USS Constitution, aka “OLD IRONSIDES, ” in Dry Dock

[GordMay]

The "USS Constitution" (Old Ironsides”) entered dry dock on May 18 for a three-year restoration. The 218-year-old ship/floating museum will be inspected and her wooden hull and complex rigging will be repaired with most of the work being done below the waterline and the bow area.

USS Constitution is the only survivor of the U.S. Navy’s original six frigates. Her mission was to keep the sea lanes open for commerce, to fight pirates, land Marines in trouble spots ( . . . to the shores of Tripoli . . .), and prevent the slave trade.

The Boston Naval Shipyard, which is no longer active, was one of the first to have a dry dock in 1833 and the first ship to use the dry dock then was “Old Ironsides.”

The ship attracts 500,000 visitors each year and will still be open for tours during the restoration process.

Time-lapse videos of the ship entering dry dock can be seen at:
➥ The USS Constitution*Enters Dry Dock In These Awesome Time Lapse Videos

[Neeltje]

Thanks for the heads-up, Gord!

I'm probably wrong, but wasn't the Constellation (I think that's the name of the one that's docked in Baltimore) also one of the 6 original American Navy frigates?

In any case, they're both beautiful vessels, and they make my 113-year old Neeltje look like an almost maintenance-free small Spring chicken. This is heartening, since I need all the "heartening" I can get...

Jacques

[SkiprJohn]

Back in my old Navy days she was still a commissioned naval vessel. I think she still is and is manned by Navy sailors. It was a very selective assignment.

Thanks for the info Gord. It's always a pleasure to see your posts.

Baltimore's Constellation is a Sloop of War (1854) and many of the original Frigate Constellation's timbers were used for it's construction. Wikipedia.

[brownoarsman]

She still is manned by navy sailors and still is commissioned (I toured her just before leaving boston). For the past few years, she's done a couple of tours of the harbor (pushed by a tug) every couple of years to maintain her status.


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[brownoarsman]

When the old girl comes out the harbor is chock full of boats!


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[Rustic Charm]

Is that the ship they used as a prop in some movie fighting aliens. Did a 180 when they suddenly dropped the anchor. 😜

[Rustic Charm]

Originally Posted by Rustic Charm

Is that the ship they used as a prop in some movie fighting aliens. Did a 180 when they suddenly dropped the anchor. 😜

Now I've watched the op's film clips, wrong ship 😳

[Ziggy]

Originally Posted by Neeltje

Thanks for the heads-up, Gord!

I'm probably wrong, but wasn't the Constellation (I think that's the name of the one that's docked in Baltimore) also one of the 6 original American Navy frigates?

In any case, they're both beautiful vessels, and they make my 113-year old Neeltje look like an almost maintenance-free small Spring chicken. This is heartening, since I need all the "heartening" I can get...

Jacques

Jacques,
You are correct. The Constellation is also one of the six. But the Constitution is the only remaining frigate that is still commissioned in the U.S. Navy and capable of sailing. Traditionally, around the Independence day, she has sailed from Charlestown Navy Yard into Boston Harbor. The cruises were open to the public (selected by lottery, I think).

[GordMay]

From Wikipedia:

"USS Constellation was a 38-gun frigate, one of the "Six Original Frigates" authorized for construction by the Naval Act of 1794. She was distinguished as the first U.S. Navy vessel to put to sea and the first U.S. Navy vessel to engage and defeat an enemy vessel. Constructed in 1797, she was decommissioned in 1853...

... In 1853 Constellation was struck and broken up for scrap at the Gosport Navy Yard in Norfolk, Virginia. At the same time, the keel was laid for what became known as the second USS Constellation. In the later half of the 20th century, the 1854 version was thought to be the 1797 version as the city of Baltimore promoted the ship as the original and some naval historians believed the Baltimore ship to be the rebuilt original. The paper "Fouled Anchors: The Constellation Question Answered", by Dana M. Wegner, et al., published by the Navy's David Taylor Research Center in 1991, concludes that they are different ships. The conclusive proof came during the renovation of the ship in Baltimore concluding in 1999 in which all evidence pointed to the construction of an entirely new sloop-of-war from the 1850s era and not the 1797 ship. While there is no indication in the US Naval Registry from the time period of a complete destruction or for an appropriation for an entirely new ship, the yard log and account books from Gosport record in detail the breakup of the old ship and the building of the new, all under the Navy's "General Increase" or lump-sum construction and repair budget. A supposed notation that the original ship was remodeled instead, using the original building materials to construct an entirely new sloop-of-war, was one of several "Constellation" documents determined by the FBI to be forgeries..."

[zengirl]

Originally Posted by GordMay

The "USS Constitution" (Old Ironsides”) entered dry dock on May 18 for a three-year restoration. The 218-year-old ship/floating museum will be inspected and her wooden hull and complex rigging will be repaired with most of the work being done below the waterline and the bow area.

USS Constitution is the only survivor of the U.S. Navy’s original six frigates. Her mission was to keep the sea lanes open for commerce, to fight pirates, land Marines in trouble spots ( . . . to the shores of Tripoli . . .), and prevent the slave trade.

The Boston Naval Shipyard, which is no longer active, was one of the first to have a dry dock in 1833 and the first ship to use the dry dock then was “Old Ironsides.”

The ship attracts 500,000 visitors each year and will still be open for tours during the restoration process.

Time-lapse videos of the ship entering dry dock can be seen at:
➥ The USS Constitution*Enters Dry Dock In These Awesome Time Lapse Videos

That was awesome! I was born and grew up in Boston and every year whatever visitors we had, my Mom would take us all to the Constitution. We loved it every year! Thanks.

[Olde Chief]

It has been many years since "Constitution" has sailed on her own, rather she is normally towed by a tug annually so both sides will weather equally. As for her crew of Navy personnel they are a care taking crew, and not a sailing crew. The last time the "Constitution" sailed was some 20 years ago was with a Navy crew, trained by the U.S. Coast Guard, as they are the only ones that have a Full Rigged sailing vessel with crew and is regularly sailed to most of the Tall Ship events.

[TomLewis]

As a former sailor in the US Navy, I was fortunate enough to be able to tour the Constitution. What a great piece of history and thank goodness it is being care for. I sailed on the new 'Connie' as well as 4 or 5 other carriers. Never stopped sailing.

[SkiprJohn]

Originally Posted by TomLewis

As a former sailor in the US Navy, I was fortunate enough to be able to tour the Constitution. What a great piece of history and thank goodness it is being care for. I sailed on the new 'Connie' as well as 4 or 5 other carriers. Never stopped sailing.

Same here except for the carrier (bird farm) duty. Thanks for your service.

[TomLewis]

Originally Posted by SkiprJohn

Same here except for the carrier (bird farm) duty. Thanks for your service.

Thank you for your service! Spent much time in Hawaii, some fond, some not so...

[SkiprJohn]

Originally Posted by TomLewis

Thank you for your service! Spent much time in Hawaii, some fond, some not so...

Amen to that! The reason I stayed is because most of the experiences with people (except for a recent burglary) and climate here were on the plus side and I was able to escape Oahu after retirement.