I've been attempting to research the practices of a tall ship in the Age of Sail, and I've been left with a few questions outlined in the title;

• How serious was the risk posed by waves breaking over the deck? Wikipedia says that Force 8 wind conditions would produce waves ~18-25 feet tall, which I think would be above the main deck of a smaller ship with only one deck fully above the waterline. Likewise Force 10 or 11 is associated with wave heights of 30 to 50 meters, which would appear to have been above the deck height of even a large ship. However, the definitions of the original Beaufort scale define a force 10 wind as "that in which she could scarcely bare close reefed main topsails and reefed fore sail" and 11 as "that which would reduce her to storm staysails" - implying that a ship could still retain some level of control under such conditions, which would require men working the sails. Would the slope of the waves be gentle enough that a ship could rise on the front face of the wave and thus not have 10+ feet of water crashing over the deck, or was it possible to work in such conditions (with the expectation that some men would be swept away), or something else?
• TL;DR: Could period ships endure winds in the ~50 knots range and remain seaworthy, or would they be expected to be destroyed by wind and wave action?
• How quickly could a ship end up moving when blow before a serious storm? I've seen (apocryphal) mentions of (unpopular) captains attempting to ride hurricanes for faster Atlantic crossings, but I'm unsure how factual such claims would be.
• Would anyone ever attempt to heave-to in a tall ship in open ocean? This seems to come from reference modern fore-and-aft rigged yachts, but it seems suicidal in a sufficiently strong wind; even if the fore and aft components of the forces from the backed sail cancel out, the residual force perpendicular to the keel seems like it would produce a significant torque attempting to roll the ship. You would also be taking the waves on the side of the ship, meaning a larger volume of water would be striking the hull, and once again adding to the rolling force of the wind attempting to capsize the ship. I'm also not 100% sure if a square rig can do this.
• Is this a question of sea-room i.e. you would run before a storm in the open ocean, but in the circumstances of HMS Hero and HMS Defense (being blown into the shore of Denmark) you would have to attempt to sail into the wind or heave-to?

Thank you for any assistance.

If a ship was in port and someone walked by it what might they see that indicated it is not seaworthy?

I crewed on a large ship sailing up the inland waterway and around Hatteras in the early 80s. I recall it was called Passport or Passport 2. Is it possible to find a record of it?

Okay tallship sleuths, I am trying to find information on the ship Duncan Gibb which my ancestors took passage from Ireland to Canada in 1825 or 1826. Any information or ideas on where to look will be greatly appreciated.

8 years ago I was stationed aboard the USS Constitution and I met the woman who became my wife. Recently we were able to get married aboard the ship, a privilege only offered to current or former crew members.

🔍 It's time for a treasure hunt!

We're helping Vince trace the origin of this mysterious Lady Washington engraving. Can you help us solve the mystery?

Here’s what we know:

🔍 Material: Appears to be cast bronze or brass.

🔍 Weight: A solid 22 ounces—hefty for its size!

🔍 Style: Relief cast, likely using the sand-casting technique.

🔍 Design: Features the engraving "Lady Washington" with a classic ship image.

This unique piece currently serves as a paperweight, but it was likely created as a commemorative or decorative item, perhaps a keepsake for enthusiasts of the legendary tall ship Lady Washington. We’re on the lookout for any info about its origin, purpose, or history!

If you recognize it or have any insights, let us know in the comments! Every clue brings us closer to uncovering the mystery and its story. 🕵🏼‍♂️

https://preview.redd.it/zijt1td2z31e1.jpg?width=983&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=18fe996865423c438344f140c81e8d53dcfa90a8

This was the last sailing season before Lady Washington's restoration. From now through early 2025, Lady Washington will be in Phase 1 of her restoration.

These photos are related to the unstepping of Lady Washington’s masts, which went smoothly. It took some time, but all the spars and rigging are now well-secured, with everything but the lower masts under cover. Work has started on the head rails and we've found some rusted bolts—no surprise there. More photos will be shared as progress continues.

