Old Salt Blog - a virtual port of call for all those who love the sea » Falls of Clyde http://www.oldsaltblog.com A home for lovers of the sea, tellers of tales, for sailors and dreamers Fri, 12 Mar 2010 12:25:26 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 en hourly 1 The Wyoming, Largest Wooden Sailing Vessel in the World, Launched http://www.oldsaltblog.com/2009/12/15/the-wyoming-largest-wooden-sailing-vessel-in-the-world-launched/ http://www.oldsaltblog.com/2009/12/15/the-wyoming-largest-wooden-sailing-vessel-in-the-world-launched/#comments Tue, 15 Dec 2009 11:10:21 +0000 Rick http://www.oldsaltblog.com/?p=7800 wyoming3On December 15th, 1909, the six masted schooner Wyoming was launched at the Percy & Small shipyard on the Kennebec River, in Bath, Maine.  She was the largest wooden or steel sailing vessel of her day. (She was smaller than the ill-fatted seven masted steel schooner Thomas Lawson, launched in 1902 but sold as barge a year later.)   The Wyoming had a cargo deadwight of approximately 6,000 tons, sailed with a crew of 11-14, and was built for the East Coast coal trade.  She was lost with all hands  in a north-easterly gale off Nantucket in 1924.

I am struck by the irony that the impetus behind the last great rush to build sailing ships in the US, in this case, large schooners, was the increased demand for the fossil fuels. Most were built to carry coal.   The Thomas Lawson spent the last year of her life, 1906, as an oil tanker owned by Standard Oil.     The only surviving sailing oil tanker is the Falls of Clyde, now being restored in Hawaii.

From the New York Times, December 16th 1909:

BIG SCHOONER IS LAUNCHED.; The Wyoming, Largest Wooden Sailing Vessel in the World, Takes First Dip.

]]> http://www.oldsaltblog.com/2009/12/15/the-wyoming-largest-wooden-sailing-vessel-in-the-world-launched/feed/ 0 Falls of Clyde – Beauty, Like the Devil, is the the Details http://www.oldsaltblog.com/2009/09/26/falls-of-clyde-beauty-like-the-devil-is-the-the-details/ http://www.oldsaltblog.com/2009/09/26/falls-of-clyde-beauty-like-the-devil-is-the-the-details/#comments Sat, 26 Sep 2009 06:35:51 +0000 Rick http://www.oldsaltblog.com/?p=6728 Falls of Clyde at the Dock

Falls of Clyde at the Dock

Susan Yamamato has been posting some wonderful photographs from aboard the Falls of Clyde on her blog, Notes from the Wooden and Iron World.    Beauty, like the devil, is often in the details.  Click here to view the gallery.

Falls of Clyde is the only surviving iron-hulled four-masted full rigged ship and the only surviving sail-driven oil tanker in the world.  She is currently berthed at Honolulu Harbor.

Click on the thumbnails to view a larger image.

Falls of Clyde at the Dock View through holes in the forward bulkhead Tank Ladder Deck Planking Windlass Gear View along the waterline Images in Shattered Glass Deckhouse Stairs Bolts & Shackles Rigging Cabin Panel View of Deck ]]> http://www.oldsaltblog.com/2009/09/26/falls-of-clyde-beauty-like-the-devil-is-the-the-details/feed/ 4 Update on FALLS OF CLYDE http://www.oldsaltblog.com/2009/01/27/update-on-falls-of-clyde/ http://www.oldsaltblog.com/2009/01/27/update-on-falls-of-clyde/#comments Tue, 27 Jan 2009 13:52:53 +0000 admin http://www.oldsaltblog.com/?p=1211 The Friends of Falls of Clyde have issued a press release on her current status.   As we reported previously, the movement of the ship was delayed by bad weather.   They have now lost their drydocking window and will have to wait for a new availability as well as arranging all the other logistics for the move.   More disturbing, “during the final preparations for the tow, some potential environmental hazards within the ship were identified and an investigation is being conducted” said Bruce McEwan, president of the Friends of Falls of Clyde… “Nothing of this nature was disclosed when we took ownership of the ship. We have communicated our concerns to Bishop Museum.” 

The full press release: Falls of Clyde Drydocking Delayed

More information about the FALLS OF CLYDE  and the efforts to save this important part of Hawaii’s maritime heritage can be found at www.friendsoffallsofclyde.org .

]]> http://www.oldsaltblog.com/2009/01/27/update-on-falls-of-clyde/feed/ 0 Falls of Clyde Update: Delay Due to Weather http://www.oldsaltblog.com/2009/01/13/falls-of-clyde-update-delay-due-to-weather/ http://www.oldsaltblog.com/2009/01/13/falls-of-clyde-update-delay-due-to-weather/#comments Wed, 14 Jan 2009 00:50:56 +0000 admin http://www.oldsaltblog.com/?p=1061 Bad weather forecast for the south coast of Oahu has delayed towing of the Falls of Clyde to the drydock for inspection.

