USS Constitution

[looneyflight]

does anyone know why they never put all the sails up? why they rarely ever sail it under it own power? and why has it never moved under its own power faster than 6 kts in over 100 years?

[JamesPolymer]

@looneyflight

The main issue issue is her age; remember, the Constitution is over 200 years old, and maintaining her becomes more difficult with every strain on her timbers. (Since 9/11 I would think security is also a major concern.) The ship also has to pull daily shifts as a public exhibit moored near the USS Constitution Museum in the Charlestown Navy Yard.

[elskeeper]

She sure is a beauty.

[xboxboy78]

My grandpa was a captain of the ship after she was decommissioned knud c. Rip grampa :(

[BonesLover247]

I have to say is she is one beautiful ship, not to mention she's 214 years old (and still afloat to this day)

[USMarineRifleman0311]

she's being boarded!!! man the sides and prepare to repel boarders!!

[bfs1888]

after reading some of below, now i don't give a shit. You two are just plain assholes. I'm sure there is one answer. Just find it, and start acting your ages

[Daedalus94]

I think it`s ironic that the Conny with 56 guns was comparable to a fourth rate ship of the line armed with 46-56 guns.

[eggcompany]

I'm happy that you people still compare and take pride these ships as they are actually incredible pieces of art and history in addition to representing military might. It's really saddening that the only thing that symbolizes military might these days are nukes.

[sgregg5257]

She is the penultimate Frigate.  She could beat anything in her class, could catch any merchantman, and escape from anything she couldn't beat. The goal of the typical frigate.

[edj66]

@sgregg5257 Not sure you mean penultimate....

[sgregg5257]

Pretty cool. She also takes on about 900 gallons of water a day. So it is now easy to keep her afloat.

[sgregg5257]

Pretty cool.

[1701Sisko]

Flag ship of the RN?!?!?!? Sorry this is a USN ship.

[ManicMammoth]

@1701Sisko

i think he is refering to the HMS Victory.

[nallepuh6969]

they should totally take her to the Tall ships race and show those guano dinghies what a real Man O War is made of

[fushheads]

Thumbs up if you want to see the Constitution fire a full broadside on the Tricentennial of the Navy.

[Dolphindream15]

there have been reports that old ironsides is haunted,,,

[NickNoRtHeRnLiGhTs]

i got to ride on it while it still allowed passengers!! i did about 5 times

[jcrmarine]

maureenoww my appologize! it was the H.M.S Guerrire she fought and earned her nickname. but as far as being an average frigate she was built larger and more heavily armed than the average frigates of her day with 52 guns the guirrier had 49 and more than one bounced off thats how she got her name! and damage was minimal. and yes the victory would probly have takin her if they fought the damn thing had 104 guns but that jst gave the constitution the speed advantage.

[maureenOWW]

@jcrmarine stop spouting ridiculous myths.Constitution was hit by an 18-pounder and it bounced off. ONCE. The other cannonballs hit her and did damage. She never fought the victory, of course. Victory had 64-pounder cannon, and had over 3 times the number of guns of any ship the Constitution ever fought. You can't even begin to compare them. Constitution was an average-sized frigate with a thicker than average hull, Victory was a state of the art battleship designed to beat all known rivals.

[NilezII]

Victory had ONE 68 lb carronade, otherwise, she carried 24, 18, and 12 pounders. She was "state of the art" in the 1750