The Gift of a Ship

                In the winter of 1892 Captain Joshua Slocum being unable to secure a position of ships master
                and being reluctant to pay the sum of $50 to a society (Union subs) in order to work in a shipyard.
                He was therefore most willing to look at the "gift of a ship" from an old aquaintance.  This whaling
                captain had been the owner of  a disused and antiquated sloop for some 7 years. 

                And for 7 years this sorry sloop had lain on land under canvas some distance from her natural salt
                water environment.
 
 

        Refit or Rebirth?

                For the next thirteen months Joshua slocum toiled to refit her.  A new keel was fitted, made from
                an oak tree felled nearby.  White oak saplings were steamed and bent to make ribs.  More white
                oak for the new stem.  Over this, the planking was of white Georgia pine one and a half inches thick.
                The deck was 7/8" white pine over 6" x 6" yellow pine beams set at 3 ' centres.  Bulwarks rose 14 "
                from the deck to finish the topsides. 

                The hull was divided into three compartments.
                 Forward.
                            Cooking galley with a coach roof of 6' x 6', this being the former main hold.
                  Midships
                            "under the deck was room for the provision of water, salt beef,etc,, ample for many months."
                  Aft of midships
                            A cabin with coach roof of approximately 10' x 12'.  Here was arranged a bed under the
                            deck space and shelves for storage of day to day items.  Both the main cabin and the galley
                            had standing headroom.
 

                The dimensions were as
                                                length overall            36' 9"
                                                beam                       14' 2"
                                                draught                      4' 2"
                                                displacement              9    tons net
                                                                                12.7 tons gross 

                                                cost of materials    $553.62
 

                To quote Joshua Slocum from his book Sailing Alone Around The World.
                    "Now, it is a law in Lloyd's that the Jane repaired all out of the old until she is entirely new is still
                     the Jane.  The Spray changed her being so gradually that it was hard to say at what point the old
                     died or the new took birth, and it was no matter."

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tim-jac@pop.ihug.co.nz