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This is all the sail she currently has. http://media.masslive.com/breakingnews/photo/2012/08/uss-constitution-167366cf2fa4cd30.jpg I would pay good money to see her at full sail again someday https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/c6/86/40/c68640c1514d14c397aa7729c8101b76--navy-ships-sailing-ships.jpg View Quote |
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Love that ship. Good ol' Iron Sides.
wasn't she kind of a "Super" Frigate back in the day? |
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When visiting our son in CT, we went to Boston for a day trip. We walked the Freedom Trail which ended at the USS Constitution. Well worth the long day.
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We tied up kiddy-corner across Boston Harbor from her when I was on the Sherman.
It was awesome looking out over the harbor and seeing her masts and rigging knowing what she was and what she represented. |
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Very cool. Got to see her back in 95 or 96 I think it was. Way bigger in person then I thought it would be.
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Dear diary,
Today, OP was a pretty cool guy. Thanks for the post! |
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Back in the 1960s when I was an active duty sailor, the CO of my ship (USS Luiseno, ATF-156) was an old mustang. He enlisted in the Navy as an Apprentice Seaman in 1939, and was at Pearl Harbor on 12/7/41. He was also on the deck of the USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay and watched the signing of the Japanese surrender. After he left the Luiseno, his final active duty tour was CO of the USS Constitution in Boston.
A really neat guy. Died in 2009. RIP CDR Hugh A. Moore, USN. |
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That is a fantastic ship. I'm glad they take good care of her.
I just wish they would put more effort into the USS Texas BB. That poor gal needs a lot of love and help too. |
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I have a flag that was run up the main mast of the Constitution in my office.
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Great article, KA3B. I liked the melding of modern and traditional methods they're using in restoration of the ship.
Some of the linked sub-articles about specific detail tasks were pretty cool too. |
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The USS Constitution goes out once a year to turn it around so it faces a different direction at the dock. There is a lottery to pick people that can ride her out for the duration. All under her own power. Not sure when they will start it again, but I entered it several years in a row. But never got picked. Must be hundreds of thousands that enter it. View Quote We also got into Bruins, Red Sox, and Celtics games for free. Sometimes it's good to be a cop's kid |
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The Brits only had access to white oak. The live oak was stronger. Hence, Old Ironsides. View Quote The nickname came from her first captain, admiral Raymond Burr. He was hit in the spine by a snipers bullet and paralyzed during the battle with HMS Java. Burr later became Vice President and killed Alexander Hamilton in a duel. |
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They do make some pens out of the old wood. They also sell the copper hull sheeting struck into coins. I keep one in my vest behind the plate for good luck. View Quote I make little things out of the wood like pens and shaving kits. The wood comes with letters of authenticity, which makes it a cool little item. Most of the wood was free of knots, but a few have really neat grain like this pen. Attached File Attached File Attached File |
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The nickname came from her first captain, admiral Raymond Burr. He was hit in the spine by a snipers bullet and paralyzed during the battle with HMS Java. Burr later became Vice President and killed Alexander Hamilton in a duel. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
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The Brits only had access to white oak. The live oak was stronger. Hence, Old Ironsides. The nickname came from her first captain, admiral Raymond Burr. He was hit in the spine by a snipers bullet and paralyzed during the battle with HMS Java. Burr later became Vice President and killed Alexander Hamilton in a duel. Wooden boat fast fact: Back in the days before wood preservatives, they used to pack salt in the space between the inside of the hull planking and the ceiling (which is planking on the inside of the frames, interior to the ship). The salt would pickle the wood, and keep rot and other fungus' from growing. The ceiling is also why the interior "roof" in a ship is called the overhead. Attached File |
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Cool thread OP, thanks for posting it.
I'd like to tour her one day. |
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My school always did a week long Boston trip in 8th grade. That was 95/96 for me. We got to walk under her while she was in dry dock. And then do the tour aboard. It was amazing. I love that ship.
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I read "Six Frigates" recently. It was an eye opener. View Quote https://www.amazon.com/Six-Frigates-Epic-History-Founding/dp/039333032X?tag=vglnk-c102-20 I love the part about the scouting party and subsequent wood cutters in the Brunswick, Georgia area complaining about the swaps and bugs... Some things never change. |
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An EXCELLENT book... https://www.amazon.com/Six-Frigates-Epic-History-Founding/dp/039333032X?tag=vglnk-c102-20 I love the part about the scouting party and subsequent wood cutters in the Brunswick, Georgia area complaining about the swaps and bugs... Some things never change. View Quote |
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That is a fantastic ship. I'm glad they take good care of her. I just wish they would put more effort into the USS Texas BB. That poor gal needs a lot of love and help too. View Quote They need to put her in a permanent dry dock. |
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how many knots at full tilt? View Quote Attrib link A very good runner (Usain Bolt, e.g.) can do 27.8 mph. Link |
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This is all the sail she currently has. http://media.masslive.com/breakingnews/photo/2012/08/uss-constitution-167366cf2fa4cd30.jpg I would pay good money to see her at full sail again someday https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/c6/86/40/c68640c1514d14c397aa7729c8101b76--navy-ships-sailing-ships.jpg |
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Love that ship. Good ol' Iron Sides. wasn't she kind of a "Super" Frigate back in the day? View Quote There are several documentaries made about Old Ironsides; this link at this time shows some important parts of her construction. |
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I got to engrave my name on her new hull sheathing
It's an amazing ship. |
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What does it take to get your flag run up the Constitution's mast?
