Old Ironsides Sails Again

[eyer]

The last time she sailed under her own power was in 1997 to commemorate the 200th anniversary of her launch in 1797...

...before 1997, she had not sailed on her own since 1881.

Today, tugs towed her out of Boston Harbor into deeper water and the USS Constitution unfurled a few of her 38 sails and once more made way under her own power and fired her cannons to commemorate the 200th anniversary of her 1812 naval victory over HMS Guerriere. The Constitution also defeated British warships Java, Pictou, Cyane and Levant during the War of 1812, but it was her win against Guerriere that earned her the nickname Old Ironsides (because Guerriere's cannonballs seemed to bounce off her hull).

The USS Constitution was named by President George Washington and is the world's oldest commissioned warship still afloat.

 

[Bidin~Time]

I saw this on the news this evening.

I had no idea she was still commissioned.

 

[KingOrfeo]

I wonder if her cannons can still fire?

 

[Bidin~Time]

They were scheduled to fire two.

http://articles.boston.com/2012-08-17/metro/33233494_1_charlestown-navy-yard-hms-guerriere-cannons

 

[unregistered]

 

[Bert Notorius]

 

[phrodeau]

"Under her own power" means that the ship was blown around by the wind.

 

[unregistered]

 

[blobfish]

"Under her own power" means that the ship was blown around by the wind.

I loled.

 

[Bidin~Time]

"Under her own power" means that the ship was blown around by the wind.

Thank you for your thoughtful, yet concise post. I would never have understood the mechanics without it.

 

[trysail]

For those with an interest in identifying the sails, she's flying her fore, main and mizzen topsails.

It's probably fair to say that those in charge of her are likely to be extremely cautious about the conditions to which they expose the ship. It's no particular surprise that there appears to be little-to-no air. After all, who wants to take a chance of being held responsible for the dismasting of a national symbol and the world's oldest commissioned warship.

 

[Wat_Tyler]

For those with an interest in identifying the sails, she's flying her fore, main and mizzen topsails.




It's probably fair to say that those in charge of her are likely to be extremely cautious about the conditions to which they expose the ship. It's no particular surprise that there appears to be little-to-no air. After all, who wants to take a chance of being held responsible for the dismasting of a national symbol and the world's oldest commissioned warship.

More than likely, who in Hell would know how to repair a broken mast if it did happen, and where would one find a tree long, strong and straight enough for the task? They just don't make that shit any more.

 

[trysail]

More than likely, who in Hell would know how to repair a broken mast if it did happen, and where would one find a tree long, strong and straight enough for the task? They just don't make that shit any more.

You might be surprised. Since the renaissance of interest in Tall Ships occurred beginning with OpSail in 1976, the supply of craftsmen and materials has increased. I watched the construction of a new wooden ship in 1986 and was thrilled to observe— among other tasks— the operation of a steam chest (used to soften and bend wood hull planks), the stepping of a mast and the application of caulking and oakum to seal hull and deck seams.