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"WAVERTREE" RESTORATION RESEARCH This serves to acknowledge that, at the request of the South Street Seaport Museum, the undersigned Marine Surveyor & Consultant has prepared the following items and drawings describing the scope of work and procedures to be followed to continue the restoration and rebuilding of the ex-British full-rigged ship "WAVERTREE".
VESSEL DESCRIPTION Name: "WAVERTREE" Owners: The South Street Seaport Museum, N.Y.C. Built: 1885, England Dimensions 279' Length x 40.2' Beam x 24.4' Depth. Configuration: Clipper stem, notable sheer, counter stern. Rigged with topmasts and bowsprit. Inspected or classed: No. Official No.: None. Construction: Riveted wrought iron. Compartmentation: One collision bulkhead at frame 122. Present use: Maritime Museum Historic Vessel.
ATTENDING Waterfront Director, SSSM
FINDINGS The following items will be covered: 1. SPARS: MAIN TOPMAST, SPANKER GAFF & BOOM 2. WINDLASS 4. IRONWORK 5. RUDDER
1. SPARS: MAIN TOPMAST, SPANKER GAFF & BOOM MAIN TOPMAST: This spar, which was sent aloft in 1979, is in poor condition and great care must be taken in order to lower it safely. Previous surveys have shown far reaching rot and decay in way of the crosstrees. The topmast head is leaning aft indicating that the upper portion of the mast is so affected. To reduce the strain on the mast, and to temporarily secure it, the topmast capstays have been released from their lower ends, led forward, and clipped to the topmast shrouds. The present topmast, dressed with its standing rigging and ironwork, weighs about three tons. It is 53' long and 20" in diameter. The mast may be lowered to the housed position using available equipment and museum personnel. The topmast head will have to be cut away as it will be impossible to remove the ironwork and rigging with the masthead out of line. To accomplish this, it is suggested that a gin pole be rigged on the main lower masthead to serve as a crane for dismantling the mast; this method was successful when the mizzen topmast was replaced several years ago. It may be desirable to rig a wire span, with a traveling block and chainfall, between the foremast and mizzen topmast heads; this would give another point from which to lift the gear clear of the staging, lower mast and other equipment. After the masthead is sent down, the standing rigging may be removed from the bolster pads. It may be practical to secure the wires aloft, keeping the deck clear for other work. Once the mast is stripped of its gear, the remaining section may be sent down with the heel and head ropes. Before it is lowered, the mast will have to be carefully examined to find the best point to attach the head rope (The head rope controls the upper portion of the mast when lowering away and must be firmly secured. The heel rope is rove through a fitted sheave in the lower part of the mast and regulates the lowering of the spar). It is suggested that the two portions of the topmast be retained as a measuring reference for the new spar. A safe and accessable work site will be needed for building the new topmast. Loading the new timber on the "WAVERTREE", in her present position alongside the "PEKING", presents some difficult problems; there is no hoisting gear aboard the ship that can safely lift and control the timber even if it were floated out to the vessel. The new spar probably will not be seasoned and will weigh more than the present mast; to reduce it's weight, it is suggested that the timber be shaped to its final dimensions on the dock. The spar could be used as a working exhibit, as was done with the "PEKING" upper gaff. If it is decided that the mast should be on board to be prepared and fitted, it will be necessary to provide sturdy supports, that are in line with the ships' deck beams (4' on centers). It will be necessary to hire a floating crane to load the mast on board, either before or after shaping. With the windlass aboard and operational, the mast may then be safely hoisted and sent aloft to the housed position. The mast may be dressed with ironwork and rigging, using the gin pole and span wire, then hoisted to its final position with the windlass. After the mast is raised and the fid is in place, the hoisting gear and staging may be removed, and the standing rigging set up to its fittings.
