Out of drydock after repairs and going to be re- floated this morning. The oldest commissioned navel vessel afloat in the world (The British ship HMS Victory (Nelson's ship at Trafalgar) is the world's oldest commissioned naval ship but she has been in drydock since 1922).

She is docked in Boston and it is a great day- trip to go see her on a motorcycle, though riding in / through Boston on a motorcycle is an acquired taste (most aggressive drivers I have ever seen, they would scare a NY cabbie). Where she is docked is a decent area to park a bike and walk around the ship and area a bit although I suspect that would not be true on any dates she is going to be 'worked' such as making ready to sail, having any events on her decks, etc.

The ship itself is pretty slick with lots of history and a nice presence. She is fully crewed by US Naval personal, all actively enlisted or commissioned, although on 'special duty', and her crew wears the 'uniform of the day', circa 1813 or similar. She is towed around Boston harbor fairly often, then docked the 'other' way so she weathers evenly. She is fully capable of and has been sailed under her own power as recently as 2014, and is scheduled to sail again in 2018.

Lots of history and fun facts go with this ship: She is the only commissioned US Warship that has sunk another ship (sorry Mike, it was one of yours during our relationship's.... er, rocky period). Her hull was originally covered in copper sheet, imported from England, although it is often erroneously stated that Paul Revere provided that copper sheeting; his company was not yet able to produce the sheeting when the Constitution was build, although fasteners and nails made of copper were used in the original construction, produced by the Revere Copper Company, and he did provide the copper sheathing used to replace the original during an 1803 refit. George Washington chose her name and was President when she was ordered and built.

Brian

Lots of history and fun facts go with this ship: She is the only commissioned US Warship that has sunk another ship (sorry Mike, it was one of yours during our relationship's.... er, rocky period). H

Well at least it wasn't friendly fire on that occasion

Actually that surprises me, so no US Warship sunk an opposing forces vessel during either of the World Wars ?

What about during the Civil War ?

I'm thinking the oldest US commissioned warship still afloat?

Oh yes, we (US) have lots and lots of naval vessels that sunk lots and lots of other naval vessels, the vast majority of them not American. :-)  But none that are currently commissioned, that is the key thing here. The other 'last' US ship to have sunk another vessel was the USS Simpson (FFG-56) but she was decommissioned in 2015, leaving only the USS Constitution.

The Simpson engaged and sunk, acting in concert with two other US Naval ships, the Iranian vessel Joshan, back in the '80's.

The Constitution sunk, defeated or captured at least five vessels in the War of 1812, HMS Guerriere, Java, Pictou, Cyane, and Levant. It was the battle with the HMS Guerriere that earned her the name (by which she is affectionately very well known in the US) 'Old Ironsides' as the Guerriere was not able to 'hull' her despite repeated, direct broadsides at very close ranges. This has been attributed to her having been constructed with live White Oak, a species thought at the time of her construction to be unfit for hull use by the British.

Brian

Well at least it wasn't friendly fire on that occasion

Actually that surprises me, so no US Warship sunk an opposing forces vessel during either of the World Wars ?

What about during the Civil War ?

It was fun reading your post, it really was. But can a guy get a friggin' picture around here?

Seriously? Really? C'mon, I do all the research, think up (what I hope are) interesting topics, post them here and you say 'Please, can I have more sir?'.   

Old Ironsides.

USS Constitution.

Google

Need I say more? Got to Google and punch in Old Ironsides. Hit 'Images'. Get a raging..... interest flowing. Then type in USS Constitution crew. Then USS Constitution history. And so forth.

Want the easy, coward's way out? Hit Wikipedia, type in USS Constitution and get the Reader's Digest version, including photos.

Posting pictures here would take me forever what with the clunky interface, the re- sizing and all. And then you would want more resolution! Oy Vei!

