Seb:
The replica James Caird (named J. Caird for legal reasons) was built from plans and measurements taken directly from the original lifeboat now housed at Dulwich College. The measurements were lofted at IBTC Lowestoft and subsequently the J. Caird was constructed from there. According to the London Survey of the Isle of Dogs 1911, there were only three boat builders in the Docks, W.J. Leslie were the largest.
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 replica J. Caird is constructed exactly the same for the exception of some material alternatives due to trade restrictions and budget. Notably, the American Elm keel had to be replaced with oak due to the current ban on American Elm imports due to Dutch elm disease. In essence, the replica Caird is the most accurate replica ever built structurally. Some of her metallic fittings were hand made at IBTC: the main mast clamp, disengaging gear lifting eyes, keel rubbing strake, rudder pintles and gudgeons. Her deck fittings have been sourced from Davey & Co who once upon a time occupied a site in West India Dock. According to her current owners it is highly likely that they produced fittings for W.J. Leslie. All the Manilla and Hemp cordage have been sourced from Chatham Master Ropery, and the paint was supplied by Premier Marine Paints. Special mention has to go to all three of these companies. The ropery is one of the very last commercial roperies in the UK where cordage is manufactured using original techniques and machinery. Davey & Co produce fittings using the original pattern book dating back to the late 1800s, and Premier Marine Paints mix their pigments in the UK - probably the best paint for wooden classic boats (my personal opinion). I have to stress that this build has aimed to source every possible item from a British manufacturer. We like things Made in Britain!
As for our boat builders...IBTC Lowestoft...they are the very best classic boatbuilding college in the UK (again, my personal opinion). I can qualify this statement because this is the second replica they have built for me. The first replica Caird, named Alexandra Shackleton, kept me alive for 12 days at sea between January 23rd and February 3rd, 2013. To this day, I can't help but feel that if wasn't for the quality craftsmanship that went into that vessel, I might not be here to discuss the matter with you. We had all manner of modern safety equipment on-board that boat; we were the envy of very passing yacht, but in the Southern Ocean no vessel would have been able to assist us in reality. We sailed through some horrendous weather and that plucky 23ft long wooden lifeboat just carried on. During that voyage all the modern kit let us down (and I mean all of it); all the 'vintage' kit performed beautifully. Had we done that in a fibreglass boat, or an aluminium tender...I think the result would have been a bit different.
Copper roeving holds the J.Caird together
After returning from the 2013 expedition, Seb said in the film of the expedition that he felt like he ‘only touched the tip of the iceberg of Shackleton and the crew’s experience’. On his return to the UK, Seb started his research on the James Caird and decided to build the J.Caird. The best people to build the boat are and were the International Boat Training College at Lowestoft in Suffolk, they had built the Alexandra Shackleton, the boat used by the 2013 expedition. The J.Caird has now been completed and is currently at Seb’s house being fitted out.
Right, The J.Caird, waiting for caulking and fitting out.
Building the J.Caird
Words: Seb Coulthard, Richard Palmer, IBTC
Pictures: Seb Coulthard, IBTC Lowestoft
54.