CONSTITUTION | The RELIANCE Project

We continue to make progress. As you can see we put our first coat of color onto the waterway and have been sanding the deck smooth to take canvas. The work will progress slowly since we want to make it right.
In the meantime Burr has delivered another metal work assembly – mast truss chainplate
I also thought you’d enjoy the 1903 pictures showing the manpower required to raise RELIANCE’s mainsail and topsail. No wonder she needed a crew of 64! Also a picture of RELIANCE and CONSTITUTION at the start of a trials race.
We always look at pictures for clues to what was really on RELIANCE. We’ve often wondered about RELIANCE’s lifeboat which in our drawings is shown as a 14′ lifeboat of very particular design. About a dozen years ago the museum commissioned a 12′ version. The picture showing the mainsail being raised clearly shows the 14′ version. So, we now have a 12′ version for sale!

We’re in the planning stage, a gestation stage, as we plan to lay canvas on deck rather than the previously decided cork deck. Further research has concluded that cork deck first laid on CONSTITUTION was removed and replaced by canvas, and though reportedly used on RELIANCE was in fact not used. Canvas was laid instead. But work does go on as shown in the pictures:
1. Our astronaut “Herb from Falmouth” suits up to scuff up our deck, preparatory to painting and laying canvas. (The steel waterway was painted, and the aluminum deck was canvas covered)
2. Tim Horton carves out the scuppers – two on each side
3. The monitor was been delivered and fitted in-place (a little dusty from scuppering operation)
4. Joe Uzzo continues with the deck furniture, making companionway ladder and racing gauges