Project 'Ezyeriment: 'Bringing the Sfoop to Life The following are excerpted from remarks given by the late Basil F. Harrison, leader of the NMHS campaign to build a replica ofthe sloop Experiment, whenhe received the NMHS Distinguished Service Award in April 1998. Two years ago General Patrick Garvey, city manage r of Peekskill, New York, picked up on NMH S' s proposal to build a replica of the sloop Experiment. The Experiment was built fo r the Hudso n River but also voyaged to Madeira and the West Indies. Ultimately, she made a voyage to Canton, C hina, beco ming the second ship to carry the flag of our new country in the C hi na trade. T he China voyage was notable in several respects. T he Experiment was a small ship to undertake such a journey, the trip was fin ancially rewardin g and all the crew returned in good health. After completing this noteworthy venture, the Experiment returned to ply the Hudson. Hudso n Rive r interests would be critical to our project to build a new Experiment. O ur p rimary cri te rion fo r the project was that the shi p must perfo rm an educational role. To this end, we asse mbled a distinguished co mmittee with Ge neral Garvey sharing the chairmanship with RADM D avid C. Brown, president of State U niversity of New Yo rk Maritime College. Other members of the committee include educators, historians, co mm unications professionals and financial experts. To meet the educational challenge, we conve ned a colloquy of school principals, college instructors, curriculum adviso rs and mem bers of Outward Bound. T he result of this colloquy, underwritten by Key Bank in Albany, was the direction to address trade, commerce and the economy of the towns up and down the H udson in p rograms encompassing students from grades K th ro ugh 12. T he participation of the educational communi ty and the leaders of
Leading naval architect Melbourne Smith will design and build the Hudson River sloop Experiment. Here he outlines the research that has led to a set ofpreliminary lines for the replica. T he fi nal development of the Hudson River sloops with long cutwa ters, single headsails and flush decks, as represented by the replica Clearwater, was first seen in the earl y 1800s. T he design was intended fo r sheltered river use, and it seems the model was well established by 1830. Prior to this, the sloops in contemporary paintings of the river and those described in early writings were of Durch origin . T hey appear to have had a bowsprit with great steeve, no gammoning head, two headsails, often with square topsails, an d a greater hold capacity. Passengers at the time wro te of the spacious stern cabin acco mmodations that acco unted for the large transo m and raised aft deck. T hey were not unlike the seago ing Jamaica and Bermuda sloops that also developed in the 1600s and 1700s. T he register dimensions of the Experiment were 58' 11" length , 19'3" breadth and 8' 11 " dep th in hold. H er tonnage was 85 55 / 95 calculated at that rime by deducti ng th ree-fifths of the beam fro m the length to obtain an arbitrary keel length to be mul tiplied by the measured breadth and depth, the diviso r of the sum being 95. The
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local government and business are necessary to achieve our ultimate goals. T herefore, we have solicited and received endorsement fro m over a dozen commun ities. \/./e con ti nue to enlist the support of every community. The initial budget of $ 1,700,000 earmarks $ 1,000,000 fo r the design and construction of the Experiment. Melbourne Smith, the chosen designer and builder, plans to build the ship using both professionals and ap prentices and to build it in the open where visitors may watch the sloop's p rogress . W hile the ship could be built in a shorter period, we have designated a year for construction to allow time for everyo ne to become involved . We expect to build the Experiment in Peekskill. T he Scenic Hudson Land T rust recently purchased 8 acres of formerl y industrial waterfront fo r public use, and the City has agreed to clean up the property and create a park, with plans to develop a maritime heritage center that will include a shipyard which can offer co nstruction and repair for wooden ships. AJI of this costs money and we are wo rki ng towards develop ing fundin g fro m a variety of so urces. A decision was made at the beginning th at Project Experiment must stand on its own and be able to operate as a separate and distinct organization from N M HS. O ne of our committee members, Alexander Zagoreos, hosted a recep tion for members of the financial community who he fee ls might be in a position to develop ini tial fi nancing. W ith initial financing in place there is a possibility that th e State of New Yo rk will find the project of sufficie nt interest to make available substantial sums. T he designation of the Hudso n Rive r as one of the fi rst "American H eri tage Rivers" is of prim e im portance in gaining government fund ing as well. It is a mi ghty challenge but all indications are that we will be successful in meeting it. W ill the Experiment sail to China? First we must establish the fo undation for Project Experiment and have it wo rking as a viable educational program locally. After that, we will consider voyages beyond the Hudson. -BASIL F. HARRISON
illustrated hull is based on the Dutch-influenced model of the period and the known measured dimensions. Acco rding to the records, modifications were made to th e Experiment for her voyage to C hina. Six inches were added to the keel to increase the d raft and windward ability, bulwarks were raised and the stern cabin enl arged . A jib boom and two yards were -MELBOURNE SMITH added, and she was armed.
SEA HIISTORY 87, WINTER 1998- 99