HMS Mentor 1781

[pcolaboy]

draught is a british term for the drawings used by the shipwrights that built her. some vessels were built from half models. if you have access to david steels book " the elements and practice of naval architecture"
he explains to the letter how the british built there ships in the age of sail.

howard chapelle's the history of american sailing ships is another good reference book and much easier to obtain. draughts were also called scantlings by more modern people. from what you've written if she was converted to a sloop in 1778 her draft was probably 6'-8'. and that was probably fully loaded.

the term sloop to the british merely meant that her guns were on only 1 deck, or that she was commanded by an officer below the grade of captain. I have an extra copy of chapelles book if you're interested.

I hope I've been of help. p.s. let me know if you find her.

I'm not debating you on anything. I'm just quoting the logbook and the other sources. As far as I can tell, Draft of 11'9" is still a draft of 11'9". I'm not familiar with the discrepancy from the other source that mentioned "draught of 14' " In the English language, the words Draught and Draft have been used quite interchangeably especially when referring to beer .

 

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[wwwtimmcp]

the mentor could possibly have been built with drop keels. these were built on a pivot and could be retracted in shallow water. the british called these sliding keels. I had an old 22 foot balboa that had one of these. that would explain alot if she was built this way.

according to david steels book the british sloop only had an 8 foot 3 inch depth of hold, but since the mentor was built outside of a british navy yard and refitted for naval service it is a possibility. you might try to find out if she was built with a sliding keel.

best of luck to you.

 

[pcolaboy]

the mentor could possibly have been built with drop keels. these were built on a pivot and could be retracted in shallow water. the british called these sliding keels. I had an old 22 foot balboa that had one of these. that would explain alot if she was built this way.

according to david steels book the british sloop only had an 8 foot 3 inch depth of hold, but since the mentor was built outside of a british navy yard and refitted for naval service it is a possibility. you might try to find out if she was built with a sliding keel.

best of luck to you.

Very good point. Thanks for the suggestion!!! According to my book, there aren't any schematics or sketches of the Mentor known to exist that would certainly help. The author suggested, based on the descriptions of Mentor given, that it would very much resemble a larger version of the HMS Bounty. My book has a diagram of what the author 'feels' the vessel probably resembled. I will try to scan it this evening and post it.

Pcola

 

[Voldbjerg]

Pcola,

I guess the logbook tell when the ship was scuttled and when the crew returned. Is it possible to guess the distance travelled or mabe route over land?

/V

 

[fishingdoc]

Very good point. Thanks for the suggestion!!! According to my book, there aren't any schematics or sketches of the Mentor known to exist that would certainly help. The author suggested, based on the descriptions of Mentor given, that it would very much resemble a larger version of the HMS Bounty. My book has a diagram of what the author 'feels' the vessel probablyd resembled. I will try to scan it this evening and post it.

Pcola

Hello Sir,

After reading about the Mentor and living on Blackwater Bay for many years, I think people are looking in the wrong direction. 2/3 the way up Blackwater Bay is Catfish basin. Well protected with an opening of 14 feet. Shallow on the approach but if you can find the changing channel may be obtainable. Catfish basin is 7-8 feet and shallows quickly. Immediately to the west is an area know as Rocky Shores since sailing ships off loaded ballast there. Some residents have stone fences from the stone. I have found many "rock piles" fishing this area", some quiet large. I suggest looking in this area first. Second, off of Bay Point on Blackwater Bay was an old confederate garrison. A neighbor told me as a child he would jump over old cannons. Unsure of the cannon types. Water depth is easy 12 feet in the channel. I used to live on Robinson Point where water depths were 12-15 feet in the channel and rock pile noted there as well.

Off of Escribano Point on the extreme area of Blackwater Bay, was an old lighthouse/range marker (Keeper buried on the historic cemetery of my old property). Deep water there that also shallows quickly and a prime place to search.

Hope this helps.

 

[sphillips]

Old thread and cola hasn't been on here in a long time, but interesting theory

 

[Ollinger]

To any of you wondering how deep the Blackwater river is it's extraordinarily deep this is an image from the Bruce Olinger dried out company which operated from 1859 to 1917, there were many ships that came in withdraws far deeper than 10 to 12 ft. The HMS Mentor could certainly have made its way up the river to this location which was well known as a dry dock facility even in 1830

 

[Ollinger]

Also does anybody have any guidance on when you find gold coin Antiquities in Florida, if it's on personal property who gets to keep the proceeds from the sale?

 

[Ollinger]

Well my earlier submission had several typos, it's the Bruce Ollinger Dry Dock company, at the mouth of the Blackwater River..in 1830 The Jonas Brothers were a marine repair facilty