SPANKER GAFF & BOOM: The spanker on the "WAVERTREE" was set from a standing gaff and boom. The sail was brailed into the mast for furling and hauled out along the gaff and boom for setting. The luff was laced to the existing iron jackstay that runs along the aft side of the mizzen lower mast. The head of the sail was set on hoops riding along the gaff. Both the head and foot of the sail are set by inhauls and outhauls. This arrangement is apparant in photographes of the "WAVERTREE" and other Oswald Mordunt ships. The present spanker boom would be suitable for use after some minor changes. The diameter of the spanker gaff in the area of the first quarter, is oversize and should be reduced by about 1/4". (Spars are measured in quarters - i.e. for the spanker, with an overall length of 30 feet, the first quarter measures 7.5 feet from the forward end). This would greatly improve its appearance. The end-band, which receives the standing rigging of the gaff, needs strengthening as the links that are presently welded to the band are too light to support the weight of the gear. The upper pad on the end-band supports the entire weight of the gaff, sail, and boom and must be robust in construction. The links should be burned off, and new pads, of suitable dimensions, welded in place. The end of the gaff is presently fitted with a heavy end iron and a outhaul/downhaul sheave, mortised into the spar. The position of the sheave must be shifted from its present position, aft of the band, to forward of the band. This will give a fair lead to the outhaul/downhaul wires. The end-iron should be removed, the spar tapered, and the end fitted with a small steel band to prevent splitting. An eyebolt should be screwed into the end grain for the flag halyard. The spanker boom is satisfactory, but is ovesized along its forward half, and should be reduced in diameter by 1/2" to 3/4". The end band links should be improved in the same way as the links in the gaff end band.
2. WINDLASS The "WAVERTREE" anchor windlass, presently on the outer west corner of Pier 15, is indispensable aboard ship. Previous inspections have shown that the windlass needs only minor refurbishing and would be free to turn. The windlass was last used in 1979 to hoist the present fore and main topmasts. The windlass will give the Museum the ability to re-rig the ship which will greatly reduce crane costs now, and in the future; it will also allow the ship to warp or anchor herself. The windlass is driven by a single cylinder GM-171 diesel engine. The engine, repaired recently by Waterfront personnel, drives the windlass through a worm and worm gear reduction giving great power at slow speed. The engine speed is determined by a throttle arranged through an overspeed mechanical govenor. It is suggested that the windlass be returned to its former location, under the fo'c'sle head, on a prepared concrete base. The windlass weighs just under six tons and will need a solid, secure base to anchor it. The old bolt holes can be found and a reinforced concrete base poured in place. The windlass can be landed on timber ways just forward of No. 1 hatch. Using chain falls, the windlass can be hauled on the greased timber ways into position, and through bolted to the fore deck. A sufficient number of bolts with washers will be needed to secure the windlass and engine. One advantage of a floating crane is for the Museum to be able to retreive the anchor windlass from Pier 15 and load it aboard ship at the same time as the topmast timber.
