Stern Structure Taking Shape

Posted on March 28, 2016 by Schooner Ernestina-Morrissey Association

Ernestina-Morrissey‘s stern needed to be entirely rebuilt, as you could tell from the photos posted previously.  While the new keel is being moved into place the shipwrights are working on the timbers that will provide the frame for the stern.  Here is a photo to use as a frame of reference for the new structures that are being shaped.

The workers here were removing the rudder in July, 2015. The rudder is at the right on the fork lift. You can see the rudder stock going up into the passage in the rudder post which supports the rudder. In the space to the left of the rudder post you can see the three blades of the propeller and the stern post running up from the keel into the hull.

Here are the new timbers of Danish oak to compare.

Here is the new structure, new stern post on left, rudder post on right. The diagonal is called the forward horn timber. The frames and planking will be attached to it. The structure above the horn timber will be inside the hull. At the left, lined up with the horn timber, you can see the passage that the rudder stock will pass through. photo credit - Harold Burnham

You can see how massive the timbers are.

stern timbers - Backbone, photo credit Ross Branch This photo was taken before the horn timber was fit, but you can see the deadwood forward of the stern post.

backbone with forward horn timber - dropping in new horn timber - photo credit Ross Branch

All the pieces were dry fit in the workshop.  Below is the transom structure.  The “outboard” side of the transom is up in this photo, the curved pieces frame the bottom of the transom.  The aft horn timber extends from the bottom of the transom toward the doorway. The cheeks make it look like a clothespin.  The open part will be fit to the rudder and stern posts.

Transom frame with tail feather and horn timber - photo credit Ross Branch (640x360)

The stern structure will be erected as soon as the keel is ready.

The transom framing has been dry fit and painted.

Stern structure ready to be erected when the keel is ready. Mortises and tenons are cut. The rudder post is on the right, showing the top of the passage for the rudder stock.

Rudder post on the left, with the tenon that will fit into the mortise in the keel. The passage for the rudder stock will be inside the hull. The curve is shaped in the rudder post to accommodate the turning of the rudder.

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