Canvas covers for cargo hatches, 19th century

[brunelrussell]

Still slaving away on the Great Eastern (my life's work) and now that I know where the cargo hatches were, I need info as to how the canvas covers which I assume were there appeared.  Trying to find info like this online any more is hopeless;  it all seems to be about buying and selling stuff.  If anybody can cue me in I'd be appreciative.    brunalrussell

[bonedoctor51]

I'm also interested in the Great Eastern in its configuration as a cable layer.  Where did you find source material?  I understand that Revell had a model years ago, but I cannot find one that I could use to scale up a scratch built model.  Any books available which would be useful?  I've run into a stone wall trying to research this important historic ship.  All help would be appreciated.  Thanks  Lou

[wefalck]

I don't know how it was done on your specific, but in in general metal brackets were fixed along the coaming and the cover fixed with battens that were wedged against the coaming with pairs of wooden wedged driven in from opposing sides.

 

On the picture below you can see the arrangement on a somewhat later ship around the coamings of the skylight.

 

http://www.maritima-et-mechanika.org/maritime/models/wespe/Laverrenz-20.jpg

 

On the sailing ships of old, that would be at sea for months, the battens may have been nailed down in addition.

[Roger Pellett]

I would assume that this issue would have been addressed on the recently restored Great Britain.  While this might not conclusively answer your problem, it would at least give you an idea of what was done on another large Brunel designed and built ship.

 

Tarpaulins covering the hatch board were considered to be a pain in the *** by ships’ crews.  Here on the Great Lakes there are several documented cases of vessels being lost with heavy loss of life when their masters were surprised by heavy weather after leaving port without the hatches tarped.  

 

The whaleback steamship James Colegate (see build log by Dan Pariser on this forum) sank in a storm on Lake Erie when her hatches leaked despite being tarped.  Her captain was the only survivor.

 

With her (for her time) enormous freeboard, I wonder if canvas hatch covers atop the usual hatch boards were not routinely used.

 

Roger

 

[jud]

                                      These are the best of Cargo Hatch Cover Photos I took in 66-67 aboard 2 different 542 Class LSTs in the South China Sea or on a Delta river, except the supply ship that kept us in feed and ammo. The photo of the wet forward hatch taken aboard the Clark County LST 601, a ship I was part of the recommissioning crew 65-66, is over the main deck ramp to the tank deck, on a slope but typically closed as all hatches were that I was ever around. Notice the white water, not here, but green water sometimes got up there, hence the batons over the top from side to side to prevent wind and water from lifting the covers and boards underneath, this was also done on the main deck hatch. I show how those batons were attached aboard the Harnett County LST 821, they were two piece, connected by turnbuckles so they could be loosened to remove and tighten up again when placed across the closed hatch. Included the other photo to show that those closed hatches were often used as deck space, here we are storing empty 40MM Bofors cans in hopes we could offload them before we had to throw them overboard. The cargo ship hatch, is partly open so you can see the boards and cross members, the clips outside the hatches are visible along with a sack of wedges used with the batons and clips to secure the covers.

Edited April 4, 2021 by jud

[brunelrussell]

Hello all,  brunelrussell again.  I found a photo in my vast collection of nautical stuff that shows an apparently modern sailing ship with several canvas-covered hatches.  The edges seem to be held down by toggles of some kind.  I didn't think to look into The Great Britain, duh.  Thanks again, guys (and dolls).

[brunelrussell]

Brunelrussell again, to Mr. bonedoctor; you got any questions about the G.E. I'm your man.  I've been researching the damn thing for almost 40 years, I can date any photos, I've been through all her various transformations.  I'm obsessed, in other words, and am building a 1/8th inch to the foot model in her N.Y. maiden voyage mode.  I could talk your ear off about this thing.  I have to use library computers so my replies might be a bit slow.  Nobody around here has any intererst in the subject. Please, ask!