Stern to Stern
The stern post and stem were obviously very heavy timbers. They had to be hoisted into place using crude cranes consisting of A- frames, called “sheer legs” in those days, with a sturdy block and tackle As soon as erected, the parts would be carefully lined up, plumbed and then shored so rigidly that they could not possibly shift from their correct position as the work progressed.
The ship’s frames, of white oak, were made up of overlapping pieces, called “futtocks” fastened together, and cut from grown shapes or compass timber. Fourteen or more pieces might be used in a single frame assembly, each piece scared to the next above and below, or joined by chocks. Scarfs, of course, had shift, and all were treenailed. A midship frame was a gigantic U-shaped configuration, the bottom of which, rather flat, crosses over the keel. The laminated beam would be some eight inches thick and up to 24 inches in width, fore and aft, according to Establishment rules. Not all frames were laminated. Many were single frames, especially in way of the gun ports. The spaces between the frames were frequently about half the width of a frame timber. The word “frame” and the word u rib” seem to have been interchangeable. In large vessels it appears that the floor pieces were first installed and lined up accurately.
The half-frames were assembled on a platform or on level ground and reinforced with battens and with planks nailed over the chocks, to be removed later. Both port and starboard frames would be raised at the same time, On large vessels, the floor pieces would be put in place, fastened and aligned. Then the half frames would be hoisted into place on both sides, and secured with shores and battens. Sketch by Heidi Hoffman.
А using the block and tackle, sheer legs and shores, and possibly assisted by windlasses and even animals to take the load.
On smaller vessels, a different technique was used. A temporary assembly platform, or framing stage, was built up across the keel. On this stage, the frame would be assembled under the supervision of the master shipwright. Since the frames were 15 to 30 feet across and up to 30 feet high, the platform must be at least this size. It would be moved along the length of the ship as the work progressed. Framing commenced near amidships where a few frames were essentially iden tical, but as the work progressed forward or aft, every frame became different. As the ends were approached, the curve of the shape became so extreme that it was necessary to set the frame at an angle so as to present a flat surface to the planking. This work required complex cutting where these frames joined the keel fore and aft. These were known as cant frames. Exceptional skill was required in this work.
Upon the two subjects of SEAMANSHIP and NAVAL TACTICS we owe many obligations to the writers of France. It has been long admitted that M. Bouguer has given the true theory of working ships, and that M. Morogues is the most enlightened author on naval tactics. M. Bouguer is too mathematically abstruse for general use: of more benefit, therefore, is the work of M. Bourde de Villehuet, named Le Manoeuvrier; because this latter gentleman has treated the laws of motion in fluids with regard to ships, and the effects of the different sails and of the rudder, in a manner equally correct and more accessible to general comprehension; and he has furthermore shewn the exact correspondence of practice with theory. From these sources we have drawn much; but not from these alone: we have resorted to writers and seamen of our own country, and gained from them much excellent practice.