The Hermione project : Reconstruction of an 18th century Frigate

[kz11gr]

Hi, some news from France

Origin :
http://www.hermione.com/en/the-hermione-project/the-history/

The History

“So that freedom lives, men will always have to stand up and fight against indifference or resignation.”La Fayette was one of them,
and remains a symbol to this day. Rebuilding the Hermione – the frigate he took to go to America – is a way of paying an authentic homage
to La Fayette and keep the memory of a great adventure of solidarity between people.

The fitting-out of the form of dry dock (1997)


In July 1997, the Hermione-La Fayette association embarked for a tremendous challenge :
the reconstruction of the Hermione frigate – the ship which allowed La Fayette to join the American insurgents in the struggle for their independence in 1780.
Rebuilding the Hermione means reconstituting of an element of our maritime heritage.
It’s the opening of a big construction site contributing to the economy and culture of a whole region.

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|

• The history |

• The Hermione challenge |
• Actors of the project |
• The voyage |

 

[kz11gr]

Because we need the past to build the future

Rochefort, a new town of the 17th century, was born thanks to Colbert’s decision to develop a new Royal arsenal on the banks
of the Charente in order to construct, arm, supply and repair a war fleet able to resist enemies’ assaults.

Rochefort harbor at the time of the Hermione by Vernet
Today, Rochefort invents itself another future based on a heritage which is unique in the world, composed of the old Corderie Royale,
a marvel of the former Arsenal,
now restored after 20 years of efforts, and by forms of dry dock, the eldest of which dates from the 17th century.
The rebuilding of an 18th century ship is integrated in the develoment of a new identity, with a view to providing France with a testimony
of its naval past as well
as with a symbol of Franco-American fraternity through a ship whose name is related to that of a man, La Fayette, a symbol of the support brought
by the French to the insurgents in America.

The restored Corderie Royale




The frigate Hermione, a witness of a golden age of French naval construction

In 1778, in Rochefort’s arsenal, the Hermione started to be built on a construction hold near the Corderie Royale.
Over 210 feet from stern to bow, with 16.000 square feet of sail spread over 3 masts, the Hermione was built according to plans by
the engineer Chevillard An With the Courageuse, the Concorde and the Fe, the Hermione was part of a group of 4 frigates built in Rochefort.
Belonging to the category of so-called light frigates, characterized by their speed and agility, the Hermione was fitted out
with 26 cannons shooting 12-pound cannonballs, hence its name “frigate of 12”. With a length of 1732 and a width of 433 the frigate took 11 months
of work for one hundred carpenters, blacksmiths, drillers, caulkers and convicts for a total of more than 35,000 days of work.

Hermione painting by Rossel de Cercy



A ship forever linked to the legend of La Fayette

“From the first moment I heard the name of America, I loved it; from the instant I knew it struggled for freedom,
I was consumed with the desire to shed my blood for her I will count the days I got the chance to serve it, everywhere and anytime,
among the happiest days of my life.”
La Fayette Summer 1776, the break is accomplished between England and the insurgents , the supporters of the independence of
English colonies in North America.​

In January 1779, back from America where he had volunteered to serve the American cause, Gilbert Motier, Marquis of La Fayette,
a French gentleman of 21, tried his best to obtain the official support of France.

He managed to convince King Louis XVI and his general staff to offer military and financial assistance to the troops of General Washington.
On March 21, 1780, the young major general La Fayette boarded the Hermione. He went to fight alongside the American insurgents who were struggling
for their independence.

He landed in Boston after a 38 day crossing and met General Washington to announce the impending arrival of French reinforcement.
18 months later, the American insurgents, whom La Fayette had joined, won decisive victories, first in Chesapeake Bay, then in Yorktown,
with the support of French troops led by Rochambeau and de Grasse.




page up

 

[kz11gr]

video : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QoOd1w0NjWI&feature=related


pictures : http://www.google.fr/search?hl=en&n...w&biw=1560&bih=875&sei=cVL5T9y9OIXC0QWL2aC7Bw

videos: http://www.youtube.com/results?sear...5.4.1.0.0.0.120.354.3j1.4.0...0.0.qSM9oyVLwHo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H1lS_WBJCxQ&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Qv42AkvRCY&feature=related

guns : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KWxnQ6oCgHA&feature=related

 

[ydnum303]

Hmmm, wonder what Lord Nelson would have thought of this project, LOL!

 

[beihan62]

Hi Kz11gr,Fantastic,thanks for posting pics,a phenominal amount of dedication and expetise went into the construction of Hermione,history recreated,many thanks,
Regards,
Don,

 

[kz11gr]

Hi Kz11gr,Fantastic,thanks for posting pics,a phenominal amount of dedication and expetise went into the construction of Hermione,history recreated,many thanks,
Regards,
Don,

Hi Don

Now , they must build the masts (54 meter high) , and all the sails .



length :44.20 m
width : 11.55 m
mast : 54 m high
400.000 pieces
2000 oaks
30.000 nails
24 km Rope
2200 m2 sails
1000 pulley
26 Guns + 8 guns

With the sails .....

Lafayette's Hermione 1779 France

Copper Pinned Wooden Plank on Frame Model

 

[beihan62]

Hi kz11gr,Even today installing the masts would be a difficult job made much easier with high lift cranes etc,but in 1779 it must have taken a phenominal amount of manpower and inginuity to install those masts,putting it simply they are joining two large trees together vertically,which must weigh several tonnes each then making them strong enough to withstand the stresses and strains of the wind in the sails,a tremendous achievement even today,it is great to see L'Hermione afloat,what a sight to see under sail,
Many thanks for posting update,
Regards,
Don,

 

[kz11gr]

Hi kz11gr,
Many thanks for posting update,
Regards,
Don,

Hi Don

A ship is born, an other is gone .....

Tall ship HMS Bounty sunk by Sandy


By Charles McMahon
cmcmahon@seacoastonline.com

October 31, 2012 2:00 AM

PORTSMOUTH — Members of the local maritime community on Tuesday expressed sadness over the loss of the HMS Bounty, a tall ship that visited the city as recently as August and sank during Hurricane Sandy.
One crew member died in the tragic sinking on Monday. Fourteen crew members were rescued by helicopter from life rafts. The ship's captain, Robin Walbridge, remained missing as of Tuesday afternoon. Coast Guard officials believe Walbridge, 63, went overboard during the storm. Coast Guard officials said they were optimistic he could still be alive in his survival suit miles off the North Carolina coast.

This photo provided by the U.S. Coast Guard shows the HMS Bounty, a 180-foot sailboat, submerged in the Atlantic Ocean
during Hurricane Sandy approximately 90 miles southeast of Hatteras, N.C., on Monday.
The Coast Guard rescued 14 of the 16 crew members by helicopter. Hours later, rescuers found one of the missing crew members,
but she was unresponsive. They were still searching for the captain as of Tuesday evening.



The Bounty set sail last week as Capt. Walbridge believed he could navigate around Hurricane Sandy and weather the storm. After two days in rough seas, he realized his journey would be far more difficult.
"I think we are going to be into this for several days," Walbridge wrote in a message posted Sunday on the vessel's Facebook site, which reads like a ship's log of its activities. "We are just going to keep trying to go fast."
By Monday morning, the Bounty had started taking on water, its engines failed and its crew had to abandon ship as it went down in the immense waves. Most of the sailors were plucked from life rafts shortly after the ship went down, but Claudene Christian was found hours later, unresponsive and floating in the water. She was pronounced dead after being taken to a hospital, Coast Guard Petty Officer 3rd Class David Weydert said.
The rest of the crew was in good condition.
The HMS Bounty, a famous replica ship featured in the Marlon Brando film "Mutiny on the Bounty" and most recently in "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest," spent time at Star Island in August. The Bounty sailed into Gosport Harbor and docked at the Star Island pier. Bounty crew volunteered on Star Island by assisting with painting, carpentry and other maintenance activities during the brief visit.
Star Island Chief Executive Officer Joe Watts said a former staff member at Star Island, who started working on the Bounty during its visit to the island, was among those rescued.
"Our hearts and prayers are with the entire crew of the HMS Bounty and especially for the family of Claudene Christian and Capt. Robin Walbridge — we are praying for his safe rescue," he said.
The ship was a replica of the original Bounty, which was involved in a mutiny near Tahiti in 1789. Built in 1960, the 180-foot replica vessel was fully rigged and armed with four cannons. The Bounty visited the Seacoast in 2010 for the Sail Portsmouth Festival, hosted annually at the fishermen's pier by the Piscataqua Maritime Commission.
Port Director Geno Marconi said he remembers the last time he saw Walbridge in Portsmouth was in the early morning before the tall ships festival took place.
"We were down on the pier having a cup of coffee in the morning, before the crowd showed up," Marconi said. "I remember we talked and shared stories."
Marconi said when he heard Walbridge was missing, it bothered him deeply. He said he remembers Walbridge as being an experienced and professional mariner. "He always came across to me that he knew what he was doing," Marconi said. "He had a lot of experience."
Larry Job, vice president of the Piscataqua Maritime Commission, said Tuesday that he was saddened to hear of the loss of the Bounty and the fact that Walbridge remains missing.
As one of the organizers of the local tall ships event, Job said he met Walbridge several times throughout the years. Job described Walbridge as "the classic tall ship captain" and called him an "extraordinarily knowledgeable sailor" and "a very nice guy."
Job said he wasn't surprised to hear Walbridge made sure his crew was in the life rafts before he abandoned ship.
The local maritime commission executive said he considered the Bounty to be one of the prettiest tall ships around. He said Walbridge was dedicated to the ship.
"I can't think of another captain in the industry that loved what he did as much and loved his ship as much," Job said.
By the time the first rescue helicopter arrived, all that was visible of the replica Bounty was a strobe light atop its submerged masts. The roiling Atlantic Ocean had claimed the rest of the vessel. The final hours of the HMS Bounty were as dramatic as the movies it starred in.
"When a crew decides it's safer in an inflatable than it is on deck, then you know she's in peril," said Bill Foster, mayor of St. Petersburg, Fla., a frequent winter port for the ship and where it had been expected to arrive in November.
Fund for Bounty crew
In honor and in memory of the sailing crew of the HMS Bounty, the Lynx Educational Foundation and Privateer Lynx established a crew assistance fund starting with $500 in hopes that the effort will help in a small way for the immediate relocation needs of the HMS Bounty crew.
Donations can be made to the HMS Bounty Crew Relief Assistance Fund by at
www.privateerlynx.com/donate .
Material from The Associated Press was used in this report.

Links :
http://yachtpals.com/hurricane-bounty-9605

https://www.google.fr/search?hl=fr&gl=fr&q=bounty&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&tab=ni&ei=V6KTUIb-D8uZhQfg2IA4&biw=1650&bih=930&sei=TaaTULzWNMOq0AXbioGgDQ


==

 

[beihan62]

Hi kz11gr,Thanks for posting,this is a tragic loss,I hope and pray the captain is found safe,the "bounty"can be replaced,not so the lives of the crew,fortunately almost all the crew survived,thanks to the dedication and daring of the rescue helicopter crews,and to the emergency services going to the aid of all the victims of "sandy"
Many thanks for posting,
Regards,
Don,