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Doxbox49 t1_iy4vmuv wrote

Reply to comment by ItchyAcnestis in TIL that after the battle between the USS Constitution and HMS Guerriere, the captain of the Constitution, Isaac Hull, refused the sword of surrender from the captain of the Guerriere, James Richard Dacre, saying he could not accept it from a man who fought so gallantly by alcapwnage0007

You know how many times it’s been basically rebuilt? A fuck ton

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Onetap1 t1_iy594ct wrote

>You know how many times it’s been basically rebuilt?

Exactly as you'd expect for a ship that's still afloat, if you want it to stay floating. I think that there's only 10 or 15% of the original wood remaining in Constitution.

There is a lot more of the original timber from USS Chesapeake surviving, in a flour mill in Hampshire. It has been surveyed by naval archaeologists.

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hellcat_uk t1_iy68amh wrote

That makes it more impressive that 65% of HMS Trincomalee and over 95% of HMS Unicorn is still as it was launched 200 years ago (1817/1824). Obviously not taking into account years of active service and being maintained in sailing condition.

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Onetap1 t1_iyccghc wrote

>65% of HMS Trincomalee and over 95% of HMS Unicorn

I didn't know of those ships, thanks for that.

Tricomalee was built of Indian teak, which is probably why she's survived; I think ship worm would devour European wood in a few years. Unicorn has never sailed.

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wunderboy_teh_turd t1_iy5lsu1 wrote

Read that as navel archeologists... an interesting 30 seconds, for sure

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Lenora_O t1_iy6ee9g wrote

You're reading about ships in the navy, and the word naval comes up, and then you suddenly thought about belly buttons??

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jmarshallca t1_iy8lr37 wrote

If someone has a habit of looking at combat ships for extended periods, is that naval gazing?

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