The preceding pages contain a brief maritime history of New Haven. It covers the essential areas that students should become familiar with. More details are available in the book
Shallops, Sloops and Sharpies
, published by the New Haven Colony Historical Society, 1976. This book is only some 60 pages long and should be read by those students able to read at a high school level. An outline of the prominent points made in the book, when combined with brief teacher lectures, should give all students sufficient background information to make the following lessons meaningful.
The real point of each lesson is to take the students from a textbook understanding of New Haven’s marine history to an understanding based on having actually experienced a small, bit of that history.
Lesson I
Objective: Students will be able to read a blueprint drawn by a marine architect and translate that understanding into a wood half model (3/4” or 1/2” scale).
Lesson Outline:
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1. Using the book
Shallops, Sloops, and Sharpies
, have each student identify one class of vessel that was built and worked out of New Haven.
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2. Using any two of the half dozen books written by
Howard Chapelle
(all available at the New Haven Library—downtown), help the students find one example of the type of ship mentioned in
Shallops, Sloops and Sharpies
.
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Alternative: The teacher may decide to only focus on New Haven sharpies,. If this decision is made, there are four excellent plans available in Howard Chapelle’s
American Small Sailing Craft
.
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3. Using a 35mm. camera, photograph each of the ship’s plans. Project the slides on a piece of white paper so that each lift corresponds to the selected scale (probably 1/2 inch). Have the students trace the entire plan.
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4. Have the students trace each lift and template onto fairly stiff paper and cut out. They will need to use carbon paper and very sharp scissors.
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Alternative: An X-acto knife is more dangerous but easier.
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5. Now trace each of the lifts onto 1/2 inch select pine and cut out with a jigsaw. Students will now have from four to fourteen individual 1/2 inch lifts that when glued together will give them a rough half model. Note: Ship plans only show half of the hull because the other half is a mirror image.
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6. Once the lifts have been glued, use the templates, which give the configuration of the hull at given points, to finish off the model. A surform tool, sand paper and wood chisels will do an excellent job.
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7. Have the students either stain or paint their half models.
Additional Follow-up
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Show the slides which give examples of some of the more common classes of vessels seen in New Haven (see slides included with unit). Take the students to Mystic Seaport to see their selection of half models. Then take the class to the gift shop so that they can see just how much their model is worth (generally $20-80).
Lesson II
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1. Using the book S
hallops, Sloops and Sharpies
have each student select one shipyard which is mentioned.
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2. Using a map of the city have the students draw a circle around the area on the map where their particular yard is located. Note: The locations are only approximate, i.e., corner of Water and Olive Streets.
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3. Select a team of students who are responsible for photographing each location. When possible compare the contemporary picture with the same location at the turn of the century (see accompanying slides).
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4. Show the student produced slides to the entire class and have each student name the yard and list the ships produced in that yard. Note: Ship lists for each year are available in
List of Merchant Vessels of the United States
, Bureau of Navigation, Department of Commerce.
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5. The final activity is to take the students on a walking tour of each site.
Additional Follow-up
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This activity should leave the students with a real feeling for how the city has changed during the last 80 years. However, a trip to Mystic and its rope walk, ship’s chandlery and shipyard, followed by a return to the Quinnipiac should make the contrast more clear.
Lesson III
Objective: Students will be able to perform competently at least one operation associated with the actual building of a small sailing work boat.
Note: I selected a skipjack rather than a sharpie because the former is a little easier to construct bud excellent instructions, with plans, are available in Peter Stevenson’s
Sailboats You Can Build,
(Chilton Books, 1977). The skipjack and sharpie are very similar boats in the oyster business. Incidentally, a group of High School in the Community students produced a skipjack during the spring of 1979. She was launched in June and sails beautifully.
Lesson Outline:
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1. Lofting: This is the process by which the lines of each part of a boat are translated to wood. Once the lines have been lofted the wood is cut and made ready for assembly. Rather than repeat Peter Stevenson’s instructions in
Sailboats You Can Build
, I will only add comments associated with teaching. Lofting involved the use of basic math in particular, fractions. We found it to be an excellent tool for teaching fractions. Everyone should, and can, participate so that they begin to feel a real sense of involvement and ownership about the boat. Students will clearly see that inch does make a difference; this will set a tone of accuracy, team work and patience essential to doing anything well in a group including building a boat.
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2. Assembly: This is the process by which all the pieces (stem, keel, bulkheads, etc.) are glued and screwed together in the proper order and way. Again Peter Stevenson’s instructions are more than adequate. I will make a few supplementary comments. If the lofting was done carefully, the skipjack will come together slowly but well. There are more than 1,000 screws, plenty of glue and putty to be applied, caulking and complete sanding to be done, holes to be drilled, sails to be cut and taped and four coats of paint to be applied. Everyone can participate a little in each job and become an “expert” in at least one or two. As the teacher, be certain that you have read and understand the process completely and that you spend your time directing, encouraging, and supervising, not building. It is their class and their boats, so, as much fun as it probably would be for you to get in there and work, resist the temptation and let them do it.