courtesy james nelson, maine’s first ship
the world trying to muddle through these chaotic days. But despite the present difficulties, Maine’s First Ship is proceeding apace with the construction of the replica ship Virginia in Bath, Maine. Launched in 1608 on the coast of Maine, the original Virginia was a “pretty Pynnace of about some thirty tonne.” The first European vessel built in Maine, she was constructed in the wilderness over the course of a particularly brutal winter in an impressive ten months. The replica has taken a bit longer. The original vessel was built by men with nothing else on their schedules, working through all the hours of daylight six days a week, while the current iteration is being built by volunteers, dedicated though they might be, working two days a week. The keel of the replica Virginia was laid on the banks of the Kennebec River in 2011, and construction, which has been ongoing since, is now nearing completion. Under the supervision of master shipwright Rob Stevens, the hull is planked up with only the whiskey plank left to fit. The deck is likewise planked and the lead ballast is currently being bolted to the keel. The engine has been purchased and is awaiting installation once tankage and wiring in the engine room is complete. The rigging gang
Virginia’s tanbark sails bent on to the yards has been at work in the historic freight shed alongside the boathouse where Virginia is under construction. Standing rigging is done and the yards, complete with tanbark sails from the Traditional Rigging Company, are being dressed and will soon be ready for sending up. Virginia is slated for launch in the summer of 2021, though no date has yet been set, and with the understanding that this, like anything scheduled in these uncertain times, is subject to change. —James Nelson, Lead Rigger and Board Member, MFS (www.MFShip.org) …
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