Art of period shipbuilding

[Tadeusz43]

Anchors , catheads and davits. Part 1.

 

Anchors are  very important parts of ships equipment.

The oldest anchors was made from wood and stone, also lead was used as a weight.

More and heavier anchors require additional equipment for lifting and lowering of the water appeared davits and catheads.

 

Early anchors.NMM Gdańsk                           Anchors development. Historic Dockyards Portsmouth UK

Nave Victoria

Halve Maen. On this saworthy replica the moden Danforth anchor was added.

The fish davit used for rising the anchor to stowage position

The cathead with tackle

The cathead shaves for cat tackle                     Puddening the anchor ring

Batavia

The lining for protect ship side from anchor when rised

The cathead with tackle

Gotheborg

Shtandart This anchor is not from period.

HMS Victory

 

Tadeusz

 

[Tadeusz43]

Anchors , catheads and davits. Part 2.

 

Jylland

HMS Warrior

The anchor davit replaced both cathead and fish davit

Passat

Kruzenstern

The anchor on small schooner.

From the stone up to stockless anchor. MM Stockholm.

 

Tadeusz

Edited December 11, 2015 by Tadeusz43

[Tadeusz43]

Ships’ boats and davits

Ships was equipped with boats intended for use for personnel and food and water supplies transport in harbours as also for landing on shore or for towing the ships.

An important function of the boats was life saving of passengers and sailors.

On the war ships the boats was used for communication between ships as also for actions against enemy.

On the beginning the ships was carrying one boat but over time their number grew.

Big ships was equipped with several boats with different size and destination.

Boats was specialized for various functions the biggest named long boats  was used for anchors  handling as also was armed with light cannons.

Boats was equipped with oars as also mast and sails

The gig it was long narrow boat used for personnel transport  the Captain.

The ships  carried boats on the deck or on davits.

For example HMS Warrior 1860 was equipped with:

 

Boat from Vasa

Boat in Historic Dockyard museum in Portsmouth UK

Boat construction in Historic Dockyard museum in Portsmouth UK

Boats under construction in Delft Shipyard  at Amsterdam

Boats on the deck of HMS Victory

Boat on davits on Jylland

Boat on the deck of Gotheborg

Davits and boat on Passat

Contemporary boats on old davits on Dar Pomorza

Boats and davits on ship's side

Boats and davits on ship's stern

 

Tadeusz

[AndrewNaylor]

Thank you Sir for all your hard work on this article very interesting indeed I especialy liked the bent trees We have the same in the UK in the Royal Parks called "Chained trees" as the limbs where bent with chains to shape them 

Than you again 

[donrobinson]

amazing collection of photographs and descriptions. Thank You so much

[Tadeusz43]

The steering gears & compasses Part 1

Steering oars and later, the side rudder was used on the ships up to 15^th century.

The stern rudder was equipped with tiller and on bigger ships with whipstaff.

At the beginning of 18th century the steering wheel was installed on the ships instead the whipstaff.

On big war ships was installed two or more steering post.

Magnetic compass in front of the helmsman was introduced in 13/14^th century and as installed in binnacle – wooden box with glass windows and lantern for illumination during the night, in the binnacle was two compasses.

Later in 19^th century number of compasses was reduced to one only.

On iron ships the binnacle was equipped with deviation spheres such

type is used up to present.

The side rudder on the Viking boat in VBM at Roskilde (DK)

Wipstaff on Batavia

VOC Amsterdam

HMS Victory

Gotheborg

Reconstruction of the steering post in Delft Shipyard at Rotterdam

The tiller on Jylland

Steering post on Jylland

  The binnacle on Jylland

 

Tadeusz

 

[Tadeusz43]

The steering gears & compasses Part 2

HMAS Bounty

Passat Stering post at the ship stern

Passat Stering post at the midship

Steering post reconstructin in MM at Stockholm

HMS Warrior Steering post on the lower deck

HMS Warrior Steering post on the gun deck

On the midship                                                    On the stern

                             Steering posts on Kruzenstern

Polar ship Fram at Fram Museum  Oslo

Binnacle

 

Tadeusz

 

 

[Tadeusz43]

The ship’s bell

The ship’s Bell on the English ships In use from Middle of 17th century.

The bell was used for mark the beginning of the watches as also for alarm

 and fog signals.

Depeding of type of ship war or commercial and the period  the bell was situated near helmsman post r on the ship's bow.

Batavia                                                               Libava

Gotheborg                                                           Shtandart

Cutty Sark                                                                                                                              Kruzenstern                             

Passat The bell on bow

             

                                      Passat The bell on midship

HMS Victory

 

Tadeusz

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited December 27, 2015 by Tadeusz43

[Tadeusz43]

The Poop and Side lanterns

On the beginning on the ship stern was installed the Poop lanterns with candles.

In 1838 the United States passed an act requiring steamboats running between sunset and sunrise to carry one or more signal lights; color, visibility and location were not specified. In 1848 the United Kingdom passed regulations that required steam vessels to display red and green sidelights as well as a white masthead light. In 1849 the U.S. Congress extended the light requirements to sailing vessels. In 1889 the United States convened the first International Maritime Conference to consider regulations for preventing collisions. The resulting Washington Conference Rules were adopted by the U.S in 1890 and became effective internationally in 1897.(Wiki)

Batavia

HMS Victory

Dar Pomorza  Starboard lantern

Passat Starboard lantern

 

Tadeusz

 

[JesseLee]

I just discovered this thread. Cant stop looking it over! There's nothing like seeing the real thing. Thanks for all these pictures & information. 

