Old Ironsides Back In The Water

[Tecumsehsbones]

After two years in drydock getting scraped and re-coppered, USS Constitution, 44, was re-floated, and after a couple of more weeks of work, will be re-entered on the active list.

The Constitution is the only active ship in the U.S. Navy that has sunk an enemy vessel, specifically HMS Guerriere in 1812, and also took HMS Java.

We figure Queen Elizabeth will be next.

The old girl looks great at age 220.

 

[Jinentonix]

Very cool. I love seeing these old ships back on the water. It's the rigging that really impresses me though. It's like genius and insanity rolled into one.

 

[White_Unifier]

Yachts are energy efficient.

 

[Tecumsehsbones]

Very cool. I love seeing these old ships back on the water. It's the rigging that really impresses me though. It's like genius and insanity rolled into one.

The Constitution is still on the list of active Navy ships. She's of the class of "super-frigates" displacing around 1500-1600 tons and carrying 40-40 24-pounders (the standard just before that was 1200ish tons and 34-38 18-pounders). She saw service in the War of 1812, the Civil War, and in WWII, at one point she served as the flagship of the Admiral of the Fleet, in order to free up a combat ship to fight.

Great old boat. She lives in Boston Harbor, and is well worth a trip down to tour her.

 

[petros]

The Brits must be shitting bricks.

 

[Bar Sinister]

The Brits must be shitting bricks.

No, the Brits still have the Victory, a 104 guns first-rate.

 

[Curious Cdn]

"She was broad and fat and loose in stays but to catch her took the Antelope two whole days.

God damn them all. I was told we'd cruise the seas for American gold. We fired no guns, shed no tears now I'm a broken man on as Halifax pier, the last of Barrett's privateers."

 

[Tecumsehsbones]

"She was broad and fat and loose in stays but to catch her took the Antelope two whole days.

God damn them all. I was told we'd cruise the seas for American gold. We fired no guns, shed no tears now I'm a broken man on as Halifax pier, the last of Barrett's privateers."

Our cracked four-pounders made an awful din
And with one fat ball the Yank stove us in

Well the Antelope shook and pitched on her side
Barrett was smashed like a bowl of eggs
And the maintruck carried off both my legs

No, the Brits still have the Victory, a 104 guns first-rate.

To quote the Japanese captain in Battleship, "You're crazy. That's a museum."

If they unmoored the Victory, it would sink.

 

[taxslave]

The problem with ships like the Constitution is that you need sailors that can actually sail, not just stare at computer screens and push buttons.

 

[Tecumsehsbones]

The problem with ships like the Constitution is that you need sailors that can actually sail, not just stare at computer screens and push buttons.

Absolutely. The ability to judge the wind and trim sail to get the best performance is critical to the operation of a nuclear-powered submarine.

 

[Bar Sinister]

Our cracked four-pounders made an awful din
And with one fat ball the Yank stove us in

Well the Antelope shook and pitched on her side
Barrett was smashed like a bowl of eggs
And the maintruck carried off both my legs


To quote the Japanese captain in Battleship, "You're crazy. That's a museum."

If they unmoored the Victory, it would sink.

Actually it probably would, but I doubt we'll see the Constitution braving the waves any time soon either. Interestingly, when I toured the Victory I was disappointed to observe that most of its 104 guns were plastic replicas.

That proud, fast queen of the Grand Banks fleet
Portrayed on every dime
Knew hard work in her time
Hard work in every line

The rich men's toys of the Gloucester boys
With their token bit of cod
They snapped their spars and strained to pass her by
But she left them all behind

[Verse 3]
Now her namesake daughter remains to show what she has been
What every schoolboy remembers and will not come again
To think she's the last of the Grand Banks schooners
That fed so many men
And who will know the Bluenose in the sun?

 

[Tecumsehsbones]

Actually it probably would, but I doubt we'll see the Constitution braving the waves any time soon either. Interestingly, when I toured the Victory I was disappointed to observe that most of its 104 guns were plastic replicas.

That's the point. Allow me to clarify. USS Constitution is an active warship of the U.S. Navy. It is crewed by officers and sailors of the U.S. Navy. As an active ship, it is maintained in armed, seaworthy condition.

The Victory has been in drydock for 95 years.

 

[Curious Cdn]

If they unmoored the Victory, it would sink.

Do you mean the concept of "victory" or the HMS one?

 

[Bar Sinister]

That's the point. Allow me to clarify. USS Constitution is an active warship of the U.S. Navy. It is crewed by officers and sailors of the U.S. Navy. As an active ship, it is maintained in armed, seaworthy condition.

The Victory has been in drydock for 95 years.

You may be a bit optimistic regarding the Constitution. The last time it actually sailed was in 1997 and it had to be towed into position. My guess that on a real ocean voyage she'd be in trouble. As for being an active warship, a building van be declared an active warship and a number of buildings on naval bases actually are considered as such. The naval base in Edmonton, Alberta, is over 800 km from the ocean.

 

[Curious Cdn]

You may be a bit optimistic regarding the Constitution. The last time it actually sailed was in 1997 and it had to be towed into position. My guess that on a real ocean voyage she'd be in trouble.

It sounds like the last five years of HMCS Iroquois (DDG 280)