CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF BOATS, SHIPS, AND OTHER VESSELS
Year: 1821

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
ANNESLEY, of Belfast, in that part of the United Kingdom called Ireland,
Architect, send greeting.
WHEREAS His most Excellent Majesty King George the Fourth did; bý
His Letters Patent under the Great Seal of that part of the United Kingdom
of Great Britain and Ireland called England, bearing date at Westminster,
the Fifth day of April, in the second year of His reign, give and grant
unto me, the said William Annesley, my exors, adññors, and assigns, His
especial licence, full power, sole privilege and authority, that I, the said
William Annesley, my exors, admors, and assigns, during the term of years
therein mentioned, should and lawfully might make and exercise and vend,
within all His Majesty's Colonies and Plantations abroad; my Invention of
"CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF BOATS, SHIPS, AND OTHER
VESSELS;" in which said Letters Patent there is contained a proviso that if
I, the said William Annesley, shall not particularly describe and ascertain
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, and cause
the same to be inrolled in His Majesty's High Court of Chancery within
two calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent, that then the said Letters Patent and all liberties and advantages
whatsoever thereby granted, shall utterly cease, determine, and become void;
as in and by the same (relation being thereunto had) may more fully and at-
large appear.
.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the aforesaid proviso, I, the
said William Annesley, do hereby declare that my Improvements in Con-
structing Ships, Boats, and other Vesssels, are fully described and ascertained
as follows (that is to say) :-
The first part of my said improvements consists in making the hull of the
ship, boat, or other vessel of three or more layers of planks, the direction of
the grain of the alternate layers proceeding from bow to stern of the vessel, and
the direction of the grain of the intermediate layer or layers passing from one
gunwale around and under the vessel to the other gunwale without being cut or
separated by the keel, the whole of these planks being well pinned, treenailed,
or bolted together without frame, timbers, beams, knees, breasthooks, or stern.
The thickness and number of layers of plank must depend upon the strength
required for the tonnage of the vessel and the service in which she is intended
to be employed. For small boats, where great strength is not required, I
sometimes make use of only two courses of planking (that is to say), one
outside longitudinal layer, and one inner transverse layer continuing round
from gunwale to gunwale, and producing an equality of thickness and strength
throughout the whole of the inner course of planking, presenting a continued
curved surface, uninterrupted by the keel or other timbers, and this continuity
of surface and equality of strength throughout renders the vessel much better
able to resist a shock than any mode of construction where the planks
terminate in an angle against a piece or pieces of stout timber, as upon my
plan the effect of a shock would be merely to cause a general vibration of the
whole, but no partial strain in any part, because no part would be weaker than
another.
The second part of my improvements consists in making the keel in three
thicknesses (that is to say), a middle thickness of timber keyed together and
lying horizontally fore and aft, which I term the core of the keel, and a casing
of vertical planks on each side crossing the core, together with a horizontal
'plank under the whole, which I call the sole, to protect the ends of the cross
planking.
The third part of said improvements consists in producing from a given
model on a small scale a set of temporary frames or moulds for the purpose
of giving to the hull of the vessel the same figure and relative proportions as
the model, to effect which object I make a model out of a solid piece of timber
to the shape required for the service of the vessel, and affix a keel and cut-
water to it capable of being detached from the hull; I then cut the model
transversely at right angles to the bottom of the keel in as many places as I
wish to have vertical temporary frames to give the layers of planking the

page_text: proper support and figure while building the vessel, and I also make two or
more horizontal sections in the bow of the model in order to ascertain the
proper curvature of two or more horizontal moulds for giving the bow of the
vessel its proper shape; or instead of those horizontal sections I sometimes
make two or more oblique sections, each perpendicular to a tangent to that
part of the cutwater at which the mould is to be placed; all these sections are
made through the model of the hull, but not through the cutwater or keel.
I then draw a line on one of the surfaces produced by cach section perpen-
dicular to the centre of the keel and cutwater, which line will of course divide
the surface of the section into two equal and opposite parts; and from a centre
at the top of this line, or that end of it which is opposite to the keel or'
cutwater, I describe a quarter of a circle on one half of the surface of the
section. This quarter of a circle I divide into a convenient number of equal
parts, and draw lines from the centre through each of those divisions and
produce them to the extremity of the surface; I then measure the length of
each line, and make points at the sanie relative distances upon corresponding
lines on the large scale, which I determine for the dimensions of my ship?
boat, or other vessel; then by drawing a line through all these points I obtain
a curve on an enlarged scale, precisely similar to the curve of one side of the
model, which, by being reversed, of course gives the curvature of the other
half. Now by making temporary frames to the figure of each section, and by
erecting and supporting all the frames at the same proportionate distances as
the sections are in the model, I obtain a correct framework or set of moulds
on which to bend and secure by screws from the inside my first or inner
course of fore and aft planking. To obtain the curvature of the upper part
of the keel or run of the vessel I divide the length of it into a convenient
number of parts on the model, and draw perpendicular lines at each division;
then by measuring the lines and transferring them by the scale, a number
of points are found through which the curve will pass.
: .!
These my said iniprovements, and the manner of carrying them into effect,
are exemplified by the Drawings hereunto annexed, and explained by the
following references.
'
Fig. 1, the model. (a, a), the vertical sections; (b, b), the horizontal
sections at the bow; c, c, dotted lines representing the oblique sections that
may be used instead of the horizontal ones; (d); the cutwater; (e, e), the
keel; (f), lines drawn on the keel to ascertain by their lengths the curve
of the run.
:
Fig. 2 the surface of one of the sections. (a, b), the line dividing the
surface into two equal and opposite parts; (c, c), the quarter of a circlé drawn
.

