Thread: Unique nautical climbing opportunity at TCI in November in Baltimore

Some of you know that I got interested in arborist's work as an outgrowth of my work in ship rigging. I'm a volunteer rigger on USS CONSTELLATION, the US Navy's last all-sail warship. We're currently replacing the ratlines, the horizontal, ladder-rung-like ropes going up the shrouds. You can read a little about our work http://users.erols.com/ecmii001/IGKT...sWorkshop]here.

I asked the restoration manager if he would allow arborists to climb the rigging during the TCI Expo, coming up here in Baltimore in November. He thought it was a great idea, and didn't have any problems with it at all. He's willing to give anyone at TCI the group admission rate, $5.50 (I think). If you sign the regular volunteer worker release, you can climb any aspect of the rigging you want. You'll have to provide your own safety gear -- saddle and lanyards, I think, would be all that's required. The ship also has a couple of basic rock climbing harnesses, a bunch of fall arrest harnesses (over the shoulder straps with single dorsal ring), and one or two Klein buttstrap belts. In addition to climbing, you can also take the audio-guided tour and watch the live demonstrations, like the cannon firing at noon.

I don't know whether this opportunity would appeal to arborists or not. The climbing might be tame compared to trees. Access is mainly via ratlines, which are kind of like climbing a ladder. On the other hand, there's no overhead TIP.

One thing it might give climbers would be a sense of what it would be like to be a sailor in the age of sail. CONSTELLATION is a sloop-of-war, about 180 feet on deck, and is considered a smaller warship. As you climb up higher, an interesting fact to keep in mind is that the boys on the ship (as young as 12) were assigned the highest yards and sails, as they were smaller and lighter.

The ship is open everyday from 10 to about 5. If we could find a time when nothing much is happening at the Expo, we could do this in a group. Otherwise, just write to me through AS or directly at kevinz@charm.net, and I'll make sure I'm available to get you started.

This is NOT the rec climb I promised to work on long ago. Now that some of my other obligations are completed, I'll work more intensively on those arrangements.

Let me know what you think, and if anyone's interested.

-Kevin

WOW!!! I'll be there! Thanks for setting this up. It has been my dream to go to the top of the rigging on a fighting sail ship.

Are you interested in going to see the premier of Master and Commander:Far Side of the World?

http://www.masterandcommanderthefarsideoftheworld.com/

Are you familiar with the POB series?

If anyone passes up this opportunity, you'll regret it.

Tom

Kevin, That is awesome opportunity you have arranged. If I were going to the expo I'd jump on it.-Now I'm regretting not arranging to be there!

Another arborist, in a private message, asked about heights. Here's my long-winded reply. I'm just guessing at the heights; I'll have to look them up.
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I think you can go as high as you want. The second yardarm (horizontal pole) is about 70 feet above deck. There's ratlines on the mainmast shrouds to the fighting tops at about 50 feet. Then, there's another set of ratlines on the topmast shrouds up to the first crosstrees at about 90 feet. Then, there's a Jacob's ladder from the first crosstrees to the second crosstrees up about 130 feet. From there, you'd have to shinny up the topgallent mast or climb up the halyards to the truck, the button on the top of the mast. It's probably 150-160 feet above deck. You're welcome to try any or all of it.

I just spoke with a guy I met over the weekend at the International Guild of Knot Tyers North American Branch conference. He told me about joining the British Navy as a young man. A common exercise was to race all the way from the deck to touch the truck on the mainmast.

He also told me about the 'manning the yards' formation. This is the one you see often in pictures with all the sailors in dress uniforms standing on the yardarms at attention as the ship moves into the harbor. He says that one sailor was designated to STAND on top of the truck. I don't know how he got up there. On top of the truck is a lightening rod. The sailor would lash his leg to the lightening rod so that he could stand at
attention. Remember, this is all while the ship is moving, with the sails furled or wrapped up, into the harbor. He's got a picture of this he's going to send me. I'll pass it on here.

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Hey, Stumper and anyone else who won't be able to make TCI this year: If you're ever passing through Baltimore, drop me a note and I think I can get permission to climb anytime.