3. STANDING & RUNNING RIGGING
STANDING RIGGING: The fore and aft standing rigging on the "WAVERTREE" is shackled or pinned directly to the deck pads through iron deck cringles, unlike later windjammers, which were fitted with rigging screws on fore and aft stays. To set up the standing rigging on the "WAVERTREE" without the refinement of rigging screws will be difficult. At present, the fore and aft rigging is slack, and some stays have considerable cantenary. After the proper fittings are made and fitted, the procedure of setting up the standing rigging is as follows:
With the fore and aft stays secure, the shrouds and backstays are set up going from forward to aft, starboard to port, until the proper mast rake angle and fore and aft stay tension is reached. Historian, Waterfront Director and Marine Surveyor determined that the "HALEWOOD" sail plan was the most accurate to follow. The rake angles of the masts are measured from this plan, and plumb lines from the mastheads can check the rake angles as the rigging is set up. The final rake angles, as may be allowed by the current rigging lengths, may approximate those indicated on the sail plan. The present positons of the fore and aft stays need adjusting. The fore topmast stay was originally pinned to the gammon band and is presently secured to the ship with a wire strap and two rigging screws. (The gammon band acts like a clamp that holds down the bowsprit when the ship was under sail.) The gammon band is located mid-way between the figurehead and the forward end of the fo'c'sle head. In line with the fore topmast stay, the gammon band is fashioned from steel flat bar, 5" x 1 1/4", and is fitted with flanges for the connecting eyebolts. The lower bars, installed previously, are welded to the sides of the shell plating along either side of the bowsprit. The gammon band makes an angle of approximately 18 degrees with the centerline of the bowsrpit. The two legs of the fore topmast stay are fastened to eyebolts which also connect the upper and lower gammon bands together; comparing photographs of the "WAVERTREE" with other Oswald Mordunt vessels gives support to such an arrangement. It is suggested that the upper band elipse is bodily cut, to the proper angle, from a section of heavy-wall pipe. The existing flat bar sections need to be adjusted to match the diameter of the bowsprit, and be provided with welded flanges for the connecting eyebolts. The forestay is presently shackled to two rigging screws and a wire strap which leads under the bowsprit. Originally, the forestay was secured to two pads, which were riveted to the iron deck with backing angles and/or plates beneath; these would most likely have been riveted to the deck beams to lock the entire structure together. To set up the forestay, it is suggested that solid 2" pads are welded to the deck aft of the knighthead plate. It is not practical to install permanent pads, as the height and sheer of the fo'c'sle head need to be corrected. The rigging screws may be retained and pinned to the new forestay pads. As well as may be determined, the mainstay and main topmast stay were secured to the deck, in the vicinity of the foremast partners, through riveted pads to the iron deck plate. Examination from below showed little evidence of previously installed deck pads. It is suggested that the present arrangement of deck pads and rotted wood decking be removed, and the stays temporarily secured to the foremast or No. 1 hatch. With the deck open to view, it may be possible to find the original arrangement of deck pads. In the absence of evidence, it is reasonable to assume that the deck pad arrangement is similar to the "PEKING". The mizzenstay needs tightening and the fittings which connect the mizzen topmast stay to the ship are inaccurate. At present, the stay passes through a fairlead in the mizzen topmast stay band, which is clamped to the mainmast about 20' above the deck; the mizzen topmast stay then leads to a heavy chain which is shackled to an eyebolt on deck. The section of deck in question is not visible in photographs taken after the "WAVERTREE'S" dismasting, because of the wreckage on deck. Photographs of other Oswald Mordunt vessels suggest the presence of bilge pumps immediately aft the main mast, where the present stay is secured. Two possible methods of securing the mizzen topmast stay are evident from photographs of sister vessels. One, is to seize the stay directly to the roller fairlead in the mizzen topmast stay band in the same manner as the mizzen stay; the second, is to lead the stay through the fairlead as it is now, but end it at a mast fitting above the spider band. At present, the absence of fittings on the fore lower mast indicates that the stays were seized directly to the rollers and cringles, and didn't fairlead through them. The mizzen topmast stay band should be removed and given a cosmetic treatment to make it fit the appearance of other hardware on the ship; it appears slightly undersize in depth but can be used. The band needs a 1/2" liner to allow it to be fair against the mainmast plate laps, and a new fairlead roller to suit the diameter of the stay. Both mizzen topmast capstays and the after, starboard, mizzen topmast shroud need to be connected to rigging screws and tightened. The mizzen topmast shroud rigging screw body is missing and will need replacing. The upper clevis of the port side capstay is also missing and needs to be replaced. Standing rigging for the spanker gaff and boom was made up of two standing topping lifts. The spanker gaff topping lift lead from the crosstrees to the gaff peak band. The boom lift was shackled between the gaff end-band and the boom end-band; both lifts may have been served full length, spliced and shackled at each end, with the last lower foot of the boom lift fitted with a length of 1/2" chain. As given on the "HALEWOOD" sail plan, the upper lift was 32' long and the lower lift 44' long. It is suggested that the diameter of the upper lift be 3/4" and the lower lift be 5/8". A larger diameter for the gaff topping lift is needed to support the heavier load of the gaff, boom and spanker. It is also suggested that the upper end of the upper lift be shackled to a wire rope strop that surrounds the mizzen topmast at the crosstrees. It is strongly cautioned that the ring bolt on the mizzen after crosstree NOT be used for securing the upper topping lift, as it is lightly welded to the after mizzen topmast crosstree.
