Niagara 1812

Dave Stevens (Lumberyard)

Sponsor: dlumberyard
Staff member
Sponsor
Joined
Dec 1, 2016
Messages
5,095
Points
728

wife and I took a 5 hour sailing cruse aboard the Niagara

here are a few fun facts

the corners on coamings are not like a 45 degree like picture frames they have a lap joint

coaming corner.jpg

many model builders plank their decks in stark white Holly actually the color of a deck is far from white. I took a raisin box and opened it up flat.

deck5.jpg

decking does not run straight it follows the curve of the ship

deck2.jpg
deck1.jpg

the deck planking at the stern meet in the middle as a wedge shape

deck3.jpg

there is a statement from forums "the inside of the bulwarks were painted red so sailors could not see the blood" WRONG the inside of the bulwarks were painted green. I did ask the historian in the museum about it and she said from records there is no reference to red bulwarks red if used was as a trim.
 
Last edited:
does anyone know what the pole sitting on the waterway is?

as.jpg

did you know the ratlines were tied to one another the red arrow shows the line

ratlines.jpg
 
a day sail aboard the Niagara was something inspiring indeed to see the spread of sail above your head and not a minute went by without the captain yelling commands to the crew who not for a moment stood still.

by the way guys the ships crew were well see for yourself

crew1.jpg

even the gun crew

crew2.jpg

to walk the length of the deck it was like you were drunk holding on to whatever you can grab. Then the look outs standing in the ratlines and on top a post on one leg ok maybe it was me or maybe they had their sea legs. This crew was out on the lake for the last 2 weeks.

lookout.jpg
 
Last edited:
buy the way this is no pleasure sail you have to sign up as part of the crew and the captain does put you to work hauling line and it is not that easy
 
the Niagara 1812

niagara.jpg

and Evelyn who owns and runs the lumberyard for model shipwrights she sailed the lakes from a 1,000 foot ore freighter to the Niagara and has been
aboard many a wooden ship

ev.jpg
 
Last edited:
Also look at the withd of the planks on the decks,most kits gives you at least 4-5 wider timbers for the decks,completely out of scale.
 
good point I was just telling dave on his build deck planking was close to square in cross section.
you are not going to bend planking edge wise to conform to the hull shape BUT you can bend a deck plank if it were 4 inches wide and 2 1/2 inches to 3 inches thick

that is my shoe and when I measured the length of my shoe it is 12 inches so a deck plank is 4 inches wide

plank width.jpg
 
Last edited:
deck planking on most all ships in North America was Southern Yellow Pine
it only takes a few months out doors and wood will turn grayish silver
 
deck planking on most all ships in North America was Southern Yellow Pine
it only takes a few months out doors and wood will turn grayish silver

It depends realy very much, where the ship was build and which kind of timber was used at this time.
Also the width of planks depends on the tree, from some sorts you can not cut bigger widths in enough length and number....

If you compare the deck of the Victory you can see, that the width of the planks was much bigger, than compared to the Niagara

here the gun deck
HMS Victory 32-Pounders on Lower Deck (5).JPG HMS Victory Gun Deck General e vers_2.jpg

and when we go outside you can find the same width (but looks like to be restorated)
9portsmouth-hms-victory-steering-station.jpg

if you compare the colour of the planks ...... photo with steering wheel is weather protected, and in the following unprotected - it appears much lighter, and grey!
9351481441_d41c6c733d_b.jpg

BTW: great information in this thread - thanks for sharing with us
 
on this vessel granted this is a reconstruction but the people who do such reconstructions do in depth research.

sm1.jpg


look down on the deck again the deck planks are narrow and gray colored. i have been on almost every ship in North America from 1,000 foot freighters to yachts and I have yet to see a white deck. I have seen Teak decks, Oak decks and pine decks and they are all not white

sm2.jpg

I have noticed decks inside the hull do have wider planks and all I have seen are dark brown

sm3.jpg

so this thing with stark white decks is a stylized modeling thing and not a reality. oh yes Ev again aboard another ship.
 
does anyone know what the pole sitting on the waterway is?

View attachment 47271

did you know the ratlines were tied to one another the red arrow shows the line

View attachment 47272
That pole looks like it was made for leverage of some kind if it was flipped over...Its tied down but that could possibly just be to keep folks from playing with it or to keep it in place. That's my uneducated and far from being nautical mind talking. I could definitely have it 'arsey-versey' :)
 
actually Ron you are on the right track with leverage

I asked a crew member and she said it was an anchor spoon personally I never heard of it nor do I know how it works nor did she
 
I would have never guessed it had anything to do with an anchor! Perhaps to pry it away from the ship's side while being secured. I was thinking to lift or wedge barrels or casks on their side.
 
Back
Top