The Great Republic 1:48

[ClipperFan]

@Norgale the piece at the outer tip of the bowsprit through which the jibboom passes and below which the martingale, also known as a dolphin striker mounts is called the cap. The mastheads are similar devices at the top of each mast. The lower mast lengths for all 4 masts include the lengths below deck. There are typically two mastheads: lower mast through which the topmasts mount and top masthead through which the royal masts pass. Doubling where there's briefly two sections of masts are also referred to as hounds. Rob can recommend a good book for these old fashioned nautical terms.

 

[Norgale]

Thanks again for the info and this time I'll try to remember it. I just wasn't sure about the Cap, something else I'll have to make.

 

[Norgale]

@Norgale
Thanks for the compliment. There's a couple well known pictures of Great Republic but they're after she had been relaunched as a three decked razee. To answer your concerns about accurate spar dimensions here's a specific list from McKay's shipyard as she was originally rigged (courtesy of Scott Bradner's well researched site). Bowsprit is 44" in diameter, 30' outboard from hull. In our Glory of the Seas research, we learned that each iron band was 3' apart, with 18" ends. That would mean 10 bands for 9 spaces equaling 27" and 18" into the hull and another 18" to outer cap for 30' total. The cap itself was 3 pieces each 6" for 18" in total. Two iron banded ends with a 6" inner piece. Inner jibboom would match 30' is 22" in diameter and extends 18' with a 4' end (add 4') Flying jibboom is 14' long including 6' end. Total for both outer jibboom and flying jib outside the cap is 36'. Counting the 30' inner that means this spar extends 67'6" including cap.

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My question about this description was; When it says " the jibboom is 22 inches diameter and 18 feet outside the Cap with 4 feet end," what does "4 feet end mean"? Does it refere to 4 feet added to the jibboom or does 18 feet include the "4 foot end"?

 

[ClipperFan]

My question about this description was; When it says " the jibboom is 22 inches diameter and 18 feet outside the Cap with 4 feet end," what does "4 feet end mean"? Does it refere to 4 feet added to the jibboom or does 18 feet include the "4 foot end"?

@Norgale since the description said with 4 feet end, I read that as "add 4 feet." When it comes to the 18 foot description it states the opposite: "including 6 foot end." In that case, I wouldn't add it since McLean clearly stated the 18 feet was inclusive of the 6 foot end.

 

[Norgale]

So we have a 18 feet plus 4 feet jib boom and an 18 foot flying jib boom for a total of 40 feet passed the cap. That's nowhere near what the scaled drawings propose..

 

[ClipperFan]

So we have a 18 feet plus 4 feet jib boom and an 18 foot flying jib boom for a total of 40 feet passed the cap. That's nowhere near what the scaled drawings propose..

@Norgale, after you mentioned scaled drawings I took another look at the 6 original large fold-outs which accompanied the publication. Thanks to Scott Bradner's excellent research, we have access to the entire lengthy pdf article, as well as all 6 specially commissioned scale illustrations. Based on the sail plan, I agree with you. Ends in both cases apparently are added to basic dimensions, since the entire bowsprit, jibboom, flying jibbom combination appears to be about 90 feet. 30 foot inner, 18" cap, 18 foot outer jibboom, 4 foot end, 18 foot flying jibboom, 6 foot end totals 77 feet 6 inches. If the scale drawing is still longer (which looks like it's 90 feet or a little more) I would go with the drawing. To make it easier to calculate dimensions, I've enlarged plate no 1 by simply removing white space. Another detail to notice is the long slimming of the inner jibboom before it enters the monkey rail. Practically the entire upper section of the inner jibboom is gradually thinner down to allow it to match the monkey rail profile. Both inner jibboom and bowsprit are carved down to rectangles when entering the hull. This prevents rotation of either spar, which could be disastrous. Yet hardly any models include this important detail. I've included a brief description of all six plates. Another item I recognize is the large "lubber's hole" opening provided for in the main top structural illustration. From forward to almost entirely aft, there's a long oblong space on both sides of the top. We learned about this much larger space on Glory of the Seas..Again from a common sense practical application, this makes total sense as more than one sailor would be climbing through at the same time.

 

[ClipperFan]

@Norgale
Here's two reproductions in Wikipedia of the same Great Republic painting by James E Buttersworth at the Old State House, Boston, MA. This depicts her original appearance as launched with all ordinary sails set. Note how her entire rig, including a long bowsprit precisely matches the no 1 sail plan illustration of her as published in the booklet which accompanied her launch.

 

[Norgale]

Wow! You certainly do your research I'll say that. Thanks very much for being so generous with your pictures. There's a lot of info there which I will certainly study as I proceed with this project but getting back to the bowsprit and jib boom, your figures are almost the same as my estimates after measuring the drawing. I allowed 30 feet inside the cap and then divided the whole thing by the thirty feet and came up with 72 feet for the jib and flying jib combined outside the cap. After cutting a dowel to that length I laid it on the bowsprit to see what it looks like. Although it looks abnormally long it does appear to match the drawings and it does look to be in scale with the rest of the ship. I wanted to hear from you and maybe Rob, if he's paying attention, (HA) to see if you thought it looked ok.
Another thing is, do you think the 18" cap should be added to the length? It looks like it slips on over the end of the bowsprit and thereby becomes part of the 30 foot bowsprit length. As for thinning the base end of the jib boom, I think that would decrease the strength of the piece at a point where it should be at it's strongest. In any case I was trying to see how I could get that squared off end on the bowsprit and the jib without having to start with a huge dowel and grind the whole thing down to allow for the squared off part. It's amazing that you even noticed that. I would never have seen it if you hadn't pointed it out.

 

[ClipperFan]

@Norgale
You're correct that the spar passes through the cap as a single piece. However McLean (a sailor himself) is quoting dimensions supplied to him from the McKay shipyard itself. They listed their specifics as before and after the cap. That adds the cap's dimensions to total combined length. As for thinning and squaring of these spars, I don't second guess historic photographic proof which we saw on Glory of the Seas. I've greatly enlarged the entire Great Republic bowsprit area. The bowsprit below clearly has parallel lines. Note how the inner jibboom thins down at an angle almost immediately behind the cap. It also gradually comes to a point as it gets further out. Incidentally since you're working so hard to realize the ship in her entirety, I've attached the full in-depth description of Great Republic published by Donald McKay himself at her launch.