...cont.
Seb:
According to the London Survey of the Isle of Dogs 1911, there were only two boat builders in the Docks, W.J. Leslie were the smallest.
The James Caird was constructed from Baltic Pine planking, on a keel of American Elm, stem, stern post and timbers made from of English Oak. She is carvel planked and most likely caulked with cotton (possibly oakum), her seams were paid with lead putty (according to the last survey conducted in the late 1960s). She was painted white overall with gunwales painted Service Brown. We are not sure what her internal colour was, possibly dark grey. All her fastening and fittings were made from copper, bronze brass a few items from galvanised steel (some people don't believe galvanizing was around in 1914...well it was...galvanizing began in 1837).
The James Caird is a 22.5 ft double ended (whaler shaped) life-boat. She weights 1.5 tonnes and is carvel rather than clinker built, this means that the planks that form, the hull sit flush against each other presenting a smooth hull to the water. (Clinker built is where the bottom edge of the upper plank overlaps the top edge of the blank beneath it.) from what we know of Worsley’s description, she had metal buoyancy tanks built in.
To find out exactly what the Caird looked like when she arrived at South Georgia Seb has gone back to first hand accounts from the expedition members.
Seb:
“Shackleton or Worlsey had the presence of mind to buy an additional large boat which could carry up to 20 men*. If they had sailed with just the cutters, if one of the cutters had been damaged (or lost at sea) they would have been buggered! Its not entirely clear who recognised the need for an additional boat however, according to Frank Worsley's 1931 account of the expedition it was he who specified the construction of a new double ended whaler "Built to orders...she was more lightly built than is required by the Board of Trade. This made her Springy and Buoyant.".
Well, this is were I like to throw the cat amongst the pigeons. Worsley may have said that but I believe he had no choice but to buy a new SOLAS lifeboat...with additional modifications added to his specification perhaps (this makes more sense to me). Do bear in mind that his account for the voyage was written 13 years after WW1. In his book he incorrectly refers to her as clinker built when she evidently isn't! I'm not saying what he wrote is false, I am merely suggesting that perhaps his memory was clouded and he may have worded that sentence incorrectly. The James Caird weighs 1.5 tonnes...that doesn't sound very lightweight to me. Springy...she is certainly not. Whatever he specified...the Caird was not lightweight or springy!! continued below..
Above: Regent's dock, Isle of Dogs, London. The area was comprehensively bombed during the Blitz, what remained of London's vast docks became ncreasingly run down until the 1980s when major 'yuppification' took place, the area is now the location of London's financial services centre.
Left: The James Caird, as she is today in Dulwich College. The sails, rudder and decking are all later additions.
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..cont: The Endurance arrived in London in July 1914 making her immediately subject to the new SOLAS regulations, I strongly believe that Worsley and Shackleton had no choice but to equip the ship with a third lifeboat. The smaller cutters were simply too small if one were lost. These new life saving measures had to be fully embodied by September 1916, this date fell short of the estimated ships return to England so - it was a legal requirement to have an additional boat, not just a personal desire for "a springy" double ended whaler.
Seb is referring to the Safety of Life at Sea Convention (SOLAS). New SOLAS regulations had been passed into law on 20th January 1914 and were published globally in February 1914. At the time, Britain was the world’s leading maritime power, the two main authorities for regulating safety and conduct at sea were the Admiralty (who published the most accurate and comprehensive charts) and the Board of Trade. Throughout the 19th Century, the Board of Trade had introduced a number of regulations to make the lot of seamen and passengers safer, one of these was that it became imperative for ships to carry lifeboats. The Board of Trade would typically pass requirements into UK law and these were then picked up and adhered to internationally. However, by 1912, the regulations were out of date; they had been based on ships that were considerably smaller than some of the vast liners and cargo vessels. In 1912, this was brought home with the tragic loss of life when Royal Mail Ship Titanic hit an iceberg and sank, the majority of the dead had been killed by hypothermia in the water, those in the boats survived.
46.
*•The James Caird could carry up to 20 men as a conventional open rowing boat (not 30). When the topside there raised, that capacity increased to 29 according to Worsley. Seb calculates indicate that she could carry a lot more (without the stores and provisions the men saved from Endurance)