Posted on 12/29/2017 5:25:50 AM PST by Bull Snipe
Please add me to such a ping list. Thanks.
I would be interested in being on a ping list... :)
thanks
Thanks for posting that, but I am confused. Perhaps someone with more knowledge than I have can explain how, after losing control of her rudder, Constitution was able to reposition herself to attack Java again. The excerpt talks about Constitution having made repairs, so I suppose they could have jury-rigged the steering somehow....
In September, we visited Boston and had the honor of touring this magnificent ship.
The `helm’ must mean the ship’s wheel & steering gear. When this was shot away USS Constitution was steered by jury-rigging as you say. When HMS Java surrendered, the Americans detached her helm & installed it on Old Ironsides.
Kinda neat; repair battle damage to your own ship with parts salvaged from the enemy ship. They must have stripped Java of anything useful before sending her to Davy Jones.
Join in with Bull Snipe, dp0622, Maine Mariner, Bigg Red, and QualityMan, who have already been added.
Yes, lots of clever fellows on those ships.
Read Six Frigates by Ian Toll. A great primer for the period 1795-1815.
truly the days of Iron men in wooden ships.
I believe for emergency steering, they could rig block and tackles on each side of the rudder stock. As a crewmen or two would haul in on their block and tackle, the crewmen on the other block and tackle would pay out. This would move the rudder to a new position. Probably slower than using the helm, but it would work.
I served for several weeks as crew on a replica merchant ship of the 18th century. When we had to remove the wheel for maintenance we simply steered with the tiller which, on that ship, swept the quarter deck. Looks like Constitution has the steering gear protected below decks. With the helm shot away they must have rigged direct steering and shouted directions down from the quarter deck until they could install the helm from Java.
Very good. Thank you.
BTW, after I used the term “jury-rigged”, I became curious about its origin. Turns out it was first used as a nautical term and referred to a way of dealing with problems similar to this.
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