]]> http://www.oldsaltblog.com/2009/01/13/falls-of-clyde-update-delay-due-to-weather/feed/ 0 Save the Falls of Clyde http://www.oldsaltblog.com/2009/01/11/save-the-falls-of-clyde/ http://www.oldsaltblog.com/2009/01/11/save-the-falls-of-clyde/#comments Sun, 11 Jan 2009 14:16:30 +0000 Rick http://www.oldsaltblog.com/?p=977 A nicely done Youtube video montage of photographs of the Falls of Clyde. So far the scheduled drydocking on 1/15 appears to be holding.

]]> http://www.oldsaltblog.com/2009/01/11/save-the-falls-of-clyde/feed/ 0 FALLS OF CLYDE – Update: Delayed docking and missing artifacts http://www.oldsaltblog.com/2009/01/07/falls-of-clyde-update-delaying-docking-and-missing-artifacts/ http://www.oldsaltblog.com/2009/01/07/falls-of-clyde-update-delaying-docking-and-missing-artifacts/#comments Wed, 07 Jan 2009 15:17:53 +0000 Rick http://www.oldsaltblog.com/?p=924 Susan Yamamoto, Corresponding Secretary for the Friends of the Falls of Clyde, as well as moderator for the Sailing Navies Forum, has been kind enough to give us an update on the upcoming docking of Falls of Clyde.

For those just tuning in, Falls of Clyde is the only surviving iron-hulled four-masted full rigged ship and the only surviving sail-driven oil tanker in the world. She was in the custody of the Bishop Museum, who this summer announced plans to scuttle her.  The Friends of Falls of Clyde, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit group formed to help save the ship, rushed in and arranged to purchase her the end of last September.  They have been working frantically to raise money to drydock the ship to survey her condition.  She was originally scheduled to go on dock in mid-November, but has been delayed twice. 

Susan reports:

“We are still trying to raise money to pay for the costs associated with moving the ship. The people/local maritime organizations who are helping us are doing a lot out of good will, but we still need to compensate them.

The ship was supposed to go into dry dock at the end of last month, but that had to be delayed (for the second time) because of dry dock priorities. The first time was because the Honolulu Fire Department’s fireboat needed emergency repairs. We are now looking at the 15th of this month.”

In addition raising money for the ship,  the Friends of Falls of Clyde is seeking help in tracking down missing equipment and artifacts which were taken off the ship when it was believed that she was to be scrapped.

Falls of Clyde artifacts missing – Group seeks return of ‘loads’ of items given away prematurely

From the Friends of Falls of Clyde website:

The Friends of Falls of Clyde is requesting that these artifacts be returned to the ship to help with her preservation and restoration.

Please contact Keven Williamson ( kwilliamson@friendsoffallsofclyde.org ) or

Heather McGregor ( hmcgregor@friendsoffallsofclyde.org  OR tel: 526-1559 and leave a message)

if you wish to return anything. Heather will also pick up artifacts if you leave her your address. Many thanks to the folks who have stepped up to preserve a part of the Falls of Clyde while she was going through difficult times.

They are also asking for everyone to keep their eyes open to watch for missing artifacts which might show up on EBay or other auction sites.

To donate to the preservation of Falls of Clyde, click here: Make Donation – Falls of Clyde

]]> http://www.oldsaltblog.com/2009/01/07/falls-of-clyde-update-delaying-docking-and-missing-artifacts/feed/ 2 Help Save the Falls of Clyde http://www.oldsaltblog.com/2008/12/09/working-to-save-the-falls-of-clyde/ http://www.oldsaltblog.com/2008/12/09/working-to-save-the-falls-of-clyde/#comments Wed, 10 Dec 2008 00:06:02 +0000 Rick http://www.oldsaltblog.com/?p=671 Falls of Clyde is the only surviving iron-hulled four-masted full rigged ship and the only surviving sail-driven oil tanker in the world.  She was launched in 1878 in Port Glasgow, Scotland, for the Fall Line .  The ship was towed to Hawaii 1968 and opened as a museum in 1971.   In 2008, the Bishop Museum, which had control of the ship, was preparing to tow her out to sea and scuttle her.   

In an attempt to save her, the Friends of Falls of Clyde, a tax-exempt group was formed and purchased the ship in September 2008.  They are currently working to raise funds to tow the ship to drydock at Kalaeloa by December 29th.  

To learn more:  Friends of Falls of Clyde works to preserve a historic ship

Friends of Falls of Clyde website

To donate to help save Falls of Clyde:  Make a Donation

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