page_text: from the centre. (a).;.(d, d,) the lines drawn from the centre through the
points which divide the quarter of a circle into equal parts, and proceeding to:
the boundaries' of the surface.
Fig. 3, a temporary frame or mould framed to fit the curve, ascertained by
the various lengths of the lines, as described in Fig. 2.. (a, b), a brace to
connect and support the extremities of the mould; (c) a notch in, the bottom
of the mould, to give, room for a thicker plank in the usual place of the
keelson; (d, d), a notch for, the shear strake to lie in to be flush with the
outside of the mould..
Fig. 4, an iron clamp, a sufficient number of which are to be screwed to
the moulds and to the inside layer of plank to keep the planks in contact
with the moulds, until the next layer is put on and secured to the first.
+
Fig. 5, a piece of curved timber, which I term a breast trimmer, to give;
the shape of the upper part of the bow, and to receive the ends of the fore-and-
aft planks in a grove made for that purpose.
Fig. 6, perspective views of the moulds set up on the core of the keel with
the breast trimmer, quarter timbers, and planks for keelson. (A), the core of
the keel and dead wood; (B), the sole of the keel; (a, a), the quarter
timbers; (b, b), the share strake; (c, c), the breast trimmer.
Fig. 7, the first course of fore-and-aft planking. (a), the breast trimmer;
(b, 6), the core of the keel; (c, c), dotted lines representing keys put juto
mortices to hold the timbers of the core together; (d, d), tennons for the
stern post to be fixed upon..
Fig. 8 shews, the state of the vessel with the keel lowered to admit the
laying on of the first course of cross planking from gunwale to gunwale.
Fig. 9 the last course of fore-and-aft planking. (a), the stern posts driven
on the tennons; (b, 6), the cross planking of the keel; (c), the scarf for the
cutwater; (d), a semicircular piece to cover the ends of the planks to render
the appearance more uniform.
Fig. 10, a deck view. (a, a), stringers or deck clamps (which are usual),
connecting the sides and deck together; (b, b), the breast trimmer; (c, c),
cross planks fore and aft of the fore scuttle main hatchway and after gangway;
(d, d); cross planks to support the masts; (e, e),. temporary joists to give
the curve of the deck.
Fig. 11, the deck cross-planked and prepared to receive the finishing layer
of longitudinal planking. (a, a), a dotted line shewing the form of a stern of
much greater strength than the usual square stern.
Fig. 12, a perspective view of the vessel, with the fore and half deck planking,
bulwarks, &c.

page_text: Fig. 13, (a, a), a line shewing the curve of the deck when no weight is on
it. (b, b), a dotted line, shewing the manner in which the deck is depressed
by placing a great weight on the middle, while at the same time the parts
equidistant from the centre and each side are raised by the pressure, which
proves that every part of the deck contributes its share to support a weight
placed in one spot.
I now proceed to describe the method I pursue in building a vessel of fifty
or sixty tons upon my new system, and in this description I must of necessity
include some points that are not new, of which I do not claim the Invention;
but as I have previously shewn in a distinct manner what are my improve-
ments in constructing ships, boats, and. other vessels, they need not again be
distinguished from those parts of the 'old system which I use in combination
with iny improvements
the
given proportions of length of keel, breadth of beam, and depth of hold;
from a scale of not less than a quarter to half an inch to a foot; I prefer
the latter for accuracy. To shew the water lines on the model. it may bo
glued up of pieces one inch thick, more or less, as may be thought proper.
The joints will be always perceptible, and may be rendered more so by a
pencil. After rubbing it with linseed oil it may,: previously to be cut, bo
placed in water, to shew low the vessel will sit. The utmost care should by
taken in the form of the model, as it will be a perfect miniture of the vessel
when built. The keel of the model is let into a groove, to be removed at
pleasure. I divide the model fore and aft into as many equal parts (a, a),
Figure 1, as 1. intend to make moulds, with two cuts horizontally (b, b), or
diagonally (c, c),. to form the harping moulds, and"I: place the model in a
box the exact width of the model, with a' groove 'in the bottom of the box to
receive the keel and. keep. it firm; the box having a perpendicular cut at
right angles to guidé. a saw, with which I cut the model in equal spaces and
perfectly true. From each of these sections I obtain the curve of my moulds,
as shewn in Figure 2, by describing the quarter of a circle (c, c), dividing it
into parts, and drawing the lines from the centre through the divisions to the
outside. I then draw a quarter of a circle on a floor or or other broad surface,
and divide it into the same number of equal parts, and draw lines from the
centre through the divisions to a distance rather more than half the breadth of
the intended vessel, and taking the length of the lines from the model I
slightly drive a nail in cach line on the floor at the corresponding distances of

