Author Topic: The Cutty Sark  (Read 7038 times)

Offline sbwhart

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The Cutty Sark
« on: May 20, 2013, 08:49:55 PM »
Spent a few days in London last week, one place we visited was the Cutty Sark



She's a tea Clipper built in  1865 for shipping tea from China, she was built for speed as the ship that got the first cargo home got the best price. After a long and interesting live on the open seas she was conserved and put into a dry dock in the 1930 as a museum piece. She as just undergone a multi pound conservation programme, after it was found that the cast iron frame was so rotten she was changing shape and flattening out, part way through she had a terrible fire but fortunately most of the wood work had been removed, after public donations the programme was completed last year.

Her's a few more shots.



This is me frigging in the rigging



They reinforced the frame work and jacked the ship up so that it could be suspended at the waterline.



The café is know under the keel




This neat bit of thread cutting caught my eye its for the original steering gear



They also have a very nice collection of ships figure heads



Enjoy

Stew


A little bit of clearance never got in the way

Offline tel

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Re: The Cutty Sark
« Reply #1 on: May 20, 2013, 09:39:36 PM »
Thanks Stew, interesting pics. She's a lot bigger than I've always envisioned.

Is that a real bloke up in the rigging?
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Offline ths

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The Cutty Sark
« Reply #2 on: May 20, 2013, 09:49:01 PM »
Thanks Stew, I can remember going there many years ago, the figureheads were all kept in the ships hold then.

Hugh.

Offline Bearcar1

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Re: The Cutty Sark
« Reply #3 on: May 20, 2013, 09:53:32 PM »
What a magnificent example of a tall ship. Beautiful engineering. Of a different classification was the replica of the HMS Bounty, built for the classic film. It however was taken out to sea in an attempt to escape damage from Hurricane Sandy And was lost forever to the icey waters of the Atlantic. A terribly stupid mistake on the owner's part and a blow to maritime history buffs. It would be a hard existence, but I would have liked to have been a crew member on the Cutty.


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Jim

Offline tel

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Re: The Cutty Sark
« Reply #4 on: May 20, 2013, 10:07:53 PM »
Quote
It would be a hard existence, but I would have liked to have been a crew member on the Cutty.

 ;D At least there would have been plenty of tea on hand for a cuppa!
The older I get, the better I was.
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Offline Johnb

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Re: The Cutty Sark
« Reply #5 on: May 20, 2013, 10:28:26 PM »
A good read is "Two years before the mast" by R H Dana. Experiences as a sailor on a tall ship, not a clipper, but very similar. A real adventure yarn.
John Browning. Member of Ickenham and District SME

Offline Captain Jerry

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Re: The Cutty Sark
« Reply #6 on: May 20, 2013, 10:32:02 PM »
What a magnificent example of a tall ship. Beautiful engineering. Of a different classification was the replica of the HMS Bounty, built for the classic film. It however was taken out to sea in an attempt to escape damage from Hurricane Sandy And was lost forever to the icey waters of the Atlantic. A terribly stupid mistake on the owner's part and a blow to maritime history buffs. It would be a hard existence, but I would have liked to have been a crew member on the Cutty.


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Jim

Maybe not so stupid, Jim.  It has been common practice to put to sea before a big storm.  Many ships have been lost at the dock and many docks as well.  A well found ship fears the land much more than the sea.

Jerry
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There are things that you can do and some things you can't do. Don't worry about it. try it anyway.

Offline Maryak

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Re: The Cutty Sark
« Reply #7 on: May 20, 2013, 10:52:27 PM »
Hi Stew,

I lived in the Greenwich Palace in 1968 whilst I did my knife and fork course on becoming an Commissioned Officer. Is Chichesters Yacht still there next to Cutty Sark?. Not to mention the Trafalgar Hotel and Watneys Red Barrel just outside the palace gates.

What a marvelous restoration job  :NotWorthy: . Great shot of the Napier Screw on the steering. I served, for a time in a ship with that steering gear but it was driven by a small recip steam engine not muscle power.

