Constitution takes one last spin before retrofit

Boston Globe ^ | August 29, 2014 | Kiera Blessing

[blueplum]

there's an interesting tidbit within the article describing why 150 officers were manning the sails.

[naturalman1975]

She’s a beautiful ship. The USN and the United States in general are lucky to have her still in commission.

[Darksheare]

“Of interest” ping

[Tax-chick]

Thanks! Perhaps Gunner A and I can plan a visit when the restoration is complete.

[ImNotLying]

I saw the headline and thought it was just another Odumbo initiative.

[stanne]

Yep. The globe doesn’t mind your thinking that

Otherwise they’d have written it correctly and said USS Constitution

[LongWayHome]

I’ve been on the ship several times. People were a lot smaller in those days. Very tight quarters indeed.

[Darksheare]

The double helm wheel is from a ship named Java.
With the modern connotations of “java”, one can say the ship is steered by coffee.

[Tax-chick]

the ship is steered by coffee.

Will it get to its destination faster and more directly than one steered by rum?

[Vinnie]

Built with S. Carolina live oak.
So tough that cannon balls would bounce off her.
Hence the nickname
Old Ironsides

[Darksheare]

Faster, but maybe a little jittery.

[Tax-chick]

Fasten your seatbelt - it’s going to be a bumpy ride!

[Excellence]

The headline freaked me out. Oh, it’s the ship!

[SandRat]

Lol, me too

[Lazamataz]

Constitution takes one last spin before retrofit

I came here to read about how Obama was going to scrap the current Constitution of the United States and issue a new one by Imperial Decree.

But instead, it's about a boat.

[GBA]

Constitution takes one last spin before retrofit

I read the headline and thought it was an old article from the end of 2008 before obama took, then re-took the oath of office.

[IronJack]

I suspect there’s very little of the original ship left after all these years. I’m sure the restorations have been as historically accurate as possible, but it’s not the same ship any more than Lenin’s mummy is the real Vladimir.

[MileHi]

I have an old ax that was my grandfathers. Had to replace the head once and the handle twice, but grandpas old ax has really been a good one.

[moovova]

“I suspect there’s very little of the original ship left...”

My wife and I toured the ship recently. If I’m not mistaken, the guide said that 90-95% of the ship had been replaced.

That being said, there was a table on the main deck from which a Marine was selling American flags for $25. He would unfurl the flag, attach it to a line, and then the “paying guest” would haul the flag up to the top of the mast, let it wave in the wind briefly, then bring it back down. The Marine and the paying guest would then fold the flag properly. (Lots of photo ops along the way.)

I don’t care how much of that ship has been replaced...we now own an American flag that has flown on the USS Constitution.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Thanks, Darksheare...she's beautiful.