Mayflower II was moved into the Museum’s Hays and Ros Clark Shiplift this morning and hauled out of the water so that restoration work can begin in earnest after the holidays. It is a process that takes several hours from beginning to end.
First, the ship was carefully maneuvered by the shipyard’s workboats off of the north side of the lift and positioned over the cradle on the submerged platform. The cradle on the platform had been previously set up with blocking and poppets to match the curves of the hull.
Once in position, divers were sent into the water to adjust the supports. This was cold work in the waters of the Mystic River in December, and it is a job not made any easier by the poor visibility due to the current dredging of the channel just off the Museum.
Satisfied that Mayflower II was properly supported, the lift motors were engaged and the ship inched out of the water until high and dry. After an inspection and some additional adjustments to the cradle supports, one of the shipyard’s forklifts pulled the whole apparatus, ship and all, forward off the lift onto the concrete pad in the yard for a thorough power-washing of the hull. The pad includes a waste-water collection system to catch the debris off the hull to prevent it from entering the river.
Prof. Jim Carlton, director of the Williams-Mystic program, took the opportunity with his staff to take samples of marine growth from the keel of Mayflower II. They are interested in seeing what the ship transported down from Plymouth.
The next task is for the ballast to be removed from the hold to enable a detailed survey of the hull.
MAYFLOWER II begins to ease into her berth in the shipyard.
The historic ship Mayflower II arrived at Mystic Seaport today after being towed from Plymouth, Mass. She will undergo the first phase of a multi-year restoration in the Museum’s Henry B. duPont Preservation Shipyard.
Restoration work will begin this month, honoring Mayflower II‘s original construction and using traditional methods with the goal of restoring the ship to her original state when she first arrived to Plymouth in 1957. Inspections in 2013 revealed that Mayflower II is in need of a major refit, which is normal for a 57-year-old wooden ship. Plimoth Plantation recently completed some major repairs to secure a safe condition for the ship to continue operations on the Plymouth waterfront. These efforts were the initial steps toward addressing the long-term restoration plan which will follow three phases: survey, document, and restore.
A comprehensive marine survey will be completed by Paul Haley of Capt. G.W. Full & Associates, the same firm that surveyed several vintage vessels including the Charles W. Morgan, the USS Constitution, and the USS Constellation. Stone and iron ballast will be completely removed for the first time since the ship’s construction to allow proper inspection of the bilge area. The scope and plan for this winter’s restoration work will largely be determined by the needs identified once the ship is out of the water and the ballast is removed.
Throughout the restoration the public will have the opportunity to view the ship during the Museum’s operating hours, and the plan is to permit people to board the ship on land beginning February 14, 2015.
If repairs go as planned, Mayflower II is expected to return to Plymouth in late May, 2015. The restoration of the 57-year-old wooden ship will be carried out over several years with the ship spending winter and spring at Mystic Seaport and returning to Plymouth each summer and fall. The project is scheduled for completion prior to 2020–the 400th anniversary of the Pilgrims’ arrival.
Mayflower II under sail, Photo courtesy Plimoth Plantation
The historic ship Mayflower II is scheduled to arrive at Mystic Seaport on Sunday, December 14, after 1 p.m. The ship is being towed from Plymouth, Mass. to Mystic Seaport, where she will undergo the first phase of a multi-year restoration in the Museum’s Henry B. duPont Preservation Shipyard.
Mayflower II is a reproduction of the original Mayflower that transported the Pilgrims to Massachusetts in 1620. The new ship was built in the United Kingdom and sailed to the United States in 1957. She is owned by Plimoth Plantation. The restoration of the 57-year-old wooden ship will be carried out over several years with the ship spending winter and spring at Mystic Seaport and returning to Plymouth each summer and fall. The project is scheduled for completion prior to 2020–the 400th anniversary of the Pilgrims’ arrival.
Mayflower II is being towed to Mystic Seaport over the course of three days with overnight stops in New Bedford, Mass. on Friday and New London, Conn. on Saturday. The ship will arrive at the mouth of the Mystic River between 1:00 and 1:30 p.m. and proceed upriver to Mystic Seaport on the afternoon high tide. The Mystic River portion of the journey is expected to take approximately an hour.