RUNNING RIGGING: The required running rigging for each staysail and jib was nearly identical. The rigging comprised halyards, downhauls, sheets, sheet pendants, wire tacks, 2 lizards, and a wire halyard pendant. The luff of each sail was attached to its stay with steel sail hanks, spaced approximately 3' apart or as required by the grommets in the luff. Double sheets are needed where the staysail or jib has to be shifted over a stay. There were round bullet blocks in the wire sheet pendants, to allow them to clear the stays. The "WAVERTREE" appears in photographs to be fitted with wire pendants, shackled to the head cringle of the sail, for the first twenty feet of staysail/jib halyard. The pendants were hooked to the halyard blocks which were rigged for a running whip. The block was provided with a hank to ride the stay. The standing part of the rope halyard was secured to the throat of the stay, or some other convenient point aloft, giving a good lead to the halyard. The halyard then passed through the running block hooked to the wire pendant, and the hauling end was rove through a fairlead block at the crosstrees and led down to deck. The hauling end of the halyard passed through a deck block and was secured to a belaying pin in the pin rail. Although the position of the belaying pins for the halyards could not be determined from photographs, it is presumed that the leads and positions would have conformed to the prevailing practice; the halyard positions would alternate port to starboard, forward to aft, with each succeeding sail. The lengths of the wire tacks can be lifted off the sail plan. They should be 1/2" diameter wire rope and secured to jackstays, spider bands or any convenient point that offers a fair lead. The downhauls began at the head cringle of the staysail or jib, fairlead through two or three lizards (which are short rope strops about 18" long, having a wooden bullseye, and prevent the downhaul from getting fouled), and are led through a downhaul block which is seized or otherwise fastened to the bowsprit jackstay or another convenient point near the tack of the sail. From the downhaul block the fore topmast staysail and jib downhauls w followed along the bowsprit to a downhaul pin rail just aft the knighthead plate. It is suggested that the downhaul pin rail be built at the same time as the fo'c'sle head is corrected. (The downhaul pin rail, which is visible in several photographs, is constructed with two wooden stanchions and one horizontal rail, and the pattern of the stanchions is similar to the turned quarterdeck and main fife rail stanchions.) The downhauls can be belayed to two shaped-wood or cast-steel cleats which are seized, or otherwise secured, to the forestay. The downhauls for the main and mizzen topmast staysails, will lead to the spider bands, after passing through their respective blocks which are seized to their stays. Each sail had a weather and lee sheet, which allowed it to be shifted across the stays and trimmed to the wind. The jib and staysail sheets were secured to the clews of the sails with two wire pendants connected to bullet blocks through which the sheets are rove. It may be desirable to fashion the sheet pendants from one wire, middled and seized to a thimble, and then shackled to the clew; this will streamline the pendants and allow them to pass easily over the stay when the sail is shifted. In photographs the pendants appear to be of varying length, to allow for the difference in height of staysail and jibs from the deck. On loftier sails, their length seems to approximate the roach of the sail from clew to luff. Round bullet blocks are stropped to the wire pendants and rove with fiber line for the sheets. To determine the best leads for the sheets, and to maintain an even strain on the sail cloth, it is necessary to have the leads perpendicular to the luff of the sail and lead to the appropriate deck fittings. The sail plan of the "HALEWOOD" should provide information to locate the fittings and provide a fair lead for the sheets. The hauling ends of all staysails and jibs are made fast to belaying pins in the main deck pinrails, port and starboard. Beginning at