Malcolm Rivera
The USS Constitution, also known as Old Ironsides, is a three-masted wooden-hulled heavy frigate of the United States Navy. It is the world's oldest commissioned naval warship still afloat. The ship was launched in 1797 and was one of six original frigates authorized for construction by the Naval Act of 1794. The ship's hull is made up of three layers of oak: white oak for the exterior horizontal planking, live oak for the vertical framing, and white oak again for the interior horizontal planking. The sides of the USS Constitution were more than 22 inches thick at the waterline, and the ship's sturdy oak hull was capable of taking punishment that would have destroyed ships many times her size.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Hull Thickness | 21 inches (530 mm) or 22 inches |
| Hull Length | 175 ft (53 m) between perpendiculars, 204 ft (62 m) overall |
| Hull Width | 43 ft 6 in (13.26 m) |
| Hull Composition | Three layers of oak: white oak exterior and interior planking, live oak vertical framing |
| Hull Planks | 35 ft long, 5-7 in wide, 4-7 in thick |
| Hull Design | Hybrid of French and British designs, with diagonal stressed members for support |
| Hull Maintenance | Restored in the 1950s with red oak, restored again in the 1970s to its 1812 configuration |
| Launch Date | October 21, 1797 |
| Builder | Joshua Humphreys |
| Shipyard | Edmund Hartt's shipyard, Boston, Massachusetts |
| Materials | Pine, oak (including southern live oak), copper fittings |
| Crew | 30 sailors |
| Armament | 44-55 guns |
| Speed | 9 knots (17 km/h; 10 mph) |
| Nicknames | Old Ironsides, America's "Ship of State" |
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What You'll Learn
The USS Constitution's hull is 21-22 inches thick at the waterline
The USS Constitution, also known as Old Ironsides, is a three-masted wooden-hulled heavy frigate of the United States Navy. It is the world's oldest commissioned naval warship still afloat. The ship was launched in 1797 and was one of six original frigates authorized for construction by the Naval Act of 1794. The USS Constitution's hull is made up of three layers of oak: exterior and interior white oak planking over dense live oak framing. This combination of white and live oak makes up the ship's "'iron'" sides.
The USS Constitution's hull is approximately 21-22 inches thick at the waterline. Its length between perpendiculars was 175 ft, with a 204 ft length overall and a width of 43 ft 6 in. The hull planks are on average 35 feet long, vary in width from 5-7 inches, and 4-7 inches in thickness. The USS Constitution's hull was built to be the strongest of its era, with a dense and sturdy structure. This thickness was a key factor in its ability to withstand the pounding of close-quarters battles.
The ship's designer, Joshua Humphreys, created a hybrid hull design that combined French shipbuilding's speed and inshore manoeuvrability with the robust structural standards of British naval architects. Humphreys also added his own unique design feature to the hull: a series of 12 diagonal stressed members (six on each side), known as "diagonal riders", which further enhanced the ship's structural integrity.
The USS Constitution earned its nickname, "Old Ironsides", during the War of 1812 when an American sailor, witnessing British cannonballs bouncing off the ship's hull, reportedly shouted, "Huzza! Her sides are made of iron!" This nickname was further cemented by the ship's victories in two more battles with the Royal Navy during the same conflict.
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The hull is made up of three layers of oak
The USS Constitution, also known as Old Ironsides, is a wooden-hulled heavy frigate of the United States Navy. It is the world's oldest naval warship still afloat. The ship was launched in 1797 and was built at Edmund Hartt's shipyard in Boston, Massachusetts. The ship's hull is made up of three layers of oak. The outer and inner layers are composed of white oak, while the middle layer is made of dense live oak.
The hull's three-layered design, with exterior and interior horizontal planking and vertical framing, creates a sturdy structure. The thickness of the hull at the waterline is impressive, measuring more than 22 inches, or over two feet, providing the ship with its famous ""iron" sides. This thickness is due to the combination of white and live oak, which not only resists rot but also provides exceptional strength. The USS Constitution's hull has withstood the test of time and battle, earning its reputation as a formidable warship.
The construction of the USS Constitution's hull required a significant amount of oak. The ship's builders sourced the oak from various regions, including New England, the Mid-Atlantic states, and the sea islands off Georgia. The oak trees provided the lengthy planks needed for the hull, with an average length of 35 feet and widths ranging from 5 to 7 inches. The thickness of the individual planks varies from 4 to 7 inches, contributing to the overall thickness of the hull.
The choice of oak for the USS Constitution's hull was a deliberate one. Live oak, in particular, is known for its density and resilience, making it ideal for the inner structure. The use of oak, combined with the design by Joshua Humphreys, resulted in a ship with exceptional strength and endurance. This strength was evident in the ship's early battles, where British cannonballs were reported to bounce off the hull, solidifying its reputation as "Old Ironsides".
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The ship's iron sides
The USS Constitution, also known as Old Ironsides, is a three-masted wooden-hulled heavy frigate of the United States Navy. It is the world's oldest commissioned naval warship still afloat. The ship was launched in 1797 and was one of six original frigates authorized for construction by the Naval Act of 1794.
