Shipbuilding

Encyclopedia Appendix J - Shipbuilding
HMS Victory in 1884, the only surviving example of a ship-of-the-line

Bulkheads - vertical partitions between the decks and any planking forming a skin inside the frames.

Ceiling - on small craft the Planking is fastened to the frames by using copper nails which are clenched over or riveted on the inside of the hull, drawing the two parts tightly together.

Lofting – the drawing out of a ships plans full size and is the important first step. From these drawings molds, or patterns, are made from thin wood which are used in cutting out the Futtocks and other parts of the framework.

Mold Loft - is a large building where the plans of a ship can be drawn out full size on the floor by the master shipwright.

Stepped - after launching the masts are fitted. These go through the decks and rest on the keelson. On a large ship the masts will be in several sections, the lower mast, the top mast, top gallant mast etc.

Stocks - a ship is built on a slipway leading down to the water. Stocks are large blocks of wood spaced some four or five feet apart on which the keel is laid and the various pieces of timber forming the stem post and the stern fixed in position. The names of these pieces are, the floors, the Keelson, and the First Futtocks.

Top Timbers - wherever possible timber in which the grain follows a natural curve is used. Wales are usually fitted around the outside of the ribs before the Planking is started and beams, supported on knees, are fixed across the hull to support the various decks.

Treenails - (pronounced trennels) used on large ships with thick timbers, parts are joined using wood pegs which are round or octagonal pieces of oak driven into undersize holes in the planking, frames and other timbers.