Tom, I can't wait for the movie. I hope I won't be disappointed. I think I'm one of the few guys interested in this period of time who doesn't like the O'Brien series. I've had a number of folks who have actually sailed on tall ships tell me that the O'Brien books are very authentic and accurate. But, I just want to read about what it was like to sail in that age, and I think POB spends too much time talking about too many other things. I'm a Hornblower fan, myself. But still, I've got to see the movie.

-Kevin

Count me in Kevin.

I will have a vehicle and can take six or more passengers and gear.

Dan
Atlanta

I haven read O'Brien's books but have to concur with Kevin on the Hornblower series. Anybody ever read the Foxx series? -sorry I can't recall the author. It is a great series on British vs. French naval combat. Traces a british commoner's rise from ship's boy to Commander by virtue of luck and uncommon ability.

If you decide to take on the O'Bri-A-n series it is not a light task. Twenty books totalling about 6,000 pages. I think of it as a story with 20 chapters. POB died with about a third of the 21st book finished.

The series is on tape and CD. Many libraries have them. If you have a choice, get the narration by Patrick Tull.

I started reading Hornblower but got into Aubrey/Maturin. A much more involved story and lots of layers.

Tom

from Treeebuzz....


Kevin- You know I'll be there! Someone needs to replace that texas flag!

For everyone else, is there a good time that a few could get together. For those that don't know, the Constellation is located right in the Inner Harbor no more that 4 or 5 blocks from the Convention Center.

I can't wait!

love
nick

ps for kevin- I put a lanyard on my P.H.I.D. so I'm ready for next weekend!

I didn't expect to leave the convention center area. I'd very much regret missing an opportunity like this, count me in.

Louie Hampton

Went for a half day sail on this little sail ship...what did I learn...Four ..Six ...Heave
Are you going for a sail???

Rob, I'm as confused on the heaving command as you might be. I've heard it two ways. The professional rigger that taught me used to call, "Two, SIX" and we'd all heave on the "SIX" in silence. He told me the numbers were the positions in the gun crew. I've sailed with others who say it's, "Two, six, HEAVE" with everyone joining in the "HEAVE" and heaving, too.

Unfortunately, CONSTELLATION almost never leaves the pier, and never under sail. Once a year we "voyage" about half a mile down the Patapsco to Fort McHenry, of the Star Spangled Banner fame, with a tug lashed to one side and another one loose for emergencies. When we come back, we put her back into the pier the opposite way from when we left, so as to evenly weather both sides and make it eaiser to paint the hull from the pier.

Tom D. suggested to me that a good time for a group might be at 4:00 on Friday. This might not give us much time, however, since the ship will close by 5:00 and they'll want us to leave by 5:30 at the lastest. I suggest 2:00, and anyone who's caught up with anything at the Expo can join us as soon as they're able. If you can't make this time, 2-5 on Friday, drop me a note and I'll set it up other times in addition.

Nick's right, I forgot to mention, the ship's within an easy walk of the Convention Center.

-Kevin

Hhhm, I might have a try at it. Just got a helmet cam the other day, would be an interesting video for sure!

Yep, 2-5pm sounds great!!! Maybe there will be a lot of people coming and going, but if we stick to that general time frame, we should cross eachothers' paths, right!

I'll be there!

love
nick

First of all, Nick is not from Wisconsin anymore, so I think we have to "force" him to find an appropriate name/moniker. Then again, Nick, I guess you will always be from Wisconsin, so maybe it's O.K.

I wasn't going to bring any gear, as I am flying out at noon on Saturday, but I just showed this post to my wife, Lynn, who will be attending with me and doing my best to plead my case. Yes, 2-5 Friday should work.

I agree with Tom. Life is not long enough to put off these adventures. I'd love to get pictures/video.

My boys are going to love this one!

Gopher

P.S. Nick - slings and pulleys - pick em up at TCI?

Kevin will correct me if I'm of course here. When I was on the Constellation a couple of years ago I saw that the riggers used rock climbing saddles with a short lanyard. Since we're going to be climbing the rigging, not rope, there isn't a need to have our work saddles.

It seems like a rock saddle or Ness saddle with two short lanyards equiped with locking snaps would be a good setup. The saddle I saw had a pretty ratty lanyard and non-locking biner. Adequate, but barely.

Time to go Skylarking!

Tom