Posted by John Wilson on May 23, 2007 at 23:50:19 from 202.154.140.154 user hugo.
In Reply to: Re: The Cutty Sark - The ship that died of shame. posted by Andrew Craig-Bennett on May 22, 2007 at 21:54:58:
On the speed of sailing ships, Peter Monk’s book has the Potosi having a highest average speed on a voyage of 16.5 knots, and the Preussen even faster, with the fasted recorded speed at 17 knots. They were both 5-masted, the Potosi (4026 tons BRT) a barque, and the Preussen “the only 5-masted square-rigged ship ever built” (5081 tons BRT).
He says steam ships often underestimated the speed of sailing ships, eg when the British ferry “Brighton” collided with the Preussen near Dover in 1910.
Re the story about an “Irishman’s broom” being unacceptable, perhaps the story of George Washington’s original “cherry tree” axe - with two new heads and three new handles - is still OK?
I suppose the rebuilding of the Cutty Sark would retain the steel frame, but otherwise why not build a new replica, and retain the original ship and material as long as possible.