doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com OT Cutty Sark, last of the China clippers, burns

Cutty Sark, in permanent drydock in Greenwich (south London) sustained damage from fire today. Undergoing restoration effort, many historic artifacts not aboard, from pix looks like the sticks were out of her and much of what burnt was weather cover for the work. Seagoing Fed Ex of her time.

jack

What other ship was the Cutty Sark in a tea race with? I just can't seem to remember...

The Cutty Sark is my all time favorite of the tall ships. I used to love to do pencil sketches of the tall ships and smaller clippers when I was younger, and she was my favorite subject.

Thermopylae. My all-time favorite somewhat more humble: the Portuguese Banks fisherman Gazela Primeira (Big Gazela). I got a three-foot chunk of one of her trestletrees after the refit in Philly in the early 80's. Now that's some oak, heavy like lignum.

jack

Man, what a diverse and interesting bunch of guys on this site. Double guns to tall ships. Is this a great country or what?

Glenn

How many here know the meaning of her name, and recognize where it comes from? (no fair Googling! )

Glenn Fewless,
In deed your's is a great country.
But where do your prized guns come from and where is the Cutty Sark, HMS Victory, SS Great Britain, Purdey, Westley, Boss, H&H,W.C.Scott, Greener etc., etc., add nauseum?

England U.K. Great Britain, which also just happens to have Shropshire in it's midst. (or should that be, in it's mists?)

If I knew how to add a smiley face, I would.

Salopian,

All you listed are wonderful displays of a lost empire for what used to be a great Britian.






If the smileys don't make it clear, the above is a joke!!

Yes, it's also the home of Triumph and Morris Garage (MG). Between the two they spilled more oil than the Exxon Valdez. I owned a 71 MGBGT and still own a '73 Truimph Trident... and love them both.

Back to ships, I spent a day on the Bluenose. It was one of the great schooners and really neat. They accelerate really slow but the momentum of all that weight really punches through the waves. What an experience.

Jeff

Jeff, I suspect that you are referring to Bluenose 2 as the Bluenose was lost in 1946. King should be writing this given that the Bluenose was built in Lunenberg Nova Scotia. The Canadian Dime carries her likeness. For those who don't know the history of the Bluenose - well worth the read. My British ride was an Austin Healy 3000 and then a 1967 BSA 650 on which I travelled much of the Provinces of Eastern Canada and the North Eastern United States. Back to the Cutty Sark - I believe that she will be rebuilt and refitted as was alluded to by Jack. Nice piece of history.

JM, In competition with Cutty Sark was a ship called, Red Cloud.