The ship's hull is made up of three layers of oak: exterior and interior white oak planking over dense live oak framing (ribs) spaced close together. This forms a dense and sturdy structure more than 21 inches thick at the waterline, with some sources stating it to be over 22 inches thick. This is the ship's "'iron' sides". The oak used in the hull is not only rot-resistant but also extremely strong. The main hull, with the live oak inner frames, is over two feet thick at the waterline and capable of withstanding punishment that would have destroyed ships many times its size.
The USS Constitution earned the nickname "Old Ironsides" during the War of 1812 when an American sailor, noting that some of the British cannonballs fell harmlessly off the ship's stout oak hull, shouted, "Huzza! Her sides are made of iron!" This nickname was further cemented by the ship's victories in two more battles with the Royal Navy during the same conflict.
The USS Constitution's hull planks are on average 35 feet long, vary in width from 5-7 inches, and are 4-7 inches in thickness. The ship's designer, Joshua Humphreys, recommended a method of ""boiling" the white oak, which would render it flexible and allow it to bend to fit the extreme curves of the ship's bow and stern. This technique has been used in recent restorations of the ship.
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The ship's oak hull was strengthened by boiling its white oak
The USS Constitution, also known as Old Ironsides, is a three-masted wooden-hulled heavy frigate of the United States Navy. It is the world's oldest commissioned naval warship still afloat, having been launched in 1797. The ship was built at Edmund Hartt's shipyard in Boston, Massachusetts, and its hull was constructed to be 21 inches (530 mm) thick. The primary materials used in its construction were pine and oak, including southern live oak, which was chosen for its strength and density.
The boiling of white oak was a labor-intensive task, as American wood, known for its hardness, presented a challenge to shipbuilders. The USS Constitution's hull, with its thick layers of white oak planking and live oak frames, proved remarkably resilient to enemy cannonballs during its naval engagements. This resilience earned the ship its nickname, "Old Ironsides," as British cannonballs were seen to bounce off its stout oak hull.
The USS Constitution underwent restoration in the 1950s, where red oak was experimentally used to determine if it would be more durable than live oak. However, by 1970, the red oak had largely rotted away, and the ship entered dry dock again in the early 1970s for further restoration. During this period, Commander Tyrone G. Martin established the precedent that all construction work should aim to maintain the ship's 1812 configuration, emphasizing the importance of historical accuracy.
The USS Constitution continues to be a symbol of American naval history and has been designated as America's official "Ship of State." The ship has seen service in four different centuries and remains a celebrated monument of the United States' naval victories.
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The USS Constitution is the world's oldest commissioned naval warship still afloat
The USS Constitution, also known as Old Ironsides, is the world's oldest naval warship still afloat. It was launched in 1797 in Boston, Massachusetts, and is one of six original frigates authorized for construction by the Naval Act of 1794. The ship was built at Edmund Hartt's shipyard and was designed by Joshua Humphreys to be larger and more heavily armed than standard frigates of the period. The USS Constitution's hull was built with pine and oak, including southern live oak, and was 21 inches (530 mm) thick. Its length between perpendiculars was 175 ft (53 m), with an overall length of 204 ft (62 m) and a width of 43 ft 6 in (13.26 m).
The USS Constitution's career began in 1798 when it sailed to the Caribbean to protect American merchant vessels from French privateers. It continued its duties of providing protection for American merchant shipping during the Quasi-War with France and defeating the Barbary pirates in the First Barbary War. In 1812, the USS Constitution fought in the War of 1812 against Great Britain, earning its nickname "Old Ironsides" due to its sturdy oak hull. It defeated HMS Guerriere in its first frigate-to-frigate battle and went on to repeat this victory in two more battles with the Royal Navy.
Over the years, the USS Constitution has undergone several repairs and restorations to keep it afloat. In the 1920s, restoration efforts sourced lumber from a stock of timbers stored in a retaining pond on a Naval Air Station in Florida, demonstrating the effectiveness of waterlogging in preserving wood. In 1940, the ship was recommissioned at the request of President Franklin Roosevelt, and in 1972, funds were approved for another restoration. Today, the USS Constitution's mission is to promote understanding of the Navy's role in war and peace through educational outreach, historical demonstration, and participation in public events. It is usually berthed at Pier 1 of the former Charlestown Navy Yard in Boston and remains a fully commissioned Navy ship with a crew of active-duty Navy personnel.
The USS Constitution has now seen service in four different centuries and is the only ship in the current U.S. fleet to have sunk an enemy vessel. It has accumulated various superlatives, including being designated as America's official "Ship of State" in 2009, the only ship of state in the world. The ship's hull, with its exterior and interior white oak planking over dense live oak framing, forms a sturdy structure, and its sides are considered "iron." About 10% of the ship is still original timber, and it continues to be maintained and open to visitors, offering free tours and guided tours.
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Frequently asked questions
The sides of the USS Constitution, also known as Old Ironsides, were approximately 22 inches thick at the waterline.
The USS Constitution was designed by Joshua Humphreys to be the strongest, fastest, and most heavily armed frigate of its era. The thickness of its sides, made of three layers of oak, contributed to its strength and ability to withstand battles.
The hull of the USS Constitution had three layers: exterior and interior white oak planking over dense live oak framing. The oak used was rot-resistant and extremely strong, with the live oak forming the inner structure of the ship.
