we allow the single wheel be manned by only one dedicated (and paid) person per watch (and being assisted by another "common" sailor) .. why would that not be possible on a double wheel? .. There could have been one dedicated helmsman per watch in the beginning - even on a double wheel - who might have got support by 1 to 3 more common sailors in case of need.
Maybe the navy later decided to pay 2 helmsman per watch - just to make sure that there is enough experience at the wheel? But by THAT the NUMBER of helmsmen would not affect the number of wheels themself.

 

To summarize:

if we doubt Martins conclusion (number of wheels connected with number of paid helmsmen), we may stick with the assumed double wheel - from beginning. 

That would be my assumption - until there is more evidence for a single wheel ...