HMS Victory & the Ship of Theseus, Thoughts on Varied Lives of A Ship

We recently posted about an announcement that an additional £35m is being committed for continued repairs to the HMS Victory, specifically to replace rotting planking and frames and to complete the rerigging of the ship. As it has been 256 … Continue reading

On 100th Year Anniversary of Drydocking: £35m Committed to Ongoing Restoration of HMS Victory

One hundred years ago today, on January 12, 1922, Nelson’s flagship at the Battle of Trafalgar, HMS Victory was moved to Drydock No. 2 in Portsmouth Historic Dockyard for restoration and preservation. In honor of the anniversary, it was announced … Continue reading

HMS Victory Figuratively Afloat in the Portsmouth Historic Dockyard

When HMS Victory went into drydock in the Portsmouth Historic Dockyard in 1922, she was supported by 22 steel cradles. In the almost 100 years that she has remained on the dock, the historic ship’s 3,500-tonne hull had been to … Continue reading

National Museum of the Royal Navy ‘Saved from Insolvency’ Due to Virus Lockdown

The National Museum of the Royal Navy (NMRN) has announced that it has been saved from imminent insolvency by a promise of emergency government funding. The museum group includes Lord Nelson’s flagship HMS Victory and HMS Warrior at Portsmouth Historic … Continue reading

Happy Trafalgar Day — HMS Victory in Her True Colours

Happy Trafalgar Day! Today is the 210th anniversary of the overwhelming Royal Navy victory over the French and Spanish fleet off Cape Trafalgar on 21 October 1805.  After considerable research, Admiral Nelson’s flagship HMS Victory has now been repainted to more accurately … Continue reading

HMS Victory at 250 Years Old — Last Chance to Save the Historic Ship?

This May will be the 250th anniversary of the launching of HMS Victory, the 104-gun first-rate Royal Navy ship of the line best known as Lord Nelson’s flagship at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805.  HMS Victory was also Keppel’s flagship at … Continue reading

Archaeologists Claim Odyssey Marine “Plundering” HMS Victory

The attorneys for Odyssey Marine Exploration have been keeping busy. In February we posted about the end of a multi-year legal battle between Spain and Odyssey Marine Exploration over $500m in gold and silver coins and other artifacts from the wreck of the Nuestra Señora de las Mercedes. … Continue reading

Giving Away HMS Victory? A Smart Move? Not All Are Happy

The British Ministry of Defense (MoD) is giving Admiral Lord Nelson’s flagship at the Battle of Trafalgar,  HMS Victory to the National Museum of the Royal Navy (NMRN) in Portsmouth.  The ship would stay a commissioned warship and thus will be able to retain bragging … Continue reading

“The Most Beautiful Ship” – Tall Ships and Bragging Rights

Bragging rights are kind of fun.  Whether they mean anything or not is often an open question. How one strings together the adjective phrases can make all the difference. For example, HMS Victory is said to be “the oldest commissioned … Continue reading