Categories
The Flying Boat
Month: January 2017
The Shipyard has been busy working on the Mayflower II since the moment of her arrival last November. Unlike the last two years, the ship will remain at Mystic Seaport until 2019 and not return to her homeport of Plymouth for the summer tourist season. This will enable the restoration project to be completed in time for the 400th anniversary of the Pilgrims’ voyage to Massachusetts in 2020.
Mayflower II is a reproduction of the original Mayflower. It was a gift to the American people to commemorate the historic ties between England and America, which were strengthened during World War II. The new ship was built in 1955-57 at Upham Shipyard in the town of Brixham in Devon, England. She sailed to the United States in 1957. The ship is owned and maintained by Plimoth Plantation, which has engaged Mystic Seaport to collaborate on the restoration.
“After hauling her for survey and evaluation in the winter of 2014-15 we have been actively engaged in project planning, material acquisition, and other tasks in anticipation of this 30 month continuous regime of restoration,” said Shipyard Director Quentin Snediker. “Work included site planning and preparation, preliminary engineering, and milling framing stock, knees and other specialized timber.”
The first task for this latest phase was to downrig and lighten the ship so she could be hauled out of the water in the Museum’s shiplift. Once hauled, she was moved back into the yard and then slid sideways to permit other vessels to be hauled while work progresses on Mayflower II. A temporary shelter will be erected over the vessel in March to protect her from the elements and permit the shipwrights and other staff members to work on her year round.
According to Captain and Plimoth Plantation Maritime Preservation Director Whit Perry, the primary task for at least the next nine months will be replacing frames and planking. The futtocks that make up the frames will be fabricated out of live oak and white oak. Planking will be primarily white oak.
Sourcing of wood suitable for ship building is difficult in this day and age. The wood being used on Mayflower II is a combination of wood that Mystic Seaport has acquired over the years and wood secured by Plimoth Plantation.
“We are still using wood salvaged from storm-damaged trees from Hurricane Katrina and Charleston, S.C., and we are acquiring new timber from Pass Christian, Miss. and New Orleans,” said Snediker.
Throughout the restoration of any vessel, it is critical to maintain the hull’s shape while portions of it are being disassembled and reconstructed. During the restoration of the Charles W. Morgan, the ship was supported by an elaborate and precise cradle. The Mayflower II has a cradle, but she is also supported by five steel girders that pass across the width of the ship through its gunports and two access holes.
“This is a step forward on the technical side,” said Perry. “It enables us to work on larger portions of the hull at the same time without having to worry about maintaining the integrity of its shape.”
The erection of the steel frame was carried out with the assistance of Arnold M. Graton Associates. The New Hampshire-based firm specializes in covered bridge restoration and timber-frame construction.
One of the more laborious tasks that is now complete was the removal of ballast in the bottom of the hold. (Ballast is weight carried low in a ship to prevent the vessel from being top heavy and tipping over.) In addition to 130 tons of lead and iron, concrete had been poured onto the bottom of the hold encasing some of the metal. This concretion had to literally be chiseled or jackhammered out – a hard, noisy job that the Shipyard staff is happy to have behind them.
Progress on the ship can be watched on a live camera for the next few weeks, until the shelter is constructed and the view is obstructed. Visitors to Mystic Seaport may view the ship in the Shipyard. Unfortunately, boarding is not possible due to the work presently taking place on the hull.
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A Full Summer on the Water
There’s no better way to ward off cabin fever than browsing the summertime offerings at Mystic Seaport. Registration is now open for Summer Day Camps, Community Sailing programs, and excursions on the schooner Brilliant.
Mystic Seaport Summer Camps offer children the chance to delve into the region’s maritime history, learn to sail, and master new skills. With both full-day and half-day camps for ages 4-16, from June 19 through August 18, there is a camp for every child’s interest.
New this year to the camp roster is Junior Detectives for 4- to 6-year-olds, a half-day camp similar to the popular Junior Explorers. In addition to the usual camp fun of crafts, games, and activities, junior detectives will try their hand at potting their own herbs, using basic weaving skills, and seeing what kinds of food we harvest from the ocean.
“Children are naturally curious, and this camp gives them a great opportunity to explore how people lived in the past, while also having that classic summer camp experience,” said Sarah Cahill, Mystic Seaport Director of Education.
Cahill noted that “our popular partner camps with the Denison Pequotsepos Nature Center and Mystic Aquarium are back, as well as camps that focus on transportation, Victorian life, sea monsters, astronomy and navigation, and of course sailing.”
Registration is now open for all summer camps, with a 10 percent discount for registrations received by March 31. A Summer Camp Open House will be 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturday, April 8 to learn about the camp programs. The full schedule is online at www.mysticseaport.org/learn/summer-camps/day/
Mystic Seaport is adding to its Community Sailing a free Counselor-in-Training program for 14- and 15-year-olds and Summer Evening Sailing, a $10 drop-in program for adults and families.
“The C.I.T. program is an excellent way for local teens to log volunteer experience, build their resume and learn leadership skills, while spending their summer on the Mystic River,” said Cahill. Regarding the drop-in evening sailing program, “We hope people make evenings at the Museum a part of their summer routine. We want to provide a way for sailors to continue practicing their skills in a fun, relaxed atmosphere.”
The Museum’s Community Sailing classes offer ages eight and older a wonderful chance to learn to sail, hone their skills, or simply enjoy time on the water. Both half-day and full-day classes provide a flexible schedule. Community Sailing begins in mid-April and runs through late October. Summer Evening Sailing runs from late June through mid-August. Applications for the Counselor-in-Training program are available online and are due by March 17. Visit www.mysticseaport.org/learn/sailing/community-sailing/ for more information.
