I will try to see if I can make it a habit to blog about one detail of the ship on a regular basis.
Those details are not necessarily the most important ones in respect of keeping the ship afloat, but they are details that have intrigued and impressed me.
All our masts are the original ones from 1914, they are made out of steel plates that have been rolled to shape and then riveted together, They taper all along the length, and I am still horrified thinking of that in order for those mast to be riveted, it means that someone had to hold a bucking iron on the inside of the mast. Clearly those were the days prior to any interference from occupational hazard inspectors!
Using ear protection was not custom at that time, so I am afraid that the building of this ship and others have caused deafness to a lot of ship yard workers who had to endure the noise from riveting and other operations.
The main mast (the middle one) goes through 3 decks. The main deck, the tween deck and the provisions deck before it is finally seated in the ballast deck.
The mast can be dismounted from the ship, and we do this occasionally for inspection purposes. I haven't participated in this yet, but I hope that I will be on board next time we have to do it.
Where the mast passes through a deck, it does so in an opening that is a bit larger than the mast, something like 6" larger in diameter.
Today's detail are the small blocks of wood that are later on pressed down to fill out that void, and thereby centering the mast in the hole. The blocks are made out of oak and fits neatly around the mast. The uppermost blocks (where the mast passes through the main deck) are covered with sailcloth/canvas that is painted to make the penetration watertight.
The bottom of the main mast of Statsraad Lehmkuhl
Seated firmly in the ballast deck.
Mast centering blocks seen from below (penetrating the provision deck)
The same blocks seen from above (penetrating the provision deck)
Mast and centering blocks and the provision deck.
The blocks in the tween deck penetration seen from below.
The covered blocks on the main deck (it is raining)
Notice the figure sewn canvas covering.
Interesting. I no very little about sailing, other that what I've read in Patrick O'Brien books, but they always used wooden masts and spars. They also carried extras on the ship in case they became sprung or damaged in some other way and had to be replaced at sea. At least that's how I understand it.
ReplyDeleteBut those blocks are something I've never seen before. What an ingenious solution. Are the blocks replaced every time the mast is removed, or can they be re-used?
Hi Brian
DeleteI don't know if the blocks can be reused, but I strongly believe that they can.
We don't carry any spare masts and spars etc, but I guess that as a warship it was much more needed to have a bit of spare parts on board. After all, we can just use the engine in case we loose all three masts at the same time :-)
Brgds
Jonas
Clewer and simple solution for a dificult problem. Thank you for showing and enlightening us!
ReplyDeleteHi Ty,
DeleteThanks for the nice comment.
There really are a lot of clever solutions like this on the ship.
Brgds
Jonas
Fascinating, please continue to show us various parts.
ReplyDeleteIn the provision deck the mast is metal clad, but it looks like on the main deck it is laminated wood?
Bob, who always enjoy seeing things up close. I have been known to take a few things apart that I shouldn't :-)
Hi Bob
DeleteThanks for the nice comment.
The mast in its entire length is made out of steel.
I think that I'd better leave the blocks in place for now. I probably wont be praised for the initiative if I remove them just to take even more close up photos of them for the blog.
Brgds
Jonas
Where the ship passes though the main deck, the deck is raised slightly around the mast, and that is made out of teak. So is the rest of the deck too by the way.