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Difference between revisions of "Endurance"
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The ship was launched on 17 December 1912 and was initially christened ''Polaris'' (eponymous with Polaris, the North Star). She was 144 feet (44 m) long, with a 25 feet (7.6 m) beam and measured 348 tons gross. Her original purpose was as an ice-capable steam yacht, to provide luxurious accommodation for small tourist and hunting parties in the Arctic. As launched she had 10 passenger cabins, a spacious dining saloon and galley (with accommodation for two cooks), a smoking room, a darkroom to allow passengers to develop photographs, electric lighting and even a small bathroom. | The ship was launched on 17 December 1912 and was initially christened ''Polaris'' (eponymous with Polaris, the North Star). She was 144 feet (44 m) long, with a 25 feet (7.6 m) beam and measured 348 tons gross. Her original purpose was as an ice-capable steam yacht, to provide luxurious accommodation for small tourist and hunting parties in the Arctic. As launched she had 10 passenger cabins, a spacious dining saloon and galley (with accommodation for two cooks), a smoking room, a darkroom to allow passengers to develop photographs, electric lighting and even a small bathroom. | ||
Though her hull looked from the outside like that of any other vessel of a comparable size, it was not. She was designed for polar conditions with a very sturdy construction. Her keel members were four pieces of solid oak, one above the other, adding up to a thickness of 85 inches (2,200 mm), while | Though her hull looked from the outside like that of any other vessel of a comparable size, it was not. She was designed for polar conditions with a very sturdy construction. Her keel members were four pieces of solid oak, one above the other, adding up to a thickness of 85 inches (2,200 mm), while her sides were between 30 inches (760 mm) and 18 inches (460 mm) thick, with twice as many frames as normal and the frames being of double thickness. She was built of planks of oak and Norwegian fir up to 30 inches (760 mm) thick, sheathed in greenheart, a notably strong and heavy wood. Her bow, which would meet the ice head-on, had been given special attention. Each timber had been made from a single oak tree chosen for its shape so that its natural shape followed the curve of the ship's design. When put together, these pieces had a thickness of 52 inches (1,300 mm). | ||
Of her three masts, the forward one was square-rigged, while the after two carried fore and aft sails, like a schooner. As well as sails, ''Endurance'' had a 350 horsepower (260 kW) coal-fired steam engine capable of speeds up to 10.2 knots (18.9 km/h; 11.7 mph). | Of her three masts, the forward one was square-rigged, while the after two carried fore and aft sails, like a schooner. As well as sails, ''Endurance'' had a 350 horsepower (260 kW) coal-fired steam engine capable of speeds up to 10.2 knots (18.9 km/h; 11.7 mph). | ||
By the time of launch on 17 December 1912, ''Endurance'' was perhaps the strongest wooden ship ever built, with the possible exception of ''Fram'', the vessel used by Fridtjof Nansen and later by [[Roald Amundsen]]. However, there was one major difference between the ships: ''Fram'' was bowl-bottomed, which meant that if the ice closed in against her | By the time of launch on 17 December 1912, ''Endurance'' was perhaps the strongest wooden ship ever built, with the possible exception of ''Fram'', the vessel used by Fridtjof Nansen and later by [[Roald Amundsen]]. However, there was one major difference between the ships: ''Fram'' was bowl-bottomed, which meant that if the ice closed in against her she would be squeezed up and out and not be subject to the pressure of the ice compressing around her. By contrast ''Endurance'' was designed with great inherent strength in her hull to resist collision with ice floes and to break through [[pack ice]] by ramming and crushing. However she was not intended to be frozen into heavy pack ice, and so was not designed to rise out of a crush. In such a situation she was dependent on the ultimate strength of her hull alone to resist the crushing pressure of ice around her. | ||
==Shackleton's voyage== | ==Shackleton's voyage== | ||