Dave_Snelson
Well-Known Member
Following on from Haydn's post, I have some idea about the history of Porthmadog - and an interesting history that is too!
The point being that a 100 years ago, much bigger boats used to frequent PM - in fact they were built there. Like this for example...
One of the most famous being Fleetwing...
The Fleetwing was a brig, built by Richard Jones at Borth y Gest, in 1874. her outright owners were the Pritchard brothers, well known Porthmadog shipbrokere/managers. Her dimensions were: 237 GRT, 110' LOA, 25' Beam and 14.6' Max draft.
During her busy life she worked in many trades, phosphate rock from Aruba and general trade to Brazil, West Indies, West Africa and the Mediterrenean. Many well known Porthmadog, Borth y Gest and Criccieth seamen sailed on this strong little ship then moved on to the BEESWING, Pritchard Brother' steel barque and the other locally owned square rigged ships.
The FLEETWING arrived at Port Stanley on 30th October 1911 with a cargo of coal, having been purchased from her Welsh owners by the Falkland Island Company. It is not clear whether they intended using her in the inter-island trade or whether she was to be a store hulk. At some point after her arrival she was beached, close to the Falkland Island's East Jetty. This is still in use by the local cargo vessel, the motorship MONSUNEN, and by the chartered Danish vessel which brings supplies from England four times a year. The jetty incorporates the stern of the Canadian three master EGERIA and the bows of the Greenock built WILLIAM SHAND. Both are protected by 'Noah's Ark' roofs.
To the east of the jetty lie a whole range of abandoned craft, amongst them a tug, several wooden lighters, one of which is fitted with a sailing ship type pump windlass, and the inter island schooner PENGUIN. In board of these lies the FLEETWING. Unfortunately she has been cut down to the tween decks and she is used as a dump for rusty forty gallon oil dumps. There are so many of these at present that it is impossible to see much of her internal construction or fittings. All her deck beams have been cut away but the ends of these remain along with their wooden lodging knees. One iron knee protrudes beyond the pile of oil drums to indicate the original height of her main deck, and about fifty yards away lies a pile of similar knees which are probably from the FLEETWING. Three horizontal timbers represent the remains of her counter. Her rudder, all deck fittings and accommodation details have all disappeared so far as one can tell. There may be all sorts of interesting relics under those drums. On the quay, some of her spars survive. At low tide, it is possible to walk virtualy round her hull. Her planking, apart from one or two sprung planks, is in remakably good gondition, as are her stern and stern post. Fragments of her copper sheathing survives, and at her stern her seven foot draught mark cut out of lead strip is still there.
The most impressive thing about her is her superb underwater shape. With a hollow entrance, rising floors amidships and a long tun aft, she is almost a miniature clipper. Her reputation for speedy passages is scarcely surprising with such a hull. That she has survived so long is a testimony to the craftmanship of her builders. It is a great shame that she is treated as a dump and not as a nautical antique of great historic value, which undoubtedly she is:...................
The point being that a 100 years ago, much bigger boats used to frequent PM - in fact they were built there. Like this for example...
One of the most famous being Fleetwing...
The Fleetwing was a brig, built by Richard Jones at Borth y Gest, in 1874. her outright owners were the Pritchard brothers, well known Porthmadog shipbrokere/managers. Her dimensions were: 237 GRT, 110' LOA, 25' Beam and 14.6' Max draft.
During her busy life she worked in many trades, phosphate rock from Aruba and general trade to Brazil, West Indies, West Africa and the Mediterrenean. Many well known Porthmadog, Borth y Gest and Criccieth seamen sailed on this strong little ship then moved on to the BEESWING, Pritchard Brother' steel barque and the other locally owned square rigged ships.
The FLEETWING arrived at Port Stanley on 30th October 1911 with a cargo of coal, having been purchased from her Welsh owners by the Falkland Island Company. It is not clear whether they intended using her in the inter-island trade or whether she was to be a store hulk. At some point after her arrival she was beached, close to the Falkland Island's East Jetty. This is still in use by the local cargo vessel, the motorship MONSUNEN, and by the chartered Danish vessel which brings supplies from England four times a year. The jetty incorporates the stern of the Canadian three master EGERIA and the bows of the Greenock built WILLIAM SHAND. Both are protected by 'Noah's Ark' roofs.
To the east of the jetty lie a whole range of abandoned craft, amongst them a tug, several wooden lighters, one of which is fitted with a sailing ship type pump windlass, and the inter island schooner PENGUIN. In board of these lies the FLEETWING. Unfortunately she has been cut down to the tween decks and she is used as a dump for rusty forty gallon oil dumps. There are so many of these at present that it is impossible to see much of her internal construction or fittings. All her deck beams have been cut away but the ends of these remain along with their wooden lodging knees. One iron knee protrudes beyond the pile of oil drums to indicate the original height of her main deck, and about fifty yards away lies a pile of similar knees which are probably from the FLEETWING. Three horizontal timbers represent the remains of her counter. Her rudder, all deck fittings and accommodation details have all disappeared so far as one can tell. There may be all sorts of interesting relics under those drums. On the quay, some of her spars survive. At low tide, it is possible to walk virtualy round her hull. Her planking, apart from one or two sprung planks, is in remakably good gondition, as are her stern and stern post. Fragments of her copper sheathing survives, and at her stern her seven foot draught mark cut out of lead strip is still there.
The most impressive thing about her is her superb underwater shape. With a hollow entrance, rising floors amidships and a long tun aft, she is almost a miniature clipper. Her reputation for speedy passages is scarcely surprising with such a hull. That she has survived so long is a testimony to the craftmanship of her builders. It is a great shame that she is treated as a dump and not as a nautical antique of great historic value, which undoubtedly she is:...................
