Launch of replica 1835 smuggling lugger

[wstirling]

Dear Forum,
I am posting a message about the launch of Alert, a replica of an 1835 clinker smuggling lugger. The forum was very helpful in suggesting places where I might find a cannon, which I have found but haven't made a stand for yet. Alert currently weighs approx. ten tons and I am moving her without a crane from her site of build to a slip way across some fairly wobbly ground, though a narrow gap and down a gradient onto the different gradient of the slip. There is further complication with an overhead railway at Morwellham Quay, a museum in Devon. The move will take approximately three days; I have added todays photos to the website below. Tomorrow there is the added pressure of a BBC crew. The boat has no cradle, just sheer legs with wheels bolted on and I am using plenty of grease, scaffoliding poles and jacks. Hope this may be of interest. Yours Will Stirling.
http://www.cuttersandluggers.co.uk

 

[tyga]

Will,
Great pictures. What type of gun have you decided on?

 

[wstirling]

Have a small cannon about 30" long. At present it is a dud. There are some legalities to organise before I adjust it to make a noise. There will be a stand in front of the taffrail (aft deck) on the starboard side so that the barrel becomes a swivel gun. The loose theory being that the small smuggling boat while trying to escape had its swivel gun aft, while the chasing revenue cutter, which will be the next boat, had a bow chaser.

 

[mikefleetwood]

Nice pictures. Two things concern me:-

I hope the sheer-legs aren't carrying any weight. You wouldn't want to tear the gunwales off going over a bump in the ground!

I'm not sure I'd want to tie a large dog to the props (in the picture titled "Fitting stopwaters in stem and stern post tenons and then caulking back to rabbet". You wouldn't want it to spot a rabbit or cat and run off, dragging the prop behind it. Oops there goes £100k of boat!

Seriously though, beautiful boat - I can but dream!