Seriously, just do a rudimentary bit of Google- foo and you will have all the photos you could want. Besides, she is NOT a beautiful ship like the USCGC Eagle is but the true interest is in her history, the current status (seeing her crew, all US Navy personal, as I mentioned, and all serving in posts of invitation) and so forth is the real treat IMO. And before someone mentions it, I already did a blurb on the USCGS Eagle, America's Tall Ship, sorted past and all.

https://www.google.com/search?q=uss+constitution&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&sqi=2&ved=0ahUKEwiYmunl5aLVAhUW1mMKHZ1sBPIQ_AUIBigB&biw=1920&bih=1036#tbm=isch&q=uss+constitution+crew&imgrc=PaL1nVKEQjjZgM:

https://www.google.com/search?q=uss+constitution&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&sqi=2&ved=0ahUKEwiYmunl5aLVAhUW1mMKHZ1sBPIQ_AUIBigB&biw=1920&bih=1036

http://www.navy.mil/navydata/nav_legacy.asp?id=192

Brian

It was fun reading your post, it really was. But can a guy get a friggin' picture around here?

It was fun reading your post, it really was. But can a guy get a friggin' picture around here?

              Good one jimmymac!

You should add this comment to Brian's "A little work around the house..." thread.   

It was fun reading your post, it really was. But can a guy get a friggin' picture around here?

http://youtu.be/cY0HsD2ONlI

Aw, lookie here: not only pictures but them new- fangled movin' pictures!

as Jack said to Todd on Breaking Bad, just before Todd gave Jesse some ice cream (in his dungeon), "You're gonna' spoil 'em". Now they are a- gonna' be wantin' pictures and maybe even more, and Haroldo is back. How can this go well?

 

Time elapsed footage of the ship being floated, then moved to her berth in Boston harbor: http://www.necn.com/on-air/as-seen-on/leaving-dry-dock_NECN-436347993.html

BTW: what exactly is that guy doing when he walks up to the edge of the water and stands there for a bit at the 0.52 time mark?   

Brian

http://youtu.be/cY0HsD2ONlI

Went on board her about 20 years ago. Cool stuff, thanks for posting this.

Thanks, Guys!

Thanks for liking it :-)  This is a motorcycle forum and while all of us share different interests, one never knows what others will find interesting, boring, nerdy, whatever.

The USS Constitution IS cool because you can actually touch something that was created at the birth of this nation. And not photos or fragments but the actual ship. Further, I believe it IS mostly the Constitution although certainly a lot of material has been replaced, I think the majority of things such as the hull, masts and so on are original. This always comes up at places such as Rhine beck Aerodrome, where planes from the beginning of the 20th century are stored and some actually fly. But how much of that 1911 aircraft is original from 1911? Half? 10%? It is always unknown but at the same time, it is known that large parts of the aircraft are not original but were replacement parts, such as the engine, flight panels and most / all control surfaces but even large portions of the frame have been replaced. But again, I believe most of the weight of the Constitution IS original.

There is a fair amount of this kind of 'stuff' lying around; I have been aboard the USS Nautilus, berthed in CT, the USCGS Eagle is berthed about 40 minutes south of me, and so on. Even as a kid, I went on field trips (sat in the wagon with an oil lamp) to see things like the First Baptist Church in Providence, RI, and the oldest Synagogue in America, located in Newport, RI.

Lots o' cool stuff around and probably more than I can post about before my clock runs down. 

Brian

Went on board her about 20 years ago. Cool stuff, thanks for posting this.

Thanks for liking it :-)  This is a motorcycle forum and while all of us share different interests, one never knows what others will find interesting, boring, nerdy, whatever.