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My Dad loved this ship and passed that on. My wife and I were visiting Boston a few years ago and saw the Constitution in dry dock. We signed the copper plates, got a flag they raised for us and bought some of the scrap pieces of wood they took off the ship. I make little things out of the wood like pens and shaving kits. The wood comes with letters of authenticity, which makes it a cool little item. Most of the wood was free of knots, but a few have really neat grain like this pen. https://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/188107/IMG-4114-263864.JPGhttps://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/188107/IMG-0032-263866.JPG https://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/188107/USS-CW-263880.JPG View Quote |
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USS Constitution under sail August 19th 2012 |
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What does it take to get your flag run up the Constitution's mast? View Quote http://www.navy.mil/local/constitution/events_and_flags.asp |
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@RLR350 have you ever thought about making 1911 grips? View Quote I should be going back to Boston in August, so I'll look again for some larger pieces while visiting the museum. |
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What does it take to get your flag run up the Constitution's mast? View Quote Since this is arfcom, they do have a checkpoint with metal detectors and I think I had to show a license before we boarded. I was not carrying so didn't deal with any issues. Attached File Attached File |
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I read a story about a hall at Oxford a few years ago. The roof needed to be replaced, everyone was in a panic because they had no idea where they were going to get the right sized oak trees for the rafters. Panicked until one of the experienced custodians showed them the showed them the grove where they'd been planted the last time the roof had been repaired. New oak beams. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
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Always liked the story of the Crane Naval tree guys having all their white oaks identified and individually numbered and named for decades of future use for the USS Constitution. Talk about long term planning! According to Osmon's research, white oak trees at Crane were first approved to be set aside in November 1973, following work on Constitution with lumber purchased from the private sector, which proved to be very expensive, as white oak of that size is very valuable.
A grove of trees at Crane was officially named "Constitution Grove" May 8, 1976, during the United States' bicentennial. This small ceremonial area of trees includes a few white oaks and provides visitors a representation of the base's widely dispersed inventory of the species. Use trees from government owned property. Every once in a while, Washington DC gets something right. |
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A gun crew from the Connie came through here several years back with a presentation and a demonstration of the firing procedure for one of the guns (no shot however) and afterwards I got to chat for a few minutes with the chief of the boat. He told me that one of his biggest problems was getting his crew to wear shoes.
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The US Navy is to be commended for her conservation of the USS Constitution.
The US Navy is to be keelhauled for her lack of care in upkeep of the USS Olympia, USS Texas and other ships. |
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She was. In fact, if you've seen the movie "Master and Commander," the French ship (Acheron?) was modeled after the Constitution. It was changed to a French ship to avoid antagonizing the movie's targeted American audience. There are several documentaries made about Old Ironsides; this link at this time shows some important parts of her construction. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
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Love that ship. Good ol' Iron Sides. wasn't she kind of a "Super" Frigate back in the day? There are several documentaries made about Old Ironsides; this link at this time shows some important parts of her construction. One thing they point out is that they use the crotch of the tree for the support directly behind the bowsprit! This wood is especially strong there and superbly crafted for the purpose. In fact (IIRC) this crotch in the wood is specially grown and shaped when the tree is young, just so it will grow into the desired shape! |
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The US Navy is to be commended for her conservation of the USS Constitution. The US Navy is to be keelhauled for her lack of care in upkeep of the USS Olympia, USS Texas and other ships. View Quote |
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One of the features on this documentary is about the special properties of the oak they use. One thing they point out is that they use the crotch of the tree for the support directly behind the bowsprit! This wood is especially strong there and superbly crafted for the purpose. In fact (IIRC) this crotch in the wood is specially grown and shaped when the tree is young, just so it will grow into the desired shape! View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
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Love that ship. Good ol' Iron Sides. wasn't she kind of a "Super" Frigate back in the day? There are several documentaries made about Old Ironsides; this link at this time shows some important parts of her construction. One thing they point out is that they use the crotch of the tree for the support directly behind the bowsprit! This wood is especially strong there and superbly crafted for the purpose. In fact (IIRC) this crotch in the wood is specially grown and shaped when the tree is young, just so it will grow into the desired shape! |
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