Boat skids

[Don Case]

I'm trying to install the boat skids(skid beams) across the waist of the Discovery1789. They are not shown on the drawings I have. Steele says there are six of them on 300 ton sloops. No matter how I arrange them they seem to be in the way of something, entry stairs, holds, fenders come to mind. I've searched through this forum, MSW, and the A's, B's and C's of the WikiCommons ships plans and can't find a picture that might clear things up. Does anyone know off the top of their head where I might find a picture or two that show the skids so I can see how they are laid out? Thanks

 

[Don Case]

I found a couple of build logs for the HMS Sphinx that shows the skid beams. I guess they solved the interference problems by making the beams removeable. These ships were not convenient. It seems that every time they needed something, they had to move two or three things first. I must have taken forever to do anything. Good thing the crews were so big. Apparently later on they made them permanent. No idea how they got anything into the hold.

 

[Magellan]

Hi Don,
Here's how i fixed skids (photos attached) to my model of the Swan Class Sloop, HMS Fly. The skids are lashed in a temporary manner to the main mast bits and the fore deck rail.I took this approach as a consequence of some of the excellent photos in R. Gardiner's book, 'The Sailing Frigate'. Hope this helps.
John.

 

[MikeC]

Don, A particularly fine model in my opinion. Mike

 

[Don Case]

So, did you use the spare spars a the skids? I've been assuming that the skids usually ran across the ship.

 

[Don Case]

Here is a quote from Capt. George Vancouver's Journal. During their layover at the Cape of Good Hope he mentions raising the skids and booms. Any ideas what booms he may be talking about?




Later in the trip they find that the hold has six feet of water in it. They find that they can't get the chain pumps working because the launch and the cross piece of the bitts are in the way.


"one of the quarter-maſters heard in the tier, the water ruſhing about in
the hold . The hand pumps were ſoon in order ; and , to relieve the
ſhip as ſoon as poſſible , the croſs piece of the bits was unſhipped , the
launch got forward , and with the chain pumps the veſſel by ſeven
o 'clock was made perfectly dry ."

So, what I'm wondering about now is, if they had raised the skids, what is the launch doing down on the deck, under the skids?

 

[Magellan]

Hi Don,
The Swan Class Sloop was quite a small ship (6th rate) so i assume space on board was at a premium. I suppose there is always quite a few ways to solve the problems of boat storage, and on these smaller ships, instead of chocks or transverse beam skids, they used detachable longitudinal ones instead (possibly makes movement around the ship less restricted). I used as my sources 'The Anatomy of the ship, Pandora' by J. McKay and R. Gardiner's book, 'The Sailing Frigate' both of which show smaller ships stowing on longitudinal skids. Larger ships with the luxury of more head room and space, as you point out, would often use transverse skids.

 

[Don Case]

Thanks for the pictures John. Very nice job. The Discovery was 330 tons compared to the Fly's 304 so they are not a lot different. When I found the logs of eight of the ships officers I thought I had struck gold but they almost identical, like they all sat at the same table and wrote their logs together. I suppose CYA worked in those days too. Little things pop up though. Like Lt. Baker saying that the carpenter was working on the small cutter. That told me that there were two cutters. At least, that's how I read that. Maybe if I can slog through all the logs I will find a solution to my dilemma.

 

[Magellan]

Hi Don,
there appears to be a model of Discovery in the Vancouver Maritime Museum. The image on the internet is tantalising us with the boat stowage arrangements, but it appears that they could be employing the logitudinal skids system (possibly). I don't know if the museum could help you with more images.

That looks like a beautiful piece of model boat building that you've done there, so far. Good luck with the research.
John.

 

[Don Case]

I have that picture in my stuff. I have so much stuff that I forget to look at it. There was a few things "wrong" about that model(can't remember what now). I'll look closer now. Thanks John

I left a message for the museum librarian. She works Mon-Fri.

I remembered one of the "wrong" things. The Discovery had a green house for the botanist Arch Menzies on the quarterdeck.