What type of ship is this?

[AlkemScaleModels]

A question for you sailing experts- What kind of ship is docked in the foreground of this picture taken in Alexandria in the 1860s.  It is a cargo schooner of some type, but with a slab sided, almost barge-like hull. The stern is squared off, and very "boxy". Note the next ship in the background is similar. The bulwarks are tall and solid, with no railings.


These type of ships were common cargo haulers in the Civil War, yet I can't seem to find any information about them. Most of the schooners from that era that I can find out about are either racing yachts, fishing ships or Baltimore Clippers. All have much more graceful hulls than the ship pictured here.

More importantly, where can I get some plans?

[Philip H]

Bernie,
For local plan sources I'd start with the Maritime Museum in Havre de Grace, MD.  They are on the web somewhere.  If they don't have something, try the Mystic Seaport Museum in Mystic, Conn.  They seem to have acquired plans to nearly every typ of wooden boat or ship that exists.  With your credentials getting a set wouldn't be a problem.

As to ship type, the picture makes it hard to know if the mast in front is taller or shorther then the mast in the rear - or if they are the same height.  When it come to two-masted sailing vessels that's the first determining characteristic. 

[wm3798]

There's also the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum in St. Michaels, and the lesser known James B. Richardson museum here in Cambridge.  They have a specialty in wood boat building, and also house the Brannock collection which covers the Civil War and the Chesapeake Bay Oyster Wars pretty thoroughly.

I'll check with some of my contacts there to see what info might be laying around.

My guess would be that they were hastily built freighters, akin to the Liberty Ships of WW2.  Form follows function, it would appear.  Plenty of room to haul stuff without a lot of frills.

Lee

[Iain]

That looks like a basic sharpie schooner.  They were all over the eastern seaboard for nearly a century.  As for plans, I'll see what I can dig up to send you.