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PMarione
Site Admin
Joined: 26 Mar 2007
Posts: 883
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 Posted: Thu May 24, 2007 11:38 pm Post subject: Victory restoration |
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| Quote: | Victory is, in my opinion, something of a scandal.
Breasthooks, knees, and other timbers have been made of laminated tropical hardwood, some of it sourced from places such as Indonesia with dubious environmental records.
The masts are from a vessel of 1870, and the mainmast is stepped through the hull into the dry dock below.
Much of the rigging and cordage aboard is incorrect, the blocks are incredibly crude reproductions and all of the cordage is polyester.
Externally, machine plane marks from ill adjusted modern machines is visible on the hull planking alongside traditionally axe and adze finished timbers.
Forward the recent bow renovation has been left with the metal fastenings protruding like rivets.
The information given by the guides is limited and often inaccurate, as
someone commented recently on this site, "rum, sodomy and the lash".
Things have somewhat improved under the current curator, but the Navy (it is still a commissioned warship) and the others who have been responsible for all this over the years have a lot to answer for.
One wonders what would have happened had it been a listed building...
Damien Sanders |
We can think of the present Victory as the biggest Revell model in the world: scale 1:1.
Two or three years ago it was proposed by the curator to buy for £7000 of plastic sheep and pigs to put in the manger, so the kids would see what a sheep or a pig looks like.
The financing board answered that it would be far cheaper to rent such animals from a local farmer.
Sic transit... |
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chasbaz
Joined: 02 May 2007
Posts: 38
Location: Athabasca, Alberta, Canada
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| Posted: Thu Jun 07, 2007 6:27 pm Post subject: |
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| I'm sorry to hear that the Victory is such a sham. At least the US Navy has done much better - the Constitution, built 1798 and still afloat. How many other ships of the period survive I wonder |
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PMarione
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Joined: 26 Mar 2007
Posts: 883
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| Posted: Thu Jun 07, 2007 8:21 pm Post subject: |
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The worst story I know is the story of the French Redoutable taken at Trafalgar.
It was kept in England till the 50s when the RN said that they can no more keep it and proposed that she was sent back to France.
The director of the "Musée de la Marine" (I have forgotten his name) who by tradition is a "peintre de la Marine", answered that they were not interested and that the RN could dispose of her as they pleased.
The ship was used as target practice in the Channel and sunk.
Today there are people diving on her to try to save some pieces.  |
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