The researchers decided to disassemble the shipwreck because of the threat posed by environmental conditions and its proximity to shore. This solution seemed particularly appropriate given that the protective layer of natural sediment and ballast stones had been excavated, making the archaeological remains even more vulnerable. Dismantling the vessel uncovered new sections of the site, especially between the framing timbers and beneath the hull.
Before disassembly operations began, a photomosaic was made of the ship's ceiling planks using photographs and video images. In addition, a full-scale drawing was made under water by tracing the planking on large sheets of plastic-coated paper. This drawing was useful for understanding the shape of the planks and their position in relation to one another. After being reduced, it was used in the laboratory to check the accuracy of the plan already made.
To dismantle the vessel, the archaeologists began by removing the ceiling planks covering the inside of the hull. This was an extremely delicate operation requiring the use of wedges, which were driven between the planks and frames to detach them from one another. Once the ceiling planks had been removed, the structure of the framing timbers was visible.
Another photomosaic was made at the beginning of the second stage of the disassembly process. However, owing to the uneven surface of the frames, these pieces were not traced at full scale. Wedges were first inserted to lift the framing timbers slightly, and then the dowels that fixed the outer planking to the ship were sawn and the frames raised to the surface. Removing the framing timbers exposed the hull's outer planking.
During the third stage of disassembly operations, another photomosaic was made to document the outer planking, which was then traced at full scale and removed. Once the planks had been brought to the surface, they were taken to the field laboratory at the fish farm and placed in large tanks of fresh water, where they could be studied in more detail.
It took 10 days to completely dismantle the hull, which comprised about 40 pieces of wood.
Naval Architecture Terms Used in This Text
Ceiling plank: Plank covering the inner surface of the hull.
Dead-eye: Wooden pulley fastened to the lower ends of the shrouds or ropes that keep the masts in place.
Floor timber: See illustration ("varangue").
Frame: Set of transversal timbers laid at right angles to the keel and to which the outer planking is attached. Also used to refer to the different components of each frame (floor timber, first futtock, second futtock). See illustration ("varangue, genou, première allonge")
Futtock: One of the curved timbers joined together to form each compound frame of a ship.
Keel: See illustration ("quille").
Keelson: See illustration ("carlingue").
Rigging: All objects and ropes needed to manœuvre the sails.
Treenail: Wooden peg or dowel.
Wale: A strake or continuous band of thicker, outer hull planking that is rectangular in section and serves to reinforce certain parts of the hull.
Illustration of Kevin J. Crisman "The Construction of the Boscawen", Bulletin of the Fort Ticonderonga Museum, vol. 14, no 6, p. 356-370.
Recording of the Ship's Timbers in the Laboratory
The ship's timbers were carefully documented in the field laboratory by a professional draftswoman, who traced and made a scale drawing of each piece. In addition to recording the dimensions of the timbers, she looked for tool marks and carpenters' scribe marks, which are often found on the surface of these pieces of wood. The data gathered will make it possible to determine how the vessel was designed and built, what its shape and dimensions were, and so forth. In addition, the scale drawing will make it possible to build a model of the surviving portion of the hull.
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