the highest point, the running rigging for the spanker was as follows: the outhaul for the head of the spanker begins at the peak cringle, reeves through a sheave mortised in the spar, and is led through a single block at the mizzen lower masthead. From there, it is shackled to a running whip or gun tackle, with the hauling end belayed to the spider band on the mizzen lower mast. The spanker head downhaul starts at the peak cringle, goes through a single block at the gooseneck, and down to the spider band. The three brails begin on the port side of the spider band, go through brail blocks hooked and moused to eyebolts alongside the jackstay, along the sail through cringles in the leech, and then back through brail blocks and down to the spider band on the starboard side. The boom outhaul/inhaul was secured to the clew cringle with the outhaul rove through the mortised sheave at the end of the boom. After passing through this sheave, the outhaul follows along the boom, through bullseye fairleads through a sheave in a double block hooked to the foot of the boom or gooseneck, and then to the spider band. The inhaul leads directly to the other sheave in the double block and is belayed to the spider band. Outhauls and inhauls should be 1/2" wire rope with fiber line used for the rest of the running parts. As could be determined from photographs, the boom sheets appear to be two heavy gun tackles, with 12" or 14" blocks secured to the sheet bail on the boom, and shackled to the deck just forward of the port and starboard mooring chocks at the stern. The hauling ends are belayed to the quarterdeck caprail. These tackles may be made of fiber rope. At present, photographs show no boom tackles or guys fitted.
4. IRONWORK As previously described, the gammon band serves the dual purpose of anchoring the fore topmast stay and restraining the bowsprit from moving upwards. The upper gammon band is a developed eliptical section and its construction is somewhat complicated. It should be marked and flame cut from a section of 1 1/4" thick pipe, or developed on a flat plate, and then cut and rolled to the correct diameter. Pads for standing rigging should be cut and drilled from flat plate and ground to a suitable finish. Deck cringle cheeks should be made from welded plate to 1" thick; each has two 1 5/8" holes drilled 10 1/4" apart. The cringle cheeks are connected with a radiused 1/2" strap and fitted with solid 6" rollers and 1 1/2" pins. Sail hanks are made from 3/8" round bar stock; the bar is heated and formed around a jig. All the sail hanks seen in photographs appear to be the same size regardless of their use on single or double stays. Mill scale should be removed from the hanks and the metal treated with raw linseed oil or, as suggested by Mr. Clements, Penetrol. There is evidence that the hanks were painted white or coated with white lead. All metal work should be free of mill scale, primed, and painted to original colors. All material should be A36 mild steel. Suggested welding rod is E60XX and E70XX, as required. Pre and post heating may be needed for some items.
5. RUDDER It is suggested that the present locking strap, which secures the ''WAVERTREE'S" rudder, is left in position; if the vessel is engaged in movements about the harbor, steering will by provided by attending tugs. The purpose of the strap is to reduce movement of the rudder due to current and wake conditions while the ship is berthed. The strap, fitted during the 1998 drydocking, keeps wear on the new rudder bearing to a minimum.
6. CONSTRUCTION DRAWINGS The following drawings are provided: 1. Dwg. No. WT299-1 FORESTAY DECK PAD 2. Dwg. No. WT299-2 DECK CRINGLE 3. Dwg. No. WT299-3 ROLLER & PIN 4. Dwg. No. WT299-4 SAIL HANK 5. Dwg. No. WT299-5 GAMMON BAND LAYOUT 6. Dwg. No. WT299-6 GAMMON BAND ARRANGEMENT 7. Dwg. No. WT299-7 GAMMON BAND FLANGE DETAILS 8. Dwg. No. WT299-8 GAMMON BAND DEVELOPMENT 9. Dwg. No. WT299-9 BELAYING PIN & DOG
NOTES Color photographs taken at the time of the deck survey, and construction drawings are considered part of this report.
Respectfully submitted, Charles C. Deroko, President
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