page_text: those on the model, according to the scale adopted, and bend a thin lath round
the nails; this gives the curve of half the mould, and by reversing the other
half is obtained. The lines, instead of being drawn on each section of the
model, may be described by placing each on a sheet of paper, and marking
the length of each line in figures froin the scale fit for the moulding loft. To
make permanent moulds for vessels of fifty or sixty tons I would use inch deal
boards doubled, the first course to form the curve, the second to break, the
joints, well pinned, nailed, or screwed together. I allow the first course to
project half an inch beyond the second, which need not be so accurately curved,
that in case, they require any correction when set up one course is easier
reduced than two. Judicious builders will readily know how to increase the
thickness of their moulds according to the size of the vessel to be built. I now
build the core of the keel, as shewn at (A), Fig. 6, of oak timber, seven inches
thick, sawed to the curve of the run, which I ascertain from the model by
dividing the keel into parts, and taking the heights at each part, which I
transfer by the scale to my work. The pieces of timber. or dead wood which
form the run are connected together by oak keys in mortices. of six inches
long, two and a quarter wide, and six inches deep. To keep the surface fair
from the scale, I take the rake of the stern post, form my tenons, and fit on the
post. I place on a shoe or false keel, of two inches thick, allowing it to project
one and a quarter inch on each side to take the ends of the cross planking to be
afterwards laid on the core of the keel and dead wood; as shown at (B), Fig. 6.
Having my dead wood and stern post framed. and fitted I take them apart,
and lay the lower part of the keel on the blocks, on which are placed' wedges
to allow the keel to drop eight inches when required to give room. for laying
on the cross planking; the remaining parts of the dead wood being put in its
place. I next bend a two-inch plank of eleven inches broad from the scarf
of the cutwater, to the transom, which it is let into one inch; this I lay on with
wood screws of four and a half inches, to be drawn when requisite. At this
period I set up my moulds at the distances given by the scale, and perpen-
dicular from the lower part of the keel, also the quarter timbers (a, a), Fig. 6,
the shear strake (b, b), breast trimmer (c, c), and two horizontal or oblique
moulds, as shewn at (d, d), or (e, e).. The breast trimmer may be circular on
the upright, as the ends of the plank will shew more uniform; it is moulded
from the bow of the model, and a groove made in it to take the ends of the
first, course of planking, of one inch thick; the moulds being let one inch down
on the keelson, which is two inches thick, as shewn at (c), Fig. 3, leaves one
inch, to render my first course of fore-and-aft planking flush with the under
side of my keelson; the moulds being adjusted and well braced, I lay on my

page_text: first course of inch fore-and-aft planking, with iron clamps, as shewn at. Fig. 4.
They may be made of one-inch flat iron, one eighth of an inch thick, put on
with inch-wood screws in the deal, and three-quarter screw's in the oak. This
.course laid on I.shore up my vessel, take the wood screws out of the keelson,
and drive out my wedges, which allows my keel to fall eight inches for passing
the cross planking under from gunwale to gunwale, as shewn in Fig. 8. This
course is five eighths of an inch thick, laid on with oak pins, bored for
with a gimblet bit of a quarter of an inch diameter. Of these pins I
use no more than are necessary to bring the plank to its place. The third
course is. three fourths of an inch fore and aft, laid on with oak pins,
of rather larger diameter than the last, and rather closer, if designed..to
be caulked. These planks terminate at the bow in a semicircle of three or
more feet diameter, which is formed by the same thickness of plank to render
it flush for the following course, or the breast trimmer may be allowed to
project so much at first as to permit two grooves for the first and third course
of fore-and-aft planking. The fourth course of cross planking is five eighths of
an inch thick, the same as the second. This course I would caulk, pay, and lay
on it sheathing paper dipped in well boiled tar. At this period I wedge up my
keel, drive on my sternpost, bolt it to my lower and upper transom, into which
it is let about one inch or more to keep it firm, and cross-plank my kcel and
dead wood from stern post to scarf of cutwater with inch and a quarter oak plank.
I also drive a number of locust treenails through the keelson into the dead
wood, or it may be bolted at the option of the builders in vessels built expressly
for sailing. Where the deadwood is very high, and the vessel shews lean aft,
pieces of pine timber or fir may be fitted to her bottom and deadwood, and
formed agreeable to her run, and treenailed or bolted for further security. The
fifth and last course is one inch thick, closely treenailed with pins of five
eighths of an inch diameter. The garboard strake consists of two courses of
two-inch plank, the first of which may be nine or ten inches broad, trimmed
from about six inches on to one inch at the outside edge, so as to be flush
with the rest of the planking. This is well secured with inch treenails and
firmly caulked; the other course is formed of a two-inch plank of six inches
broad, trimmed off to make an agreeable curve with the former and with
the deadwood, to which it may be firmly treenailed or bolted with copper,
and afterwards caulked, this being the outside course. To produce a úni-
form appearance, I describe and form a semicircular piece of two feet
radius, which I divide into as many parts as planks of seven or eight inches
wide will cover at the greatest breadth of beam, to which divisions of the semi-
circle I limit the width of the ends of my planking. The bilge plank may

