Saunterer gives up her secrets – Part 2 – cross section of her hull
Date: 5th July, 2015“Here is a 1899 drawing of Saunterer’s hull entitled, “Midship Section of 16 ton Fast Cruiser” – effectively a cross-section amidships. It is dated 22 November, about 4 months before she was launched on 27 March 1900.
A closer look at the detail around the keel shows a single piece of English elm – with no keelson to reinforce – and the vertical bronze bolts and iron floors holding the lead ballast keel fast to the elm keel…
Initially we thought that this construction has not been modified. However, after the work to remove the concrete and tar from the bilge was complete, the team checked as they went along for any variation and it became clear that there is in fact a teak keelson sitting on top of the elm keel – which “is as hard as rock!” – and fastened by a zig zag pattern of bolts riveted at each end along its length, making the overall construction incredibly strong.
This occupies the narrower upper part of the cross section of the keel shown in the original drawing above. That is an interesting secret.
The Project Team – 5 July 2015 and revised in March 2016