Best Regards
Bob
Если вы у Тетушки были яйца, она была бы Дядюшкой

Offline tel

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Re: The Cutty Sark
« Reply #8 on: May 20, 2013, 11:13:53 PM »
Quote
A well found ship fears the land much more than the sea.

At least the sea doesn't have hard, knobbly bits!

... or very many dead sheep Bob!  :LittleDevil:
« Last Edit: May 20, 2013, 11:17:08 PM by tel »
The older I get, the better I was.
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Bluechip

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Re: The Cutty Sark
« Reply #9 on: May 20, 2013, 11:24:34 PM »

Watneys Red Barrel .

Best Regards
Bob

Dear Oh dear ...

You didn't drink that awful stuff did you???

Why not mention something nice like Worthington E, Wadworths 6X or Fullers London Pride ?

Quite put me off my Ovaltine ...

Dave BC

BTW Stew

Couple of questions ..

Is that copper sheathing on the hull?

How's the new boiler coming on ?







Offline Bearcar1

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Re: The Cutty Sark
« Reply #10 on: May 21, 2013, 12:04:39 AM »
Perhaps my 'stupid' remark was poorly phrased. Taking the ship out of harbor was obviously the correct course of action in order to prevent the vessel from being damaged at the dock. The stupid unwise decision to put the ship on a course that took it directly into a Nor'Easter of that magnitude and what was termed "a perfect storm" scenario by the weather gurus should have never been made. The weather system involved had been closely monitored and tracked for several days prior to the event. A smarter course of action would have been to turn the ship towards the North or as some critics are opining,  to set a course to enter the St. Lawrence seaway. Instead, a very expensive, glorious, and historically accurate sailing vessel was destroyed. Such a shame, but then again, everyone believed the Titanic was unsinkable as well. Ahhh,"all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by"  :DrinkPint:


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Jim

Offline Maryak

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Re: The Cutty Sark
« Reply #11 on: May 21, 2013, 12:41:28 AM »

Watneys Red Barrel .

Best Regards
Bob

Dear Oh dear ...

You didn't drink that awful stuff did you???

Why not mention something nice like Worthington E, Wadworths 6X or Fullers London Pride ?

Quite put me off my Ovaltine ...

Dave BC

Sorry, In my colonial ignorance of the finer drops of England and some orrible stuff called nut brown ale, Watneys helped body and soul prepare for another day of learning how to eat an apple with a knife and fork. This exercise was to emphasise that a knife and fork is the only way a gentleman tackles food of unknown constituents when it's placed in front of him on a plate.

Never did quite get the hang of it.

Oh and as I remember, Ovaltine is almost but not quite as bad as Horlicks  :lolb:

Best Regards
Bob
Если вы у Тетушки были яйца, она была бы Дядюшкой

Offline RonGinger

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Re: The Cutty Sark
« Reply #12 on: May 21, 2013, 12:43:33 AM »
The BOUNTY loss is very close to me. Its most recent weeks were spent here in my town, Boothbay Maine, for a re-fit. She was on the rail for 3 or 4 weeks this time, but over the past few years was hauled here several times, once for several months. Many of my friends were employed on its repair.

She left Boothbay and sailed to  Connecticut for final supplies and crew then sailed into the hurricane.

There is considerable debate on the soundness of the captains decision to sail into a well forecast hurricane, but most seem to view it as foolish. The talk of a ship being safer at sea is from another era, when forecasts, and  navigation equipment were much below the standards of today. I am on the side of thinking it was among the most foolish acts I have encountered. Many professional seamen consider it criminal. The Coast Guard has completed an inquiry, but their findings wont be reported for many months.

Last week the family of the one crew that died filed suit for something like $50 million.

There was testimony that significant rot was found in the hull, and the Captain was advised to repair it before sailing, or at least to keep the ship out of rough weather.

It is also well known the ship was in considerable financial trouble. It was headed to a major fund raising event and that must have influenced the Captains urge to sail on the planned schedule.

