Ship's Skeleton

Ship's Skeleton. . , What would we do without our bones? , A ships frame is very much the our own skeleton. It provides rigidity and structural support for the ship's body much like our bones provide for our bodies. , , Typically we think of ship's ribs as a single piece of wood that is steamed and bent to the correct shape. In larger ships the frames were made of several individual timbers, called futtocks. , , Notice where seams are placed. This overlapping construction provides rigidity, strength, and prevents twisting and splintering. At times, each futtock was made from an entire tree. , , Shipwrecked: C. Harrison , This 137-ton, two-masted schooner was built by D. Eunlock and Thomas Davidson in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. On October 31, 1898, the schooner was loading lumber at the Whitefish Bay pier when a gale began to blow and drove the vessel onto the beach where she broke up. , , Did you know that wooden vessels have knees? , Unlike your knees that bend to help you move, a ship's knee provide extra support for the decks. They are fastened to the side of the ship inside the cargo hold. Carved from tree roofs or branches, that naturally forms 90-degree angles, the knees takes advantage of the wood's natural grain structure for strength. , , Look at the trees around you and imagine what part of the ship's skeleton they could be. ,