page_text: be laid on this course, also the bends, wales, and benstrake, having a coat of
white lead and oil underneath. I carry up my last course to within three
inches of the gunwale, take out my moulds, fit on any cutwater, bolt the scarf
at the keel, and cross-plank it some distance above the scarf. To strengthen
the cutwater I bend a piece of oak on each side of two inches thick, and well
fastened, which forms a rabbit to keep it firm. I now lay the first of my
double planking athwart at the opening of the masts, hatchways, and after-
gangway, of pitch pine plank of one and a half inch thick, allowing the ends
of the plank to be flush with the fourth or last course of cross planking,. then fill
up the space between with one and a half inch stuff to make all fair. The
curve is given by the deck mould allowed to rise half an inch to a foot by
shoring up the plank to fit it. In the Drawing I have shewn temporäry joists
between the double cross' planking to give the curve, but these may be
dispensed with by shoring up cach plank to fit the deck mould. After laying
on my cross deck planking I lay on the upper strake at the gunwale, which
covers the ends of the plank and rises flush with the deck cross planking;
on this I lay my water-way plank of two inches thick (observing to lay
'sheathing paper dipped in tar between the courses), which I allow to project
so as to take the penstrake and shew a moulding outside, and finish my decks
with a course of one and a quarter inch' pitch pine plank, closely treenailed,
well wedged and caulked. I now lay a stringer of seven by three and half
inches fore and aft of of oak, well bolted through the sides and deck, or it may
be found more convenient to place the stringer or deck clamps before the deck
is laid, the thickness of the first course of cross planking below the gunwale
allowing the waterway and fore-and-aft planking to cover all in case of round
sterns and flush decks. This method being adopted, the joint made between the
ends. of the cross planking and sides of the vessel may be firmly caulked
without any apprehension of opening, and will add much to its firmness and
strength. Stanchions are placed round for bulwarks by mortices into the
sides, of eight inches deep, four inches long, three wide at top, and diminishing
to one and half inch at the bottom. The dimensions of the plank, number of
courses, manner of fastening by iron, wood, or copper, or placing intervening
substances between the courses is at the choice and discretion of the builder,
and may and will vary according to circumstances of time, place, and ultimate
design of the vessel, these having no relation to the general principle.
I have, in displaying this system, confined myself to the mode I would
adopt in building a vessel fifty or of sixty tons. On the third course I would lay
on sheathing paper dipped in tar, slightly caulk the fourth or last course of
cross planking, and lay on sheathing, paper fastened with wooden pegs that no

page_text: iron may be in the way of the augur; or I would pay over the work with hot
stuff, and have the dipped paper ready instantly to lay on, which would adhere
firmly without pegs, shew a fair surface for the next course, more effectually
resist moisture, and save considerable expence. A composition of quicklime and
linseed oil, made fine, well pressed into the seams of each course, and a very
thin coat laid over the last cross planking, would tend to preserve the wood
from decay and secure it from damp; or white lead and oil in some cases may
be found most proper in laying on the wales, bends, mouldings, &c. This
vessel may be caulked outside and inside, also the up-and-down planking of
the keel and deadwood. As the bottom of all vessels is most liable to be
injured, they may in this system be simply and cheaply strengthened--my keelson
rises one inch above the inner planking-by laying pitch pine or oak of that
thickness along as far as her bilge, and afterwards cross planking and caulking;
it would add one third to the strength, and in case of extremity, was her dead-
wood and keel beat off when cast ashore, the vessel would remain tight and
preserve the crew and cargo safe. The greatest facility is afforded in this
system for coppering the bottom, as no iron can come in contact with it.
In witness whereof, J, the said William Annesley, hath hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Fourth day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and twenty-one.