The 1607 Popham Colony's Pinnace Virginia: An in-context design of Maine's first ship by John W. Bradford
Maine Authors Publishing, Rockland, 2011, US$26.95 (pb)
167 pages, with maps, numerous line and colour illustrations, bibliography
ISBN 978-1-936447-73-2
At first glance this book promised much. However, it is a disappointment. The first question, which remains unanswered, is what is meant by ‘in-context design’? The level of technical detail, especially relating to wooden ship construction and lofting tables, etc., suggests the book is not intended for a general readership of maritime history, yet regardless of the inclusion of lofting data there is an amateurish ‘feel’ because of some very amateurish and almost pointless illustrations. There is also much supposition based on the interpretation of limited evidence. Nevertheless, the author states that his manuscript was ‘written as a reference resource for those with an historical interest in that fascinating period – and, more specifically, for reconstructing Virginia – or for those who may wish to reconstruct any vessel of that period …’
First impressions are often important and I would suggest that this book has been published by the author (known as vanity publishing). This opinion is based on the poor typography and poor page design and layout. Furthermore, the quality of the paper used means line drawings, colour illustrations and photographs lack clarity. Even the tables and graphs are slightly blurred, suggesting they were scanned first and then copied rather than being printed from the originals. For example, the poor layout makes the contents page a typographical mess that is not easy to read (the underlining of words is known to be difficult to read, as any book designer will know).
Indeed many illustrations are amateurish and have obviously been produced by someone not skilled in producing illustrations for print.
The author has adopted his own crossreferencing system, which does not follow accepted academic practice and is unnecessarily complex (and it is only when the reader gets to p. 21 that an explanation of the author's system is explained, but even then this applies more to the appendices than the author's actual references and sources). Indeed, the detailed appendices of the Virginia's ‘working design parameters’ could have been laid out much clearer. The bibliography also does not follow normal academic practice. There is no index, though the contents could be read as a substitute.
However, the author's concept for this book was sound. In summary the concept was to have on record a description of the interpretation of the design, construction and operation of a replica of what is presumed to have been the appearance of Maine's first ship. In other words this design – no replica has actually been built to the design proposals put forward in this book – is entirely supposition.
The replica design of the Virginia, originally built in 1607–8, is based on known naval architecture texts and rules as interpreted by more recent historians. Construction methods applied are also based on contemporary practice, ‘where known’, with allowances being made in both design and construction to accommodate United States laws relating to ship safety.
Some specific details look too recent for the period, whilst some construction details, such as the rudder, look more akin to a model than full size practice. Indeed, it would be interesting to know how much research was carried out into seventeenth century models in ascertaining details of fixtures and fittings (including masting and rigging), though of course little survives from the first decades of this century. But as small ship construction changed little in the seventeenth century it is safe to assume that practices employed in mid century and later differed little from earlier years.
Assumptions are made that are based on resources available in England rather than in a relatively new and short-lived colony on the other side of the Atlantic that was, at the time, called Popham (eventually part of New England). For example, the level of decoration the author proposes seems excessive for such a small vessel and seems to be based on nothing more than what limited visual evidence survives for Elizabethan and Jacobean ships. Interestingly the models illustrated in this book do not show the level of decoration the author proposes (though the black-and-white chevron design to the bulwarks is not convincing).
The bottom line is that this book is about what a 51-foot-long (15.6 m) vessel from 1607 might have looked like in design and construction. Could it be argued that a working vessel built in a distant colony would in fact not have been built according to a pre-determined set of calculations but simply by eye?
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00253359.2013.767551
© Michael Leek