SHIP NOTES , SEAPORT & MUSEUM NEWS Bridge Hits Lady Washington Returning from a 300-mile trip up the Columbia River on October 17, the brig Lady Washington was struck by a descending Union Pacific Railroad drawbridge just out of Pascoe. Grays Harbor Historical Seaport executive director Les Bolton described the 105-ftreplicaofCapt. Robert Gray' s Lady Washington as at a distance of less than 150-ft from the bridge when it began its slow descent without the required use of warning devices, which include a 7-ft flashing downward arrow and radio beacon sounding for 10-15 minutes prior
A damaged Lady Washington returns to Aberdeen, Washington, after her accident.
to descent. The drawbridge first struck the fore topmast. The topgallant masts had already been removed for the passage. The vessel went into a 40-degree roll and water began to wash over the decks as she was pushed down. When she popped free of the bridge, some 3040 seconds later, wood splinters littered the deck. Miraculously, none of the 35 people on board were injured. In the final count, the Lady lost her main topmast, main topsail yard, mainmast, main gaff boom, backstays and shrouds on the starboard side as well as a fair amount of running rigging. The immediate hardship was a $10,000 insurance deductible and the further loss of 45 days of sailing time, including charter income. If the Coast Guard makes a determination in the Seaport's favor, damages will be sought from the railroad. Repairs are now underway at the Seaport's boatbuilding shop. (GHHS, 813 E. Heron Street, PO Box 2019, Aberdeen WA 98520; 206 532-8611)
The Howard Restoration Just short of her centennial, the second sailing vessel acquired by the South Street Seaport Museum in New York City is undergoing her long awaited rebuild. Restoration of the 7 5-ft Essex-built 1893 fishing schooner Lettie G. Haward, which arrived at the Seaport in 1968, was begun this past April. By mid-October, a crew of ten shipwrights were busy renewing the major structural elements of the vessel. To date, the stem, sections of the keel and false keel , the stem post and transom framing, the keelson, the bilge stringers and nearly all of the condemned frame futtocks have been renewed. By the end of January, 40% of the bulwark stanchions and most of the deck beams will be cut and in place. It is estimated that about 15% of the original frames, a long section of keel, the deadwood, and some of the planking will remain . Due to the vessel's advanced degree of deterioration, it was possible to jack up the bow and stem, thereby removing approximately 3" of hog in the keel. The basic strategy is to work from the inside out: keeping the old framing and planking in place while replacing frames a few at a time so that the vessel will keep her shape. The vessel is hauled out on a barge moored between Wavertree and Peking. Volunteers of all skill levels are welcome to participate in the work and donations are being sought Current plans call for her to be sailing in 1992. (South Street Seaport Museum at 207 Front Street, New York NY 10038; 212 669-9400). STEVE HOPKINS
century Dutch merchant vessels, the "Oostindievaarder," or East Indiamen. Construction began in 1987 and has attracted the interest of hundreds of volunteers committed to shipbuilding by traditional methods. This commitment includes building a rope walk and spinning
their own rope for the rigging. The design is based on contemporary plans, models and the data obtained from the wreck of the original vessel. The Batavia ran aground on a reef and sank June 3, 1629, off the coast of Australia, after mutineers had seized control of the vessel off the Cape of Good Hope. Launching of the new vessel is scheduled for the summer of 1992.
The wooden ship replica to beat all others, both in size and in traditional construction technique, is making steady progress in Leystad, Netherlands. The 140-ft long, 40-ft beam Batavia is a replica of the most famous of the 17th
Its All a Matter of Cubits The English group planning to construct a replica of a Greek trireme, the spectacular 5th century BC ship-of-war with three levels of oarsmen, has settled on a design for the new vessel. The Trireme Trust says it will be built on the basis of the larger and recently authenticated cubit of 0.490m and incorporate modifications arising from the trials in Olympias, the only existing replica of a trireme. 0 lympias, operated by the Hellenic Navy, is widely believed to have been built to the wrong cubit measure, causing difficulties for the three tiers of oarsmen
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Batavia