 

Jesse

[Captain Al]

I too just discovered this forum topic and can't get enough of it.  Thank you so much T for posting this fantastic naval history.   It gives such wonderful context to all the "ship building" we do ourselves.  Its an inspiration as well to start visiting some of the museums and ship yards that house all this material.  Thanks again.

[allanyed]

Please add me to the "I just found it too" list.   Great job Tadeusz.

Allan

[Tadeusz43]

The gunport lids

Vasa

Jylland

Gotheborg

Note:The lid protection "when on the sea" bars hanged ower the gunport.

HMS Victory

Note: Pair of gunport tackles under the upper deck

VOC Batavia

Note: Single gunport tackle ower the cannon.

HMS Warrior

Note: The protection bar and gunport tacles.

Sthadart

Halve Maen

Etoile du Roy

Tadeusz

 

[Tadeusz43]

The sanitary facilities

Seats of easy

Sthandart

VOC Batavia

HMS Victory

Jylland

Jylland The urinal

HMS Victory Roud houses

 

Tadeusz

[josu]

Hi,

Masts.

Masts on boats and small ships was made from single timber (pine or spruce).

On larger vessels masts was assembled from few timbers for

obtain required diameter as also reinforced by external woods

named fish.

The fish was installed on front or/and on sides of masts .

All this structure was hold together with rope wooldings or later with iron hoops.

 

Tadeusz

 

IMG_3040.JPG

IMG_3041.JPG

IMG_3042.JPG

Mast making in Batvia Werf

IMG_3067.JPG

Batavia mast with woolding  Batavia

IMG_2991.JPG

Mast crosstrees  Batavia

IMG_3039.JPG

Mast cap continental style andmast top  Batavia

IMG_3038.JPG

Topmast heel  Batavia

IMG_3067.JPG

Mast wooldings

IMG_1895.JPG

Iron hoops and front fish Jylland

IMG_2697 (2).JPG

Rope wooldings  and front fish Gotheborg

PICT5992.JPG

Mast with fishes anr iron hoops Victory

I am interested in the mast-made system. Do anybody have drawings or fotographs were can be seen how the mast, in te above system, is built up? Building of different pieces, connections, assembling

 

thank you in advance

[Tadeusz43]

Hi,

During my visit in Karlskrona last week I have seen works in shipwright workshop.

There wooden ship boats are constructed and repaired using traditional methods.

 

Tadeusz

 

[BANYAN]

Thanks for sharing Tadeusz, some interesting details there.

 

cheers

 

Pat

[Tadeusz43]

Historic docks and shipyards in Denmark.

 

The first in Denmark dry dock located on the waterfront in the Christianshavn.

Dock was constructed in 1739. (National Museum of Denmark)

Part of wooden dock structure.

The Royal Arsenal in Copenhagen (The Royal Naval Museum)

The Royal Navy base at Holmen Island.(The Royal Naval Museum)

Shipyard in Copenhagen (The Royal Naval Museum)

Ship on the slipway ready for launching (The Royal Naval Museum)

Mast crane at Holmen Island

 

Tadeusz

[Captain Poison]

As always your contribution is very interesting,thank you very much Tadeusz!

[John Allen]

Tadeusz,

 

Great topic, historical tidbits like these make a ships model not just a model bought  put a little bit of life into the build knowing the historical aspect of start to finish. Thank you for starting this subject extremely enlightening. 

[aviaamator]

Very informative Topic! Thank You Very Much!

[Tadeusz43]

Hi,

Thank you all for your kind words, I try to pull this topic further.

 

Tadeusz

[Mike Y]

Thanks a lot again! It is always a pleasure to see the new posts here

Speaking of the dockyards - sorry for hijacking your topic, hope you do not mind a few photos from Hamburg maritime museum:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[dgbot]

Your started a great topic Tad it gives one that actual effect of what an old shipyard was like and the manpower it took.   Here is a diorama by Jim Brotz of and early shipyard in Michigan at the turn of the 20thc.  I really drooled over it.  He put it together from old photos and newspapers and registers.

David B

 

[Tadeusz43]

Hi,

Karlskrona, southern Sweden was established as a base for the Swedish fleet
in 1680 because in this area the sea does not freeze in winter.
Many buildings have survived to our times but the area is still used by the Swedish Navy.

Artilery Manor - artilery arsenal

Curent view - the long building it is old rope walk

Edited January 19, 2017 by Tadeusz43

[Tadeusz43]

The Bomb vessels

The bomb vessels it was specific type of battle ships armed witch heavy mortars used for bombardment of enemy ships and land installations.

From the Royal Naval Museum in Copenhagen.

 

Tadeusz

[Tadeusz43]

Old ropowalk in Chatham.

In Historic Dockyards in Chatham (UK) is 200-years old ropewalk  still producing ropes with old machines.

For visitors held demonstrations braiding hemp ropes  with use of old methods.

 

 

 

 

[Tadeusz43]

Old ropewalk in Chatham.

In Historic Dockyards in Chatham (UK) is 200-years old ropewalk  still producing ropes with old machines.

For visitors held demonstrations braiding hemp ropes  with use of old methods.

Edited October 27, 2016 by Tadeusz43

[Tadeusz43]

Old ropewalk in Chatham.

 

Tadeusz

 

[Tadeusz43]

Hi,

Models of block making machines in NMM Greenwich.

 

Tadeusz