New Life
The Brits are performing a complete overhaul the clipper ship Cutty Sark. The ship is essentially being dismantled (it already is pretty well taken apart) and will be completely restored. Built in 1869, the ship was pretty well obsolete even when she was launched. The age of steam was already well underway and Cutty Sark would remain only about 16 years in the tea trade she was built for.
The outer hull has been removed to reveal a vast upside-down “ribcage”. All 490 original timber planks are being taken out to be treated and the frame is being electrolysed to remove corrosive chloride. The ship was meant to be in service for only 20 or 30 years; last November was her 137th birthday.
Here's the Cutty Sark website with more news about the overhaul. They bill the ship as the last of the tea clippers.
By Marcus, Friday, 13 April , 2007 @ 8:13 pm
I was hoping that they were doing a complete overhaul of Cutty Sark–the scotch whiskey.
Boy does that stuff suck.
Marcus
By Gaius, Friday, 13 April , 2007 @ 8:26 pm
Yeah - it isn’t exactly my fav, either. Works well as a degreaser, though. If you’re going blended, Walker Black (not *shudder* Red). But single malts are the real way to go.