“This day will be launched his majesties ship the Victory, estimated the largest and finest ship ever built. Several of the Lords of the Admiralty, Commissioners of the Navy, and many persons of quality and […]
The history of the HMS Victory comprises five main phases: Phase 1 Construction and pre-service 1759–1777 Phase 2 Service Career 1778–1812; Phase 3 Service Afloat 1812–1921; Phase 4a Reconstruction 1922–1965; and Phase 4b Reconstruction 1966–2013 […]
Though best known today for her tragic sinking, Henry VIII’s Mary Rose was a successful warship for 34 years: almost the entire duration of his reign.
This is a comprehensive description of the steps taken to transform the tall ship Rose into our very own dear Surprise for the movie Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World. The information was presented by David L. Kolthoff, P.E. to […]
“But some time later the Spaniards sailed the Hermione to Puerto Cabello, and there Ned Hamilton, who had the dear Surprise at that time, and a damned good crew as well, took the boats in at night and cut […]
The following is an excerpt from some promotional material about the filming of the movie. It explains the retrofitting the Rose underwent to become the HMS Surprise as well as some of the techniques used […]
There were many different types of ships during the Age of Sail, and all were defined based on their size, the number of masts they had, the shape of their hull and their rigging (the […]
Unless otherwise noted, all cover art is by Geoff Hunt and courtesy of Lawrence Edwards.
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