Sailing the Elizabeth II
Author: Bryan Oesterreich | Published: December 30th, 2010
Aboard the Elizabeth II, modeled after the 16th-century sailing vessel that brought the colonists to Roanoke Island, one writer finds himself buoyed by excitement and history.
I arrived at the dock on Silver Lake in Ocracoke just after dawn carrying my duffel bag, cameras, and a cup of steaming coffee. Although it was still very early, a small crowd had already gathered at the dock to take in the hustle and bustle involved in preparing the Elizabeth II, a 16th-century replica sailing vessel, for sail across the Pamlico Sound toward Bath — and I had been invited to come aboard.
The Elizabeth II at its mooring in Manteo, North Carolina: Above.
While the crew was engaged in some of the same duties their forefathers handled hundreds of years ago, some tasks — like checking the weather radar and loading up coolers of ice, beverages, and food — were more current. Captain Robbie Putnam, a youthful but seasoned sailor, welcomed me aboard the ship with a smile.
After our crew had boarded, the Remora, a Zodiac-style chase boat, was set off to help Captain Putnam navigate the ship into deeper water. A camera crew in a chartered fishing boat circled in anticipation. Finally, Captain Putnam gave the command to remove all dock lines. He engaged the ship’s diesel engines (back in the 1500s, ships like the Elizabeth II didn’t have the luxury of engines to assist in leaving port), and we moved away from the dock. The assembled well-wishers waved and flashbulbs lit up the morning mist.
Building a boat
Between 1584 and 1587, a fleet of seven sailing vessels carried the colonists to Roanoke Island — ships much like the Elizabeth II. Fast-forward to 1980. On a visit to Boston, Governor James B. Hunt Jr. noticed the attention visitors were giving to the U.S.S Constitution docked in the harbor. He thought that North Carolina needed a sailing vessel of its own to celebrate its history and help draw visitors to the coast.
Mindful that the 400th anniversary of the first colonists’ visits to Roanoke Island was approaching, Hunt took his idea to North Carolina’s 400th Anniversary Committee. Funding for the project would come from the private sector. What better place to build such a vessel than Roanoke Island?
One year later, a boat designer, William Avery Baker, and a builder, O. Lie-Nielsen, were selected, and in July 1982, construction of the Elizabeth II began in Manteo at the Creef-Davis Boathouse on the banks of Shallowbag Bay. Twelve craftsmen were enlisted to build and rig the Elizabeth II.
The logistics for building a replica of a 16th-century sailing vessel were challenging. A blacksmith shop was set up. A portable sawmill was brought in, because of the large amount of wood that was needed. A unique “ships saw” was sent to the site. And the designer would try to replicate methods used by boatbuilders hundreds of years ago.
The Elizabeth II would, when completed, be a replica of a typical three-mast, square-rigged sailing vessel, made to look as much as possible like those used hundreds of years ago. The carpenters made a few modern concessions, however, to make the boat more accommodating to crew and visitors of today; they added headroom below decks and installed current navigational and communication electronics.
Another view of the Elizabeth II, with the roof-lines of the buildings that reside at the Roanoke Island Festival Park just across the narrow bridge (maybe one, two lanes) from Manteo: Above.
For the next 16 months, residents and visitors to Manteo watched the ship take shape under the canopy at the boatyard. Frames were built and put in place. Planking was secured piece by piece. All the ship’s rigging was made from scratch. And on November 22, 1983, a full four months ahead of schedule, the ship was christened by the governor’s wife.
This article provided courtesy of our sister site: Beaufort County Now
I arrived at the dock on Silver Lake in Ocracoke just after dawn carrying my duffel bag, cameras, and a cup of steaming coffee. Although it was still very early, a small crowd had already gathered at the dock to take in the hustle and bustle involved in preparing the Elizabeth II, a 16th-century replica sailing vessel, for sail across the Pamlico Sound toward Bath — and I had been invited to come aboard.
The Elizabeth II at its mooring in Manteo, North Carolina: Above.
While the crew was engaged in some of the same duties their forefathers handled hundreds of years ago, some tasks — like checking the weather radar and loading up coolers of ice, beverages, and food — were more current. Captain Robbie Putnam, a youthful but seasoned sailor, welcomed me aboard the ship with a smile.
After our crew had boarded, the Remora, a Zodiac-style chase boat, was set off to help Captain Putnam navigate the ship into deeper water. A camera crew in a chartered fishing boat circled in anticipation. Finally, Captain Putnam gave the command to remove all dock lines. He engaged the ship’s diesel engines (back in the 1500s, ships like the Elizabeth II didn’t have the luxury of engines to assist in leaving port), and we moved away from the dock. The assembled well-wishers waved and flashbulbs lit up the morning mist.
Building a boat
Between 1584 and 1587, a fleet of seven sailing vessels carried the colonists to Roanoke Island — ships much like the Elizabeth II. Fast-forward to 1980. On a visit to Boston, Governor James B. Hunt Jr. noticed the attention visitors were giving to the U.S.S Constitution docked in the harbor. He thought that North Carolina needed a sailing vessel of its own to celebrate its history and help draw visitors to the coast.
Mindful that the 400th anniversary of the first colonists’ visits to Roanoke Island was approaching, Hunt took his idea to North Carolina’s 400th Anniversary Committee. Funding for the project would come from the private sector. What better place to build such a vessel than Roanoke Island?
One year later, a boat designer, William Avery Baker, and a builder, O. Lie-Nielsen, were selected, and in July 1982, construction of the Elizabeth II began in Manteo at the Creef-Davis Boathouse on the banks of Shallowbag Bay. Twelve craftsmen were enlisted to build and rig the Elizabeth II.
The logistics for building a replica of a 16th-century sailing vessel were challenging. A blacksmith shop was set up. A portable sawmill was brought in, because of the large amount of wood that was needed. A unique “ships saw” was sent to the site. And the designer would try to replicate methods used by boatbuilders hundreds of years ago.
The Elizabeth II would, when completed, be a replica of a typical three-mast, square-rigged sailing vessel, made to look as much as possible like those used hundreds of years ago. The carpenters made a few modern concessions, however, to make the boat more accommodating to crew and visitors of today; they added headroom below decks and installed current navigational and communication electronics.
Another view of the Elizabeth II, with the roof-lines of the buildings that reside at the Roanoke Island Festival Park just across the narrow bridge (maybe one, two lanes) from Manteo: Above.
For the next 16 months, residents and visitors to Manteo watched the ship take shape under the canopy at the boatyard. Frames were built and put in place. Planking was secured piece by piece. All the ship’s rigging was made from scratch. And on November 22, 1983, a full four months ahead of schedule, the ship was christened by the governor’s wife.
This article provided courtesy of our sister site: Beaufort County Now
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