What modern material would have made most difference to 18th Century sailing ships?

[Babylon]

... and why?

 

[alteredoutlook]

Not a material BUT.... a reliable engine!!!

 

[KenMcCulloch]

I think if 'modern' materials were introduced they would no longer be 18th century ships? That said, I would go for Dacron sailcloth.

 

[SteveTibbetts]

Captain Cook's HMS Endeavour would still be in service if Westerly had made it out of GRP I reckon

 

[johnalison]

Carbon fibre and Dyneema. All those masts and rigging must have weighed a fair bit.

 

[bbg]

Steel hulls?

 

[westhinder]

Oil, for all its derivatives

 

[prv]

I think if 'modern' materials were introduced they would no longer be 18th century ships?

Yeah, but it's an interesting puzzle to imagine crates of just one modern material somehow being sent back in time, and which one would make the most difference. Ever read Guns of the South, where time-travelling South African racists supply Kalashnikovs to the Confederates in the American Civil War?

That said, I would go for Dacron sailcloth.

That seems a low priority to me. The sails would be a bit lighter and wouldn't rot so fast, but I don't think either of those were huge problems. Sail shape isn't so critical on a square-rigger compared to a yacht.

Wire (or dyneema?) rigging would make more difference, as it could be much thinner than hemp and use fewer pieces, so you'd have less windage and be able to get to windward better which was very important in battle. Although if you make the running rigging too thin, your teams of sailors are going to struggle to grip and haul it, and I'm assuming we can only send back materials and not machinery like winches.

How about a vat of sikaflex to stop the perpetual leaks in the hulls?

Or tinned food and bottled water to keep the sailors healthier?

EDIT: Actually, thinking about it, antibiotics could very well be the most significant thing. Vast numbers of sailors died from disease and infections, and if you can prevent that then you have a big advantage.

Pete

 

[prv]

Oil, for all its derivatives

Not much chance of 18th-century engineering turning it into polyester, though .

And while they might just be able to produce small amounts of impure diesel, the high-compression engine to run on it is completely infeasible when your machines are crudely hammered together by blacksmiths.

Pete

 

[oldbilbo]

Epoxy raisins, and the simple additives that thicken the 'thin gloop' into 'thick gloop'

 

[alan_d]

Epoxy raisins,

Would they help prevent scurvy as well?

 

[Dave-Shafa]

Airsprung Memory Single Mattresses

 

[grumpy_o_g]

... and why?

Silicon, arsenic, germanium, etc. - CAD would have transformed the design of the ships. A old design with Hydranet sails and carbon fibre hull and dyneema rigging won't be that much more seaworthy nor faster than the original. In contrast you could build a pretty fast boat with older materials using modern design. I agree the stretch of the cotton sails would be the biggest factor but it's what the modern materials have allowed us to do to the design that is significant.

 

[seanfoster]

Kevlar/balsa/kevlar skin construction, would repel a good battering and stop splinters peppering the crew down below (maybe?).

 

[macd]

Stretching the question somewhat, but there can only be one answer for long voyages: vitamin C.

 

[Jonas]

Steel Wire Rope for standing rigging. The design of the ships and the way they were sailed was all determined by the strength of the available materials. Wooden masts were pretty strong purely due to the size of the sections used, but the means of supporting the masts was limited by the dimensions of the ship and the strength & stretch in the standing rigging.
The most important later developments were to the standing rigging and later steel mast sections, leading to improvements in the overall rig; the amount of sail that could be carried at height, and greater freedom to allow the ship to change angle to the wind without putting undue strain on the masts.
The wooden hulls could have a remarkably long life, pumps easily dealt with caulking issues in the short term, and vitamin C - are we seamen or limeys?

 

[Kelpie]

If restricting to one material, then polyester. Hulls, ropes, and sails have all been transformed by this humble compound.

 

[Poignard]

Disinfectant.

 

[Twister_Ken]

Patrick O'Brien books, so they could find out how it really should have been done.

 

[bbg]

If restricting to one material, then polyester. Hulls, ropes, and sails have all been transformed by this humble compound.

For a warship, steel. Steel hulls, steel masts, steel wire for rigging.

But I personally think using steel in the hulls would be the biggest difference, assuming the design of the vessels stayed the same. The ships would be lighter and stronger. Polyester would not hold up very well against cannonballs.