john f leavitt

Discussion in 'Wooden Boat Building and Restoration' started by peter radclyffe, Apr 12, 2011.

  1. peter radclyffe
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    peter radclyffe Senior Member

    can anyone tell me what happened
     
  2. Lister

    Lister Previous Member

    I hope it helps.
    Lister

     
  3. peter radclyffe
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    peter radclyffe Senior Member

    thank you Lister
     
  4. Tad
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    Tad Boat Designer

    In WoodenBoat #159 Andy Davis (who was in the Leavitt's build crew, was aboard for the voyage, and is now a NA) wrote, "An inexperienced captain took an overladen, poorly equipped vessel on a voyage for which it was never intended." Articles on the building and loss of the Leavitt are in WoodenBoat #31 and 33.........
     
  5. daiquiri
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    daiquiri Engineering and Design

    My first thought while reading that story was that perhaps in the modern days there are no more crew with sufficient experience to handle that kind of ship in a stormy weather. They should have get thoroughly trained before venturing into a commercial trip. Could that play a role too?
     
  6. peter radclyffe
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    peter radclyffe Senior Member

    thanks Tad, is there a stability curve for the leavitt
     
  7. Tad
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    Tad Boat Designer

    daiquiri........Absolutely....though the crew take direction from the skipper.....was inexperienced crew a factor?....yes....how big a factor I don't know.....To those who were not there it often seems (hindsight) that more could or should have been done....but only those who were there know for sure.......

    Peter,

    Yes there are two righting moment curves presented, the author states they are based on an estimated VCG (apparently no inclining was ever done) and I cannot guess how accurate that might be......At any rate both lightship and loaded curves run out at around 45 degrees........
     
  8. peter radclyffe
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    peter radclyffe Senior Member

    Tad what voyage was it intended for
     
  9. Tad
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    Tad Boat Designer

    She was claimed to be a coasting schooner, which made their voyages along shore, never far from shelter. She sailed from Thomaston, Maine (building yard) to Quincy Massachusetts in November, three days of downwind sailing, running aground at both ends of her "Sea trial". In Quincy she was loaded with lumber and chemicals for Port-au-Prince, Haiti. She left heading out around Cape Cod and offshore on December 20th, from pictures taken at the time she was badly down by the head and had perhaps 1' of freeboard midships. She was abandoned on the 27th having sustained some damage in rough going.....but one would expect rough going offshore in the North Atlantic in mid winter.........
     

  10. peter radclyffe
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    peter radclyffe Senior Member

    thanks
     
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