MS2120-Pride_of_Baltimore-Instructions.pdf

The Baltimore Clipper

PRIDE OF BALTIMORE II

Early History

A type of sailing vessel known as the Baltimore

Clipper first appeared during the American

Revolution. Because the ship was so fast,

it’s hull design became a favorite and was

patterned after by privateers, slavers, and

others desiring rapid transportation on

the sea. The Baltimore Clipper was

fully developed and most success-

ful during the period from 1805 to

1815 and is generally accepted

as the precursor to the Clipper

ship era of the 1850’s.

(continued on page 3)

Technical Characteristics

Scale: 3/16” = 1’ 0” (1: 64)

Length: 32”

Width: 5-1/4”

Height: 22-1/4”

Model Shipways

Kit No. MS2120

Instruction Manual

The Baltimore Clipper

Pride of Baltimore II

1988

By Ben Lankford, 1994

Built-up Model by Bob Bruetsch, 1994

Detail photos of actual ship by Bob Bruetsch, 1994

The Model Shipways plans for Pride of Baltimore II were prepared in 1993

and 1994. They were developed from the original design drawings for the ship by

Naval Architect Thomas C. Gillmer. Mr. Gillmer was also the designer of the first

Pride of Baltimore , and other replica ships such as the pungy, Lady Maryland , and

the brig, Peggy Stewart .

In addition to the design drawings, the Model Shipways plans incorporate

current as-built details of the ship. A number of modifications were made to the

original design drawings during construction, and even during the period follow-

ing construction. Photographs were taken, and detailed measurements were

made to assure an accurate representation of the ship in Baltimore, Maryland. The

plans represent the ship as it appeared from October 1993 to April 1994.

Model Shipways is indebted to Mr. W. Bruce Quackenbush, Jr., Executive

Director of the Pride of Baltimore, Inc. ; Mr. Michael McGeady, Deputy Director;

and Captains Jan Miles and Robert Glover. These people not only encouraged the

project, but assisted with taking measurements off the ship, made numerous

sketches of details, and provided descriptions of the various rigs and operations.

With the ship continually on the move around the world, the project could not

have been completed without their assistance.

Model Shipways, a division of Model Expo, Inc.

Tobyhanna, PA 18466-1000

(Continued from cover)

It was as a privateer during the War of 1812 that the Baltimore

Clipper became most famous. With sleek lines and few guns, the

Baltimore Clippers were light and exceptionally fast. Their maneu-

verability made it possible to wreak havoc on the British; the

speedy privateers could overtake and outrun the enemy with ease,

and this enabled the privateering owners to take large profits from

the many prizes they seized. When the war ended in 1815 with the

Treaty of Ghent, the ship type began to diminish. Many of the

schooners were sold to South American and Caribbean owners. By

1860, the Baltimore Clipper was gone.

In late 1976, the ship was official-

ly named the Pride of Baltimore ,

taking it’s name from the nick-

name affectionately given to the

famous Baltimore Clipper, Chas-

seur . The Chasseur was built in

1813 at Fells Point in Baltimore

by Thomas Kemp. (Note: the

ship’s boat on the Pride of Balti-

more II carries the name Chas-

seur .)

Ship’s boat Chasseur

During the 17th and 18th centuries, the waterways of the Chesa-

peake Bay provided an excellent home and work environment

for the early settlers. The overseas demand for tobacco and new

ships kept the area alive with commerce. Many talented ship-

wrights plied their trade at the numerous shipyards located on

the Eastern Shore. One in particular, Thomas Kemp, departed for

Baltimore and Fells Point in 1803 to seek his fortune and avoid

the local competition. Establishing himself as a leader, he built

many fast and notorious Baltimore Clippers. With the newly

independent America’s need to establish itself in European trade,

and develop militarily on the open seas, his success was immedi-

ate, and paved the way for others who migrated north. Because

Baltimore had the investment capital, it could provide the higher

wages that eventually drew the best builders and craftsmen, as

well as the many excellent captains and sailors required to man

the ships. With the turning away from shipping tobacco to the

major export of flour, Baltimore became one of the most produc-

tive shipbuilding and shipping centers of the time.

