Charles W Morgan by texxn5 - FINISHED - Model Shipways - 1:64

[lambsbk]

Glad to see the Mayflower was back at her berth. We missed that in June.

[Sjors]

Yes more pictures 

Nice to see the Mayflower !

Please send her on a trip to Rotterdam, then I can visit her !

 

[texxn5]

Hi Augie, yes re-launched July 21, after a 5 year, $7,000,000 hull restoration.  they are starting to work on the Deck furniture and building the masts.  She'll sail in April 2014, and wind up moored with the Constitution in the Charleston Navy Yard by July 4.

[texxn5]

Hi Dave, the Mayflower needs to be refurbished but is currently in the water. They are trying to raise $2,000,000 to begin work on her. She needs it, quite a bit of disrepair and flaked paint broken wood. I didn't go abord since it was after 5:00 and they were closed.

[texxn5]

Hi Lawrence, my Admiral and i were discussing the same thing as we looked at her.  Imagine life must have been really tough those days and times.  Glad you are enjoying the pictures along with others.  We are enjoying our tour.  Tomorrow we're off to Gettysburg, Pa. and then to Virgina Beach.  I haven't been to Norfolk since I got out of the Navy in 1972.

[texxn5]

Sjors, in her current condition she'd never make it to Rotterdam. She would wind up in Davy Jones' Locker. But I'll instruct the museum curator of your request....perhaps he'll comply.....

[texxn5]

I just read the news that today in Mystic, Ct is the beginning of the Connecticut Schooner Festival, and a lot of the tall ships will be here for the weekend.  Looks like I just made it to the Morgan before the crowds showed up. 

[texxn5]

All I have time for this morning is a couple of pictures of the ship and Mystic....

[texxn5]

a couple of more...the head, the bow, the deck

[texxn5]

this is a 1/2" - 1'0" scale model.....in the Collections & Research building.  All of the others are in a vault with large steel sliding doors and just stacked up in rows and available only for research and not open to the general public without an appointment and an escort.

[augie]

Thanks for the Morgan pics!

[Blue Ensign]

Whalers are great subjects with interesting fittings and I like the look of your Morgan John, a fine job on the copper tape. I imagine as hard worked ships they are a good candidate for a bit of weathering if you choose to go down that route.

 

Cheers,

 

B.E.

[texxn5]

You're welcome Augie. There will be more to follow, and I will be posting a separate set of pictures of my journey in the Museums and other ships section of the forum soon. Too time consuming right now, but that way other people can view them than just the ones following my log. Just time for a couple of more, then I have to hook up and head to Gettysburg, Pa. today. these were in the Collections and Research building, which is a fascinating place all by itself.

[texxn5]

this drawing was actually taped to the bulkhead next to the wheel and tiller to show the person restoring it how it is supposed to look.

[augie]

Those line drawings are just terrific.  Thanks John.

[Beef Wellington]

Hi John, I've just been able to catch up on your wonderful CW Morgan build.  I'm quite lucky living relatively close to her so have seen her in the various phases of restoration, the first time I saw her when we moved here a 3yrs ago I was caught a little off guard as I was expecting to see her majestically sitting in the river, instead she was on land on blocks and I honestly thought she was being broken up as she was pretty much stripped to her frames.  We also had a chance to visit the Mayflower II, must confess I was a little disappointed but should have known what to expect.  Clearly shes a modern rebuild along similar lines, but a lot of the dimensions have been changed (deck heights especially) to accommodate tourists, shes still fun to visit though, especially along with the Plymouth Plantation settlement recreation.

[texxn5]

Hi Augie, aren't those drawings outstanding.  Can't believe I snuck a couple of pictures.  I have some more I'll try to post later.

[texxn5]

Hi Jason, glad you enjoyed. This has been a fun ride....

[texxn5]

today was a most intersting day......pulling an RV through New York City and surviving.....my GPS said this was the fastest route to get to Gettysburg, and actually it was right.  We had a 7 hour drive today and drove just to the west of the city.  good views of the skyline, just glad I didn't miss a turn and wind up in a slum in the Bronx trying to turn around an RV....lol.......been a while since I was in New York.  I was there in 1976 to take the New York Stock Exchange exam, and do some actual trading on the floor of the NYSE. 

[texxn5]

Well, I am currently in Virgina Beach, Va. First time I have been here in 41 years (since I was separated from the Navy in 72). We're staying directly across from Oceana NAS, and the F-18's have been flying over us all day....brings back many memories, since I was stationed here with the JFK at NOB, Norfolk. We used to camp out here in tents when we had free time from the ship. Now my Admiral understands why I'm as deaf as I am.....loud fighter jets with no ear protection...she gets the picture...lol. Pictures following soon. Have to pay for internet by the day here, so pictures might come later on.

[Beef Wellington]

this drawing was actually taped to the bulkhead next to the wheel and tiller to show the person restoring it how it is supposed to look.

 

I was relooking at the picture you had posted of the Morgan's wheel, it was only when I enlarged it that I saw that the wheel is actually sitting on the rudder tiller arm.  I'm sure I would have noticed if that had been there, what a bizarre arrangement!  I suppose it allows the sterring gear to be packed into as small an area as possible, but must be strange to operate - as you turn the wheel you have to follow it around(?)

[texxn5]

Hi Jason,

Yes it is a bizarre set up. I had seen a very bad photo of that before visiting the ship. I had also been studying the plans before my trip, and it did not show very well in the plans, so this wasw an area I have not done yet on my build, holding off until I could see it in person. Of course, this wasn't restored yet, but I found this drawing taped to the bulkhead next to the tiller and photographed it. This is also true of the windlass area, and I found the area on one of the models on display that showed this very well and I now have good pictures of this area too.

[texxn5]

I have a little time, so I will post a couple of pictures. Here are some of a whaleboat being restored and fitted out for the restoration.

[texxn5]

Anyone ever see deck prisms??  Here are the ones on board forward offsetting the fore mast.

[texxn5]

the deck prisms reflect light and artificially light up the forecastle area and other parts below deck.  the amount of light is incredible, and works very well.

[texxn5]

Here is another shot of the whaleboats that are being painted....note that the color of the gunwale's are different colors, one green and one yellow. I assume this is for identification when working away from the ship. does anyone know for sure, and if so what are the other colors. They only had 2 at this time.

[texxn5]

I found this pile of chainplates interesting.....being careful to replace exactly as they came off.

[texxn5]

No visit to Mystic is complete without having pizza at Mystic Pizza. This is where the movie was filmed and inspired that julia Roberts made her debut. It's cool, and the pizza is fabulous.

[texxn5]

And inside

[texxn5]

And yes, that is Sinatra next to the poster. Many movie stars have been here and come here to eat pizza.