The Hull - Page 1 of 3
Text and illustrations from Andrew Fielding's unpublished monograph - The Mary Rose, A Model
The
Hull Body below the Waterline
The keel is made from three pieces of elm scarfed together to give a length of 32m, upon which the floor timbers are erected and to which they are fastened.
Carvel planks are secured to the floor timbers and futtock frames by treenails along their length, but are spiked for additional strength at their butt ends.
The strakes run, uninterrupted, from stem to stern between the keel and the lower of the three wales which is positioned immediately above the waterline. The midship section of the keel exhibits a curve which cannot be accounted for by either hogging or deformations caused after the sinking.
It is possible that this central section of the keel was constructed with a slight arch, as a bridge section might be made. The compression of the keel arch, under weight loading from the rigged main mast, could cause the seams in the midship section to stretch and open up. Ribbands secure additional caulking over the lowest seams, and are specifically placed in the vicinity of the main mast to prevent leakages caused by flexing. Examination of the wood surface beneath these seams suggests that they were part of the original construction.
The Hull Body above the Waterline
Above the waterline, the ship's side is strengthened by three wales which follow the rising sheer of the deck line.
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