CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF BOATS, SHIPS, AND OTHER VESSELS
Year: 1818

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
ANNESLEY, of Belfast, in that part of the United Kingdom called Ircland,
Architect, send greeting.
WHEREAS His most Excellent Majesty King George the Third did, by
His Letters Patent under the Great Seal of that part of the United Kingdom
of Great Britain and Ireland called England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-
upon-Tweed, bearing date at London, the Eighth day of April, in the fifty-
eighth year of His reign, give and grant unto me, the said William Annesley,
my exors, admors, and assigns, His special licence, full power, sole privilege
and authority, that I, the said William Annesley, my exors, adñiors, and
assigns, during the term of years therein mentioned, should and lawfully might
make, and exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, and the Town of
Berwick-upon-Tweed aforesaid, 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 six 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, will more fully and at large appear.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the aforesaid proviso, I, the
said William Annesley, do declare that my improvements in constructing ships,
boats, and other vessels are fully described and ascertained as follows, that is
to say :-
The first part of any 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,
breast hooks, or stem; 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 con-
struction 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 cutwater 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 proper support and figure

page_text: 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 those 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 each section perpendicular 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 same 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 tlie 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 or number of points are found through which the curve will pass.
These my said improvements, 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, u,) 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 circle, drawn
from the centre (a); (d, d,) the lines drawn from the centre through the

page_text: 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 5
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 into, the 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 contract 1
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 view of the moulds set up on the core of the keel, with 1
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 shear strake; (c, c,) the breast trimmer.
Fig. 7, the first course of fore-and-aft planking. (a,) the breast trimmer ;
(b, b,) the core of the keel; (c, c,) dotted lines representing keyes put into s
mortices to hold the timbers of the core together; (d, d,) tenons for the stern
post to be fixed upon.
Fig. 8 shews the state of the vessel with the keel lowerd 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 post, driven
on the tenons; (b, b,) 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 forescuttle 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-aft deck planking
bulwarks &c.
Ti 12
la alaline,shewing the curve of the deck when no weight is on

page_text: 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
I now proceed to describe the method I pursue 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 listinct 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 my improvements.
Method of building.-I first take a piece of soft wood for my model, which
I form to 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 being cut, be placed in
water, to show how the vessel will sit. The utmost care should be taken in
the form of the model, as it will be a perfect miniature 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,) Fig. 1, as` I
intend to make moulds, with two cuts horizontally (b, b,) ог 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 guide 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 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 each
line on the floor at the corresponding distances of 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

page_text: by placing each on a sheet of paper, and marking the length of each line in
figures from 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 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 shewn 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 perpendicular 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); tho 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 keel-
son the moulds being adjusted and well braced; I lay on my 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 screws in the oak; this course laid on, I

page_text: 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 thick-
ness 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 keel and deadwood from sternpost to scarf of cutwater
with inch and a quarter oak plank; I also drive a number of locust tree-
nails 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 dead
wood is very high, and the vessel shews lean aft pieces of pine timber or fir
may be fitted to her bottom, and dead wood, 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 curvo
with the former, and with the dead wood to which it may be firmly treenailed
or bolted with copper, and afterwards caulked; this being the outside course;
to produce a uniform 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
semicircle I limit the width of the ends of my planking. The bilge plank may
be laid on this course, also the bends, wales, and penstrake, 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 my cutwater, bolt the scarf
at the keel, and cross plank it some distance above the scarf. To strengthen

page_text: 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 temporary joists
between the double-cross planking, to give the curve, but these may be dis-
pensed with by shoring up each 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 waterway plank, of two inches thick, (observing to lay sheathing paper
dipped in tår 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 a half inches fore and aft,
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;
staunchions 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 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 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,

page_text: 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
dead wood. As the bottom of all vessels is most liable to be injured, they may
in this system 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 of it, 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 the system for
coppering the bottom, as no iron can come in contact with it.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Annesley, have hereunto set my
hand and scal, this Seventh day of October, in the year of our
One thousand night hundred and sighteen
AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Seventh day of October, in the
year of our Lord 1818, the aforesaid William Annesley came before our said
Lord the King in His Chancery, and acknowledged the Specification aforesaid,
and all and every thing therein contained and specified, in form above
written. And also the Specification aforesaid was stamped according to the
tenor of the Statute made for that purpose.