The ship is being towed by the tugboat Jaguar, which is equipped with an Automated Identification Signal (AIS) transmitter. Interested parties can track the vessels’ progress online on several free websites. Jaguar’s Maritime Mobile Service Identity number is 366934810.
The ship’s schedule is subject to change at any time due to inclement weather or other unforeseen circumstances.
Once at the shipyard, work will be begin to prepare the ship to be hauled out of the water and undergo a survey to determine the scope of the restoration. The public will have the opportunity to view the ship during the Museum’s operating hours, and the plan is to permit people to board the ship on land beginning February 14, 2015.
Mayflower II under sail, Photo courtesy Plimoth Plantation
Mystic Seaport and Plimoth Plantation are pleased to announce a collaborative project to restore and repair Mayflower II, a full-scale reproduction ship owned by Plimoth Plantation. Work on the historic ship will take place at the Henry B. duPont Preservation Shipyard at Mystic Seaport, adhering to The Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Vessel Preservation Projects. A cohesive restoration plan will be established in conjunction with Plimoth Plantation’s Maritime Artisans Program, led by the museum’s newly-hired Associate Director for Maritime Preservation and Operations, Whit Perry. Mayflower II is scheduled to depart the Plymouth waterfront for Mystic Seaport sometime over the next several days depending on weather conditions.
Work will begin in December on a multi-year, phased restoration plan, honoring the ship’s original construction and using traditional methods with the goal of restoring the ship to her original state when she first arrived to Plymouth in 1957. Inspections in 2013 revealed that Mayflower II is in need of a major refit, which is normal for a nearly 60-year-old wooden ship. Recently, Plimoth Plantation completed some major repairs to secure a safe condition for the ship to continue operations on the Plymouth waterfront. These efforts were the initial steps toward addressing the long-term restoration plan.
Mayflower II at sea Photo courtesy Plimoth Plantation
Upon the ship’s arrival at Mystic Seaport, the restoration plan will begin following three phases: survey, document, and restore. A comprehensive marine survey will be completed by Paul Haley of Capt. G.W. Full & Associates, the same firm that surveyed several vintage vessels including the Mystic Seaport flagship Charles W. Morgan, the USS Constitution, the USS Constellation, and many additional projects within the tall ship community. Stone and iron ballast will be completely removed for the first time since the ship’s construction nearly 60 years ago, to allow proper inspection of the bilge area. The scope and plan for this winter’s restoration work will largely be determined by the needs identified once the ship is out of the water and the ballast is removed.
“Part of our mission at Mystic Seaport is to pass on the skills and techniques of traditional shipbuilding and historic preservation to the next generation, and projects such as this enable us to fulfill that goal while at the same time supporting an important member of the history museum community,” said Steve White, president of Mystic Seaport. “We are very excited to have the opportunity to help restore Mayflower II, so she can continue to tell the story of the Pilgrims and their brave journey to America.”
Mayflower II’s future vitality depends on continual preservation. The significant restoration of the 57-year-old wooden ship is scheduled for completion prior to 2020–the 400th anniversary of the Pilgrims’ arrival. The celebrated ship is a major exhibit of Plimoth Plantation and a leading tourism attraction in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, drawing millions of people from around the world to Plymouth’s historic waterfront to learn about the United States’ early Colonial history.
“Mystic Seaport is the clear choice for restoring Mayflower II. She will be in good hands with the Museum’s skilled craftspeople and shipwrights. The staff and boards of both museums share pride in this collaboration and profound respect for this treasured ship,” said Ellie Donovan, Plimoth Plantation’s executive director. “We greatly appreciate the enormous support for Mayflower II, especially from the Massachusetts State leadership for ensuring a major part of the funding for her restoration.”
Mayflower II will be available for visitors to view in the shipyard at Mystic Seaport, allowing the vessel to continue to educate and inspire the public throughout the restoration process. The shipyard is open to visitors during the Museum’s operating hours. If repairs go as planned, Mayflower II is expected to return to Plymouth in late May, 2015. Sourcing rare, large-dimensioned white oak, which is needed in wooden-ship construction, is not expected to be an issue during this round of repairs. Plimoth Plantation acquired approximately 2,500 board feet from Berea College in Kentucky, and an additional 2,500 board feet from another restoration project in Rhode Island.