The restoration includes

• New rigging
• Two new masts
• Safety upgrades
• Crew living quarter improvements
• Engineering and electrical work
• New generator

https://preview.redd.it/3m4gmxnlya0e1.jpg?width=480&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6255e8cee8e4fc3795d3bb8c6e057624a8075658

https://preview.redd.it/dg4v8wnlya0e1.jpg?width=640&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a959d50e641364ca05d2ddf05fbb593700e22750

https://preview.redd.it/ut216wnlya0e1.jpg?width=480&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b87c544aec8808a3c8f149ceb94829314f550f4a

Hello - my dad is stepping into a well-deserved semi-retirement after a career as a naval engineer. He needs some things to help fill that new free time so he’s not just staying home (socializing is not his forte).

The man absolutely loves tall ships. The house I grew up in has a room stacked floor to ceiling with books on tall ships. He’s thrilled every time I can get him on one for a tour or whatever.

I am wondering if people have any suggestions for things I could propose to him to do, get involved with, or a gift that might prompt him to pursue the interest a bit more than just reading books by himself. He lives in the Annapolis MD area. Thanks!

I have be volunteering at a trust for around 2 years. Just did a week there doing pretty technical jobs to a high standard while getting treated like a servant by one of the paid crew. Had to cook him meals and wash up every day and he did nothing and would piss off to smoke weed and drink immediately after dinner.All round very condescending and annoying.

As I was at the train station leaving I got a text saying that I had to come back to sweep up some dirt from underneath the matress of the bunk I was sleeping in. Which is genuinely a 10 second job so I just got on the train. He didn't even say thank you or goodbye to me when I left.

I genuinely have now fucking lost it with this trust and will find somewhere else to do boat work and might even get paid.

He also stole a pack of cigarettes from me while I was up the mast. And I could never have a full smoke break because he would have a go at me about something that needed to be done in the next 2 hours.

Wondering if anyone has had such shit experiences? or this guy is just a massive cunt.

Another of my tall ship paintings (though this tall ship is assisted by steam). Captain Scott's 'Terra Nova' on its way to Antarctica. My art blog has more info and pictures of how I did this painting (and also where you can get prints of it): https://rolysart.wordpress.com/2023/12/19/painting-captain-scotts-terra-nova/

Posted an unidentified ship on the horizon on here a couple of weeks ago, and I remembered that I took another pic of the ship. Some of you suggested it might be the SS Royal Clipper, and that does seem to be the one!

Hope you enjoy the photo.

This is my painting of Abel Tasman's two ships, the war-yacht 'Heemskerck' (right) and the fluyt 'Zeehaen' (left). They were the first European ships to sight the coast of New Zealand in 1642. My blog has much more info about this painting, including how I did it: https://rolysart.wordpress.com/2024/07/31/painting-abel-tasmans-ships-again/

As I have been researching shanties, I have noticed that there are a few that get labeled as specifically "topsail holyards" but I can't any info on why.

What is different about hoisting topsail that requires different rhythms or techniques? Or is the usage of specific shanties when hoisting topsails just a matter of tradition?

I'm a hobbyist artist and love painting old ships. Here's a painting I did recently of two whaling ships moored off Kapiti Island, New Zealand in the late 1830s. I hope posting such photos fits in with the theme of this group ...

SOTL that carry sweeps (large oars) have always been of interest for me yet it's not the easiest to track down.

What are some SOTL that carried oars? (The definition of Ship of the Line in use ranges from 4th rates to 1st rates, roughly between the 17th and 19th centuries)

I am aware of a few, including Tyger of 1681, but finding more is always a bit of a task

It's easy to imagine the process of getting yardarms, sails, anchors, etc. UP. Heaving against rope and hand over hand repositioning to get ready for the next pull or pushing against a capstan that is pushing against you.

But how did sailors on sailing vessels get heavy stuff down? Were they just slowly hand over hand lowering it? Did they move the rope away from themselves at the same rhythm they pull it towards them? Were they walking the capstan backwards? And what kind of shanties were sung for this kind of work?