Naval Architecture & Engineering:
The Godspeed,replica of vessel which colonized
Jamestown,Virginia, 1607a.d.
(image courtesy of Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation)
On her maiden voyage from Maine to Virginia
My
study of physics, engineering and naval architecture at U.C. Berkeley
combined with my CAD experience enabled me to work as a designer at Tri-Coastal
Marine, Inc.,
where I
produced most of the drawings for the Godspeed. In 1607 three
ships arrived at what became the Jamestown Colony. The largest
was the Susan Constant, second was the Godspeed and the smallest was
the Dove.
Very
little is known about exactly what these ships actually looked
like.
So I had to research similar vessels from that era.
Unfortunately, contemporary shipwrights did not keep detailed records
or descriptions of their projects since theirs was a long and slowly
evolving tradition of craft rather than innovation. Naval
architecture did not exist as a profession per se. Ironically,
some of the best records we have of vessels from that era are
paintings of seascapes. So we started with a sort of galleon midship
section. I modeled the hull in Multi-Surf. While I kept the
freeboard and deck plan authentic, I pushed the hull form below the
water line to reflect some of what we’ve learned in four centuries
of study of wave resistance, including moving the center of buoyancy
aft of midships. I heard a bit of grumbling about that not being
traditional, but nobody complained after she was launched and
actually sails.
Lines Plan with table of offsets
General Arrangement
Engine Room with machinery
Rigging Plan
Outboard Profile & Sail Plan with
paint scheme
