LOCALLY BUILDT BOATS ON BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS

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aukepalmhof
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LOCALLY BUILDT BOATS ON BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS

Post by aukepalmhof » Mon Jun 08, 2020 9:37 pm

A series of stamps was issued by the Virgin Islands in 1983 which shows the construction and launching of locally built wooden ships.

It is not surprising when considering the Caribbean location of most of these islands that they have the know-how of building wooden boats. And they still have the traditional knowledge of the construction of these ships. Also on the Virgen Islands. Many locally built ships navigate the Caribbean waters from rowing boats to a 70-foot cargo vessel.
The local method of building a boat has not changed in all these hundred years, and old documents show that wooden ships were built in the Virgin Islands as early as 1855.
The traditional method was to lay first the keel. And then to attach bow and stern to the keel. After this, the tail plate was attached to the stern and the ribs to two thirds of the keel. When the knee-rafters were placed, the hull planking was applied. This was done in the traditional way with first the garboard strake then the sheer strake.
The hull planks were planed and curved before being attached to the ribs. Each plank is tapered along its entire length on the inside, leaving room for the caulking.

The keel is made from tropical hardwood, usually the ribs and knee-rafters are made from locally growing white cedar trees. The white cedar has a very tough wood, and it often grows in all kinds of curves, making it ideal for making trusses, since most truss shapes can be made from the branches or trunk without much processing. For the hull planking, American pine was used, which was imported. Nails, rope oakum, putty, tar and paint were all imported from the USA).

Launching the boat is a public holiday with a lot of publicity, a lot of eating and drinking that day. When the guests have arrived, the boat is launched, which has already been placed on rollers before, the rollers been placed under her starboard and port side.

A special prayer is prayed before the ceremony of launching begins. A bottle of rum or champagne is thrown to pieces against the bow, after which the launching starts.
The “pushing down” is one of the biggest highlights of this day. Men with their pant legs rolled up go to water, while others stay on shore. The latter have to provide the muscle power to push the ship into the water, while those standing in the water move the rollers and hold the ship upright. When the ship is finally launched, there is a big party that lasts the rest of the day. The following days, the ship is rigged, after the mast has been stepped. The sails are rigged and the rudder is hung in the rudder braces.

After the ship is fully ready for sailing, a sea trial is held, together with another ship where the sailing qualities are already from known, in order to find out the sailing qualities for the new built ship. When this is known she will be delivered and she can leave for her maiden voyage.

British Virgin Islands 1983 15c/$1.40 sg508/11, scott?
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