Tall ships in harbor city Erie,

[Michel G]

Hello, I'm new here an still trying to navigate this group site. I thought this would be of interest.
I come from a Great Lakes harbor town, Erie, we have several tall ships here. Our city hosts the Festival of Tall Ships every four years. Truly a fantastic experience for any and all.
The brig Niagara 1812, the schooner Lettuce G. Howard 1893, and the almost completed schooner Porcupine 1812 our are harbors main interests along with the Maritime Museum.
I will be trying my hand again at a scratch build of the Niagara (did a diorama of the Battle of Lake Erie 1813 when I was a young teen)
Here's a couple pictures.

 

[Roger Pellett]

You must already know this, but the Niagara replica is larger than the brig that Perry built. Design changes necessary for hauling passengers in accordance with USCG rules. Also, based on a painting made after the battle of ships from both fleets by a captured British Naval Officer, it is now believed that Perry’s two Brigs had cutwaters and head rails instead of the plain head of the replica.

Two important reference books if you plan to scratch build a historically accurate model:

Coffins of the Brave, Texas A &M Press.
Excellent Review known information about Great Lakes Warships. Lots of Drawings. I would especially look at the American Brig Eagle built a year later on Lake Champlain.

History of the American Sailing Navy by Howard I Chapelle.
Old but classic. Includes Chapelle’s design of Niagara that preceded the current replica. Plans of drawings in the book can be ordered from the Smithsonian.

Roger

 

[Michel G]

You must already know this, but the Niagara replica is larger than the brig that Perry built. Design changes necessary for hauling passengers in accordance with USCG rules. Also, based on a painting made after the battle of ships from both fleets by a captured British Naval Officer, it is now believed that Perry’s two Brigs had cutwaters and head rails instead of the plain head of the replica.

Two important reference books if you plan to scratch build a historically accurate model:

Coffins of the Brave, Texas A &M Press.
Excellent Review known information about Great Lakes Warships. Lots of Drawings. I would especially look at the American Brig Eagle built a year later on Lake Champlain.

History of the American Sailing Navy by Howard I Chapelle.
Old but classic. Includes Chapelle’s design of Niagara that preceded the current replica. Plans of drawings in the book can be ordered from the Smithsonian.

Roger

The basis for this last rebuild was from plans found in Turkey, as the original designer of the brigs was commissioned to design for the Turkish navy after the war here. The debates were nonstop back then and still today it pops up. There are a number of vintage models of her in our museum and the Maritime museum, all are over a hundred years old. The debate on the bow was that they were built "down and dirty" only meant for a battle, not duration. Time constraints, lack of seasoned wood, and skilled woodrights and carpenters all were deciding factors when they built the original, was part of the argument as noted in Perry's journal. She is the fourth reconstruction, the earlier versions had cutwaters and rails. So I'm torn between my memories of growing up spending time on it's deck and in it's shadow and historical accuracy. I've seen the paintings and heard many of the discussions on their accuracy. It was a big to do when this last incarnation was being planned. I might make the Larence with the fancy work and the Niagara as this last build just so I don't have a redundancy in models.
I have a decent amount of reference literature as I have been collecting books on the subject since the mid '70s, but im always open and thankful for any advice, so thank you!
Here's a couple pictures of the second rebuild.

 

[Roger Pellett]

When I visited Erie with my parents aboard our sailboat we walked into town. We were moored near the Erie Yacht Club. I remember seeing the Niagara replica, on land?

I believe that Chapelle’s drawing was made for a Niagara replica made in the 1930’s. He omitted the head structure for the reasons mentioned in your post. The watercolor painting showing the vessels of both Lake Erie fleets moored at Put-In-Bay is in The Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto. It was painted by Lt. Robert Irvine a British Survivor of the battle. It is a unique record of the ship appearance and shows them with head structure. It is reproduced in Coffins of the Brave.

Roger

 

[Roger Pellett]

The Robert Irvine watercolor painting of the Battle of Lake Erie vessels can be found on line. Google Royal Ontario Museum Toronto. Go to Advanced Search. It is object
990.49.8

Roger

 

[Michel G]

When I visited Erie with my parents aboard our sailboat we walked into town. We were moored near the Erie Yacht Club. I remember seeing the Niagara replica, on land?

I believe that Chapelle’s drawing was made for a Niagara replica made in the 1930’s. He omitted the head structure for the reasons mentioned in your post. The watercolor painting showing the vessels of both Lake Erie fleets moored at Put-In-Bay is in The Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto. It was painted by Lt. Robert Irvine a British Survivor of the battle. It is a unique record of the ship appearance and shows them with head structure. It is reproduced in Coffins of the Brave.

Roger

Yes, it was in a concrete cradle. Our '57 Chris Craft was moored to the east of the Yacht Club, closer to the Niagara in the '60s.
I walked the deck, fished in it's shadow, drew countless pictures of it. I even have some wood from it.
Those pictures I posted of it being built on the bayside shore of Presque Isle was built by skilled woodworking Scandinavian immigrants. They used parts of the original and wood felled on the peninsula. The first two rebuilds deteriorated, lack of funding and interest. That's why the last one ended up in the cradle. It sat there for years without masts and rigging. The street there is our main street. For several generations teens and young people "bugged" State street and everyone parked there at the dock to hangout and socialize. We always tried to park in front of the Niagara or across the street from it. It used to be packed done there. Now some of the richest residents have "commandeered" the properties around the dock and are having the city crack down on loitering there. Since the late '40s on up till the crack down it was Erie's social gathering place. Now they're trying to make it more a tourist destination. It was looking pretty good with the Niagara there at it's mooring and the Lettie G. next to it. The Porcupine will also be moored there.
I don't have that book (yet) I'll look for a copy to add to my library. There's a lot of info here in our Maritime museum and our local museum. I haven't updated my information archive due to life's keeping me busy.
One again, thank you for the info. I will be sharing more when I get the chance to visit these places again.
M. G.