The Pride of Baltimore was launched at Inner Harbor on February 27,

1977 and sailed on May 1, 1977. The ship logged over 150,000

miles sailing to and from such places as the Great Lakes, Spain,

Europe and from Newfoundland to the Florida keys, and many

other ports. On May 14, 1986, the Pride of Baltimore met hurricane

winds on its return home from St. Thomas and was lost at sea

along with four crew members.

Pride of Baltimore II

After a period of mourning, it was decided to replace the Pride

of Baltimore . Late in 1986, Thomas Gillmer once again was

hired as the designer. The contracted builder was G. Peter

Boudreau, a shipwright, crew member, and a captain of the

first Pride of Baltimore .

Pride of Baltimore II was to be a larger ship: 108 feet overall with a

26-foot beam, and weighing 197 tons. Among these and other dif-

ferences, this schooner would have a greater cruising radius and

be licensed by the Coast Guard for carrying passengers.

Although the ship type had been fully developed, the name Bal-

timore Clipper was not applied to it until the ship was almost

extinct. The type was once called a Baltimore Flyer, and early

records simply refer to it as a Virginia-Built Boat, or Fast Sailing

Schooner: light and sleek, fast and seaworthy, it was a topsail

schooner with extremely raked masts. It had a wide, flush deck

to allow easy handling of the ship, and when fitted as a priva-

teer, it had guns. The type seems to have developed from the

Chesapeake Bay sloop, soon found to be too small.

The Pride of Baltimore II keel was laid on May 3, 1987 and the

schooner was launched on April 30, 1988. It was commissioned on

October 23 and on January 3, 1989 received full certification and

put out to sea. Since then, the ship has sailed to many ports. The

schooner’s permanent home is Inner Harbor, Baltimore, Maryland.

While the Pride of Baltimore II is as authentic as possible, a few vari-

ations in design were required to meet today’s standards of econo-

my and safety. Interior watertight bulkheads were provided for

safety, and the ship was fitted with auxiliary engines and feather-

ing props. These were required because of the busy ports the ship

is scheduled to visit. The ship also has a steering wheel instead of

a tiller arm typical of a 19th century ship. If fitted with a tiller arm,

the Coast Guard would require a two-helmsman watch. To do this,

the crew would have to be increased by four which was unaccept-

able to officials. Also, it was decided not to include a fore course

on the foremast. Such a sail was probably carried on Baltimore

Clippers of the past, but was only used in light wind conditions.

This sail plan decision was made during the building of the first

Pride of Baltimore .

The Baltimore Clipper carved out a place for itself in history. The

schooners facilitated the nation’s ability to win independence,

and they helped the city of Baltimore establish its identity as a

major shipbuilding center.

The First Pride of Baltimore

In 1974, officials from the City of Baltimore wanted to re-create a

Baltimore Clipper as a means of providing public attraction to

the Inner Harbor. They required that the craft be an authentic

replication of an early 19th century Baltimore Clipper, and that it

be built on location at the Inner Harbor waterfront.

Thomas C. Gillmer, a noted author, historian, and former direc-

tor of Naval Architecture for the U.S. Naval Academy in

Annapolis, was hired as the designer. The bid for construction

was won by the International Historical Watercraft Society, a cor-

porate designation of Mr. Melbourne Smith of Annapolis, Mary-

land. Mr. Smith is a noted authority on Baltimore Clippers.

If fitted as a privateer, the Pride of Baltimore II would have to carry

guns. So, the ship design included ten gun ports with five on each

side. Simply for show, the schooner carries four large cannons and

two small swivel guns.

More History

For a complete history of the Baltimore Clippers, and both the

Pride of Baltimore and Pride of Baltimore II , consult the

bibliography for some excellent books with many good

photographs and drawings.

The ship’s design was based on early drawings done in Britain

during dockyard surveys after the war of 1812. The plans were of

several original ships that were captured privateers. After review-

ing them, it was decided that Baltimore’s ship would be 90 feet in

overall length with a 23-foot extreme beam, adding up to 140 tons.

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