As to historic accuracy, the ship was a movie prop, built for the original Mutiny movie in the 60's. It was not historically accurate, but a replica that suited the movies needs. It was scheduled to burned in the final scene,  as had happened to the original. Near the end of filming it is reported Marlin Brando refused to finish the movie if it was burned, so the studio wound up with the ship. It was used in a couple recent pirate movies. When Ted Turner bought the studio that owned it he sold it off.

It was a shame to loose an interesting ship, and of course a tragedy to loose the Captain and a crewmate. But in my view it was not an accident, but a stupid move by a over confident man with a schedule to keep.

Offline b.lindsey

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Re: The Cutty Sark
« Reply #13 on: May 21, 2013, 12:54:06 AM »
Thanks for the pics Stew. What a beautiful restoration and venue for displaying such a magnificant ship.

Bill

Offline Maryak

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Re: The Cutty Sark
« Reply #14 on: May 21, 2013, 01:00:48 AM »
There was another Bounty replica Built in NZ, did tours on Sydney Harbour and now is in Hong Kong.

Speaking of Hong Kong, as soon as a typhoon warning was issued, we sailed and rode it out rather than be battered to pieces against the stones of HMS Tamar.

Typhoon Freda, somewhere off Hong Kong Jun 1971



Best Regards
Bob





Если вы у Тетушки были яйца, она была бы Дядюшкой

Offline Captain Jerry

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Re: The Cutty Sark
« Reply #15 on: May 21, 2013, 01:40:39 AM »
Jim

In my earlier post I referred to a "well found ship" meaning a ship in good condition with no structural deficiencies, equipped to deal with the expected conditions, and manned by competent seamen.  I agree that it was criminally negligent to take a ship with known structural problems into the face of a storm when there were other options. 

Jerry
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There are things that you can do and some things you can't do. Don't worry about it. try it anyway.

Offline Bearcar1

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Re: The Cutty Sark
« Reply #16 on: May 21, 2013, 03:36:05 AM »
You are correct Jerry, suspicious and reckless behavior for certain.


The Cutty Sark, is a LOT bigger than I had envisioned. Would truly enjoy a look-see at the rest of that steering gear too. Thanks Stew for sharing your trip photos with us. :ThumbsUp:


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Jim

Offline sbwhart

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Re: The Cutty Sark
« Reply #17 on: May 21, 2013, 06:27:30 AM »
Thanks Stew, interesting pics. She's a lot bigger than I've always envisioned.

Is that a real bloke up in the rigging?



I think its a big rubber moulding you can see the sprue in the middle of its back, far more tasteful than siting it on its back side

 :Lol: :Lol: :Lol:

Quote
I lived in the Greenwich Palace in 1968 whilst I did my knife and fork course on becoming an Commissioned Officer. Is Chichesters Yacht still there next to Cutty Sark?. Not to mention the Trafalgar Hotel and Watneys Red Barrel just outside the palace gates.

Didn't notice Chichesteres Yacht but there is a pub close to the Cutty Sark called the Gypsy Moth I have a feeling that real Gypsy Moth is at the national Maritime Museum some ware on the South Coast. I'm pleased to say that Watneys Red Barrel has been consigned to history where all crap bear should be.

Quote
Couple of questions ..

Is that copper sheathing on the hull?

How's the new boiler coming on ?


Hi Dave  Its not copper it something called Muntze Metal 60% Copper 40 % Zinc with a dash of iron it's suppose to be cheaper and more effective than copper.

Don't mention the boiler  :disappointed:

Thanks for checking in all

Stew

 
A little bit of clearance never got in the way

Offline Mainer

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Re: The Cutty Sark
« Reply #18 on: May 21, 2013, 11:06:01 AM »
A local folksinger, Charlie Ipcar http://www.charlieipcar.com/ , has written a song about the sinking of the Bounty. His research while he was writing the song came to the same conclusion Ron stated: the captain was a fool to head directly toward a hurricane in a ship known to have structural problems.

 

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