Another season of sailing on board the 61-foot wooden schooner Brilliant begins in June, with six Teen Sailing cruises planned as well as seven adult trips.
“We are looking forward to another eventful season aboard Brilliant,” said Shannon McKenzie, director of Watercraft Programs. “This year, as we celebrate the 85th anniversary of her launch, we kick off the teen season at the Sail Boston event in June. This fall, in addition to short cruises, she will head south to participate in the Great Chesapeake Bay Schooner Race in October. Exciting transits to and from Maryland and Virginia, as well as the race itself, are available to adventurous adult participants for a longer experience aboard.”
Participants are not passengers; they are crew members who assist in steering the vessel, raising the sails, standing watch and learning navigation. Teenagers ages 15-18 can choose from a five-day or a 10-day overnight cruise, learning sailing, navigation, teamwork, and seamanship. Adults can choose from a one-day trip to attend the Connecticut Maritime Festival in New London to multi-day excursions to Block Island, Greenport, N.Y., Baltimore, Md., and Portsmouth, Va. Visit www.mysticseaport.org/learn/sailing/brilliant-programs/ for more information on each trip and registration information.
Registration Open for Camps, Sailing Instruction, and Schooner Cruises
Mystic, Conn. (January 12, 2017) — There’s no better way to ward off cabin fever than browsing the summertime offerings at Mystic Seaport. Registration is now open for Summer Day Camps, Community Sailing programs, and excursions on the schooner Brilliant.
Mystic Seaport Summer Camps offer children the chance to delve into the region’s maritime history, learn to sail, and master new skills. With both full-day and half-day camps for ages 4-16, from June 19 through August 18, there is a camp for every child’s interest.
New this year to the camp roster is Junior Detectives for 4- to 6-year-olds, a half-day camp similar to the popular Junior Explorers. In addition to the usual camp fun of crafts, games, and activities, junior detectives will try their hand at potting their own herbs, using basic weaving skills, and seeing what kinds of food we harvest from the ocean.
“Children are naturally curious, and this camp gives them a great opportunity to explore how people lived in the past, while also having that classic summer camp experience,” said Sarah Cahill, Mystic Seaport Director of Education.
Cahill noted that “our popular partner camps with the Denison Pequotsepos Nature Center and Mystic Aquarium are back, as well as camps that focus on transportation, Victorian life, sea monsters, astronomy and navigation, and of course sailing.”
Registration is now open for all summer camps, with a 10 percent discount for registrations received by March 31. A Summer Camp Open House will be 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturday, April 8 to learn about the camp programs. The full schedule is online at mysticseaport.org/learn/summer-camps/day/
This summer, Mystic Seaport is adding to its Community Sailing a free Counselor-in-Training program for 14- and 15-year-olds and Summer Evening Sailing, a $10 drop-in program for adults and families.
“The C.I.T. program is an excellent way for local teens to log volunteer experience, build their resume and learn leadership skills, while spending their summer on the Mystic River,” said Cahill. Regarding the drop-in evening sailing program, “We hope people make evenings at the Museum a part of their summer routine. We want to provide a way for sailors to continue practicing their skills in a fun, relaxed atmosphere.”
The Museum’s Community Sailing classes offer ages eight and older a wonderful chance to learn to sail, hone their skills, or simply enjoy time on the water. Both half-day and full-day classes provide a flexible schedule. Community Sailing begins in mid-April and runs through late October. Summer Evening Sailing runs from late June through mid-August. Applications for the Counselor-in-Training program are available online and are due by March 17. Visit mysticseaport.org/learn/sailing/community-sailing/ for more information.
Another season of sailing on board the 61-foot wooden schooner Brilliant begins in June, with six Teen Sailing cruises planned as well as seven adult trips.
“We are looking forward to another eventful season aboard Brilliant,” said Shannon McKenzie, director of Watercraft Programs. “This year, as we celebrate the 85th anniversary of her launch, we kick off the teen season at the Sail Boston event in June. This fall, in addition to short cruises, she will head south to participate in the Great Chesapeake Bay Schooner Race in October. Exciting transits to and from Maryland and Virginia, as well as the race itself, are available to adventurous adult participants for a longer experience aboard.”
Participants are not passengers on Brilliant; they are crew members who assist in steering the vessel, raising the sails, standing watch and learning navigation. Teenagers ages 15-18 can choose from a five-day or a 10-day overnight cruise, learning sailing, navigation, teamwork, and seamanship. Adults can choose from a one-day trip to attend the Connecticut Maritime Festival in New London to multi-day excursions to Block Island, Greenport, N.Y., Baltimore, Md., and Portsmouth, Va. Visit mysticseaport.org/learn/sailing/brilliant-programs/ for more information on each trip and registration information.
About Mystic Seaport
Mystic Seaport is the nation’s leading maritime museum. Founded in 1929, the Museum is home to four National Historic Landmark vessels, including the Charles W. Morgan, America’s oldest commercial ship and the last wooden whaleship in the world. The Museum’s collection of more than two million artifacts includes more than 500 historic vessels and one of the largest collections of maritime photography in the country. The newly opened Thompson Exhibition Building provides a state-of-the-art gallery to host compelling, world-class exhibitions, beginning with the current show SeaChange. The Collections Research Center at Mystic Seaport provides scholars and researchers from around the world access to the Museum’s renowned archives. Mystic Seaport is located one mile south of Exit 90 off I-95 in Mystic, CT. Admission is $28.95 for adults ages 15 and older and $18.95 for children ages 4-14. Museum members and children three and younger are admitted free. For more information, please visit https://mysticseaport.wpengine.com/ and follow Mystic Seaport on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Instagram.