The USS Constitution IS cool because you can actually touch something that was created at the birth of this nation. And not photos or fragments but the actual ship. Further, I believe it IS mostly the Constitution although certainly a lot of material has been replaced, I think the majority of things such as the hull, masts and so on are original. This always comes up at places such as Rhine beck Aerodrome, where planes from the beginning of the 20th century are stored and some actually fly. But how much of that 1911 aircraft is original from 1911? Half? 10%? It is always unknown but at the same time, it is known that large parts of the aircraft are not original but were replacement parts, such as the engine, flight panels and most / all control surfaces but even large portions of the frame have been replaced. But again, I believe most of the weight of the Constitution IS original.

There is a fair amount of this kind of 'stuff' lying around; I have been aboard the USS Nautilus, berthed in CT, the USCGS Eagle is berthed about 40 minutes south of me, and so on. Even as a kid, I went on field trips (sat in the wagon with an oil lamp) to see things like the First Baptist Church in Providence, RI, and the oldest Synagogue in America, located in Newport, RI.

Lots o' cool stuff around and probably more than I can post about before my clock runs down. 

Brian

I was wondering about that. How much of it is actually the USS Constitution. And was at Rhinebeck as a kid in the 60's. When I went to the Smithsonian Air and Space I was sorely disappointed in the Wright flyer. They ruined it IMO by over restoring it. Maybe it was just a collection of rotting wood and fabric when they received it I don't know. But I wanted to see patches on the wings actually applied by Wilbur or Orville. Not pristine cotton that was obviously new. If you ever get to the Albuquerque Sunport airport, there is a surviving 1909 Curtis pusher. 100% original, nothing restored. That's what I want to see. If your going to restore, do it to flying condition and fly it. In the case of the USS Constitution if they want to keep it on active list, I guess they must keep it actually sea worthy. But I really hope they kept most of the wood, cannons and other hardware original. I assume the sails have been replaced many times.

Well I would assume all the sheets and ropes are long gone. I do know all the original cannon are gone. I just took a quick look and found this:

https://ussconstitutionmuseum.org/collections/research-library/faq/

How much of USS Constitution is original?

Naval History and Heritage Command Detachment Boston, the unit charged with overseeing Constitution’s maintenance and repair, estimates that 10 to 15 percent of the ship’s fabric is composed of timber installed between 1795 and 1797. This “original” wood includes the ship’s keel, lower futtocks, and the deadwood at the stem and stern.

End quote.

I am confused about the 'ship's fabric' being composed of timber. ?? Perhaps they are using the word fabric to describe the entire ship? Anyway, 10% to 15% is disappointing and it sounds like most of that is below the waterline.

But that is the problem with old, all natural materials; they rot and simply do not last in any kind of harsh or even 'normal' environment. So the only place to find organic materials intact is in extremely dry, dark places such as the pyramids and tombs of ancient Egypt. This goes for just about everything I think- I am organic and am weathering at a faster rate than I would like. And I do take precautions such as turning myself every now and then to expose (Easy Boys!) a different part of myself to the elements (neighbors across the street: Mr. Element is not usually interested but on occasion, I think I have caught Mrs. Element staring....).

Brian

I was wondering about that. How much of it is actually the USS Constitution. And was at Rhinebeck as a kid in the 60's. When I went to the Smithsonian Air and Space I was sorely disappointed in the Wright flyer. They ruined it IMO by over restoring it. Maybe it was just a collection of rotting wood and fabric when they received it I don't know. But I wanted to see patches on the wings actually applied by Wilbur or Orville. Not pristine cotton that was obviously new. If you ever get to the Albuquerque Sunport airport, there is a surviving 1909 Curtis pusher. 100% original, nothing restored. That's what I want to see. If your going to restore, do it to flying condition and fly it. In the case of the USS Constitution if they want to keep it on active list, I guess they must keep it actually sea worthy. But I really hope they kept most of the wood, cannons and other hardware original. I assume the sails have been replaced many times.

Reminds me of the story of Triggers Broom (Or was it Granvilles??)

! No longer available

Further, I believe it IS mostly the Constitution although certainly a lot of material has been replaced, I think the majority of things such as the hull, masts and so on are original.