Building the Wooden Fighting Ship

by James Dodds, James Moore

Overview

Royal Navy vessels in the eighteenth century were so expensive to construct that meticulous records were kept, from the purchasing of timbers to the last details of their furnishings and armament, including even the individual names of some of the shipwrights and craftsmen. From intensive study of these records the authors tell, in extraordinary detail, the building of HMS Thunderer, a two-decked, 74-gun ship-of-the-line, which represented one of the most successful types of warship of the world's leading maritime power of the time. In words, and specially drawn illustrations, as well as contemporary prints and paintings, the authors illustrate every stage of building, from the purchase and cutting of timbers in the forests right through to the launching in 1760. There are descriptions of the dockyard, Woolwich, where she was built and explanations of all the skills and trades which were involved in her construction. First published in 1984, this new edition will appeal to enthusiasts, modelers, historians and anyone with an interest in traditional crafts.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781784387532
Publisher:	Greenhill Books/Lionel Leventhal, Limited
Publication date:	04/04/2023
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	128
File size:	53 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.

About the Author

James Dodds is both a formally trained artit and a qualified shipwight and this combination makes him uniquely qualified to bring to life this fascinating aspect of maritime history. He recently had his work exhibited at the National Maritime Museum.
James Moore is a yachtsman of more than 40 years experience and has published a number of works on ships and the sea.

Editorial Reviews

Dodds is both a shipwright and an artist, whose black and white drawings provide readers with a clear understanding of each facet along the way. Moore sails yachts and writes books about ships. Their expertise shines through, turning what might be a ho-hum dry treatise on shipbuilding into a fascinating and easy-to-understand narrative. Originally published in 1984, this new edition is beautifully rendered and well worth the price. There are so many details presented that even those familiar with ship construction will discover new tidbits of information, while those with little understanding of the industry will come away with a deeper appreciation of what it took to build one wooden fighting ship out of more than 3,400 oak trees.” — Pirates and Privateers
 

From the Publisher