Ship Building
Essex shipbuilders often started with a small model to work out how pieces fit together and how large or what shape they all had to be. It was called a "half-model" because ships look the same on both sides, and if cut in half, they could see all the hidden parts inside.
This picture shows the interior of a sailboat showing the frames and stem past at bow. Even as a shipwreck, the schooner Ada K Damon was so well built that she weathered over a hundred years of pounding surf and tides with the main bones largely intact.
In the words of Ebenezer's descendant Harold Burnham of Essex Shipbuilding Museum, "the sea is a risky place, but boat builders know that lives depend on their work, and this dedication to craftsmanship runs through every joint and seam." |
Ships come in all shapes and sizes, but they all have similar parts.
See if you can find these parts on the Ada K Damon when she is exposed at low tide!
See if you can find these parts on the Ada K Damon when she is exposed at low tide!
The bow is the front of the ship and breaks the waves. The stern is the rear and holds the rudder post which steers the vessel. You can also see the frames which are like the ribs of the ship, since they support the planks of the hull and give the vessel her shape. You can also find the knees which held up the decks of the vessel.
Did you find all the parts?