In safe hands?

[jhr]

There have been several news items over the last few days about the work that needs to be done to the Cutty Sark, with much talk of £12 million of National Lottery funding being sought, and temporary covers being built to prevent her degenerating into a pile of rust and wet rot.

At the same time, we continue to hear about Gypsy Moth, slowly rotting away alongside her, in spite of YM's efforts to restore her.

I'm prepared to accept that the Maritime Trust don't have the money or resources to keep these boats in pristine condition and absolute security, but it looks, to my untutored eye, as if they have been mouldering away for some years and that the current hullabaloo is a panic reaction to the fact that the damage, in both cases, will soon become irreversible.

If that's the case, are the Maritime Trust really the right people to look after what are, when all is said and done, two major artefacts from our recent seafaring history?

All imho. I have little knowledge of the (no doubt) complex realities of this particular situation, but c'mon, guys......................

<hr width=100% size=1>Je suis Marxiste - tendance Groucho

 

[Mirelle]

I thought that the Maritime Turst was wound up some years ago?

But I agree, the state of the Cutty Sark does not inspire confidence in those in charge of her.

They seem unable to decide whether they are in the business of "museum-type" "conservation", where the retention of the original structure is all-important, or whether they are in the business of maritime preservation, where the important thing is the shape and arrangements of the vessel.

I was at a lunch a couple of weeks ago where several very senior people from the Cutty Sark Trust were present and they were not very polite about HMS Victory, saying that only 15% of her is original. To which most of us would say, "so what?" the Navy have done, and are doing, a fabulous job with her.

Stepping the masts on the bottom of the dock, rather than on the keel, is not very "original" - in fact I would call it something rather unfair to the Disney Corporation.

I think a gallon of paraffin is about the only remaining option, now.

<hr width=100% size=1>Que scais-je?

 

[jimi]

Personally if I step aboard one of these vessels I'd ideally like to see it as if I were a maintained working vessel in its era. I don't want to see a bit of wood or rope that actually existed then, though if the two coeincide so much the better

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[jhr]

Maritime Trust

Oops; you may be right about the Maritime Trust. I was making the assumption from the Oct. YM - which quotes them as Gypsy Moth's current owners - and assuming that they owned Cutty Sark as well. I'll take your word about it, because if I'm sure of one thing, it's that you will know more about it than I do!



<hr width=100% size=1>Je suis Marxiste - tendance Groucho

 

[Gunfleet]

<<they were not very polite about HMS Victory, saying that only 15% of her is original.>>
So what would they make of Boadicia, down at Mersea? There must only be a splinter in there that dates back to the 18th century. But what a boat!

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[Gunfleet]

I was just thinking that about your own vessel... a perfectly preserved example of its period..
ps I won't correct your spelling, just point out that you've got sausages for fingers

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[Twister_Ken]

HMS Victory

Which reminds me - if you've done a tour of Victory, you've undoubtedlyheard the superannuated CPO who leads you round explain that "Yes, madam, it is h'exactly the same broom that was 'ere in Lord Nelson's day, just that it's 'ad seven new 'eads and three new 'andles."

<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.writeforweb.com/twister1>Let's Twist Again</A>

 

[jenku]

I agree. I visited the Cutty Sark many years ago and was utterly disappointed. As far as I remember there was some kind of exhibition down in the hold and that was all. However the pub we went to afterwards was quite all right.

<hr width=100% size=1>http://www.sail.to/alacrity

 

[Peppermint]

Hopeless

The work required is way beyond the scope of a bunch of well meaning but under funded duffers. This is a classic tale of "you don't know what you've got till it's gone.

Rather than spend the money on renovations or repair I'd rather see it spent on a replica vessel or even a vessel in the spirit of Cutty Sark that could have a purpose going forward.

Spending money on this one is chucking it away

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[tcm]

£12m sounds a bit steep! I would want a true ocean-going vessel for that, with nice cabins and aircon.

There's a load of copper on the hull, and with the recent price rise in coper (sic) i bet they could get a good long way with that, no?

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[jhr]

I'll bow to your superior knowledge of the price of copper.

I bet that, for that sort of money, they could build something really flash, perhaps with a lifting keel, that they could sail around the Med and.. oh no, hang on, er........

<hr width=100% size=1>Je suis Marxiste - tendance Groucho

 

[benjenbav]

well this is a blimmin remarkable triumph of the human spirit after a poorish sort of day. Maybe if you'd put 10 tons of copper on Diana II it wouldn't have fallen off when you drove acoss Biscay. Mind you you probably wouldn't have got back here yet.

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[Gordonmc]

A while ago I posted a rant about the fate of the City of Adelaide, a.k.a. SV Carrick which has been mouldering away on a slip of the Scottish Maritime Museum for years.
A bid for millenium lottery cash had been turned down, scuppering plans to restore her in a scheme that would have trained up some local apprentices. Instead the lotto moguls built a state of the art technology centre in Irvine and ploughed cash into the Science Centre in Glasgow.
The Carrick is still rotting away... the first named centre has long since closed down through lack of interest and the Science Centre is well and truly on its uppers, just like most of the other millenium projects.
Cutty Sark and Carrick are the only remaining iron framed clippers in the UK. The only other vessel of her type is on a beach in Chile... in bits.
I hope the cash is found for the Cutty Sark, but its sad such dramatic headlines are needed to raise public awareness to save our maritime heritage.

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[DanTribe]

While on hols in Denmark this year I visited the Jyllands frigate museum and the Viking ship museum. the frigate is in excellent condition and surrounded by workshops showing how things are made and restored. The Viking centre has on display several salvaged ships and replicas in construction.
If Denmark with it's small population can do this, why can't a once great maritime nation.
Dan

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