• LUCZORAMA SHIPWRECK SCAVENGER HUNT GIVEAWAY. 4 Weeks of Fun • 1 Legendary Prize ((OcCre’s Fram Ship)) • Global Crew Welcome!
    **VIEW THREAD HERE**

Rigging Plan for Schooner Yacht America, 1863-1865

R

Raul Armada

Joined
Dec 1, 2021
Messages
26
Points
58

Hello Fellow Modelers,

I am restoring a 40+ year old model of Schooner Yacht America. It has damage to the rigging and I'd like to restore it correctly. The model has a US flag with 35 stars, which indicates the model represents how it looked 1863 to 1865. I've looked at pictures and paintings on the internet, but they seem to mostly be 1851 when she was built.
Has anyone on this forum made Yacht America circa 1863-65 that can share a copy of the rigging plan or know where I can get a rigging plan at minimal costs?

Thank you all in advance for your help.

Raul Armada
 
I remember a US Naval Institute Proceedings from the 1960’s that had a drawing of America as fitted for Naval Service. I believe that past issues of Proceedings are now on line.

Roger
 
The USNI is probably your best bet. You can also contact the New York Yacht Club where they have a magnificent collection of schooner and similar models, including America. Perhaps they can help or at least get you a contact that may be able to help.
The NYYC is located at 37 West 44th Street, New York, NY 10036. The Harbour Court is located at 5 Halidon Avenue, Newport, RI 02840.

Allan
 
Thank you, Roger. Your memory is excellent. I found the article in USNI proceedings in September 1967, which was an account of her entire career with emphasis on details of her naval service. It was an interesting read. The article, however, didn't include any photos or sketches. I have to continue my search. Next, off to the New York Yacht Club.
Thank you for your suggestion.
Raul
 
Raul, if I have time today, I’ll dig through my stash. I may still have a copy of the drawing.

Roger
 
Raul Armada said:
Next, off to the New York Yacht Club.
Click to expand...
Be sure to contact them to set up an appointment as there are no walk-ins most of the time. When I visited a couple times many moons ago, I called ahead and explained I wanted to sketch various models and they left me alone with the models for a couple hours each time. Back then they would not allow photography but with cell phones these days they may have changed their policy. Hope so as I would like to go back as well.
Allan
 
Last edited:
Ok, I found it. I cut it out of the magazine years ago. This is the only thing that I have found specifically showing her outfitted for Naval service after capture from the Confederates during the Civil war. Her deck arrangement is on one side and sail/rigging is on the other. Send me a Direct Message via the forum with your address and I will send it to you along with some related stuff. The drawing says that it was based on information in the archives of the US Naval Academy who owned her until she collapsed from snow loads in 1940.

She was armed with three Dahlgren boat howitzers. Do you need info on these?

The museum at the US Naval War College in Newport, RI has a spectacular model of America. I saw it in 2019 during a Nautical Research Guild Conference. If my memory is correct, it shows her fitted for Naval Service. I will try to find photos that I took.

Roger
 
To Allen: I contacted the New York Yacht Club and they quickly replied and sent me a copy of a "rigging plan", which amounted to a photostat of a diagram showing the sail orientation and basic rigging lines. It was the 1851 outfitted version when she was originally built. Although somewhat helpful, it wasn't as detailed as I was expecting. But at least they gave me an immediate reply which was helpful.

To Roger: Thank you for looking and finding the magazine article. The diagrams showing the deck arrangement and sail/rigging will be helpful. My model only has 2 boat howitzers. Perhaps a third one existed at one time on the model and has fallen off sometime in the last 40 years. It should be interesting comparing the model to the plans to see how they vary. My emphasis will be to repair rigging. I am sending my address through a DM.

I am grateful to both of you for your quick replies and support in helping me find these plans. This ship has a unique history and legacy, and I'm pleased to have an old model of her that survived all these years.

Kind Regards,

Raul
 
Raul Armada said:
Hello Fellow Modelers,

I am restoring a 40+ year old model of Schooner Yacht America. It has damage to the rigging and I'd like to restore it correctly. The model has a US flag with 35 stars, which indicates the model represents how it looked 1863 to 1865. I've looked at pictures and paintings on the internet, but they seem to mostly be 1851 when she was built.
Has anyone on this forum made Yacht America circa 1863-65 that can share a copy of the rigging plan or know where I can get a rigging plan at minimal costs?

Thank you all in advance for your help.

Raul Armada
Click to expand...
Hi Raul, which model do you have?
 
I built this model two or three years ago. If you still need plans, please PM me and I will look for them.
It's a nice ship w a great history.
Phil Yalowitz
 
Hi Roger,

I'm acknowledging receipt of your package containing the reference materials you sent me on Yacht America. The sail and rigging plan you enclosed is just what I needed to repair my rigging correctly. The other materials you enclosed will make an interesting read. I'll photostat everything you sent and return the originals shortly.
I wanted to say how very surprised and excited I was when I opened the box you sent to see included an original book by Thompson, Stephens & Swan entitled "Yacht America". It was a treat to see a 100-year-old book in such good condition. I look forward to reading it and, of course, I'll return it to you promptly in good condition.
Thank you for your help and your loan of reference materials. I will make good use of them.

Kind Regards,

Raul
 
To Phil,

Thank you for your offer to share the Revell plans. The materials I received from Roger Pellett will address my needs regarding the rigging repair. Luckily, the rigging is quite simple and will be easily repaired.

Kind Regards,

Raul
 
Raul, some guys have a stash of ship model kits, 95 percent of which they’ll not live long enough to build. I have a huge collection of books to research ship modeling projects that I’ll not live long enough to build. The America materials were accumulated to build a similar George Steers vessel, the New York Pilot Boat George Steers. I am currently involved in a long term project and just hope that my health remains good enough to finish it. I am, therefore, weeding out books that don’t represent current interests. The George Steers is not on my bucket list.

Please keep the materials, book included, with my complements.

Roger
 
Hi Raul,
I'm in the process of finishing a small America in the Civil War time period and was wondering if you'd post Roger's plans and pertainent information to the forum? As you know, information about her configuration in this time period is hard to come by. Or let me know the sources so I might track down a copy myself?
Thanks,
Bruce
 
Hi Roger,
Words cannot express how much I appreciate your generosity for keeping the materials as well as the book. I have a small library with a few rare or old books. Your book will be added to the library near the ship model. That book I think now is the second oldest in my collection. Reading is another one of my pastimes, besides model ships. This book fits into both.

Kind Regards,

Raul
 
Hello Bruce,
Please see attached for the Yacht America plans and information that Roger shared with me. There are a total of 7 files which I scanned from photocopies.

America Analyzed is a copy of a copy, so the pictures are a little grainy, but the article is readable.
Yacht America from Jinishian Gallery is also a copy of a copy, same graininess.
Most helpful are the Deck profiles and Sail Plan which shown how Yacht America was fitted in 1863.
An excerpt from "Forty Famous Ships" from a 1936 book by Cluver & Grant.
The Best from Yachting- 1967, America- the first yacht in the hearts of her countrymen.
Yacht Magazine article- The simple rigging and taut sails of the America puzzled the British.

There is also a book, "The Yacht America" by Thompson, Stephens and Swan, which tells the story of the ship up through the book printing in 1925 (335 pages).

Finally, I recommend a book I recently found on E-Bay entitled "The Low Black Schooner: Yacht America 1851- 1945" (71 pages). This contains both B&W as well as color etchings and photos of the ship during her lifetime, and the history is more condensed than the book referenced above.

I hope you find these useful as you finish your Civil War era model.

Kind Regards,

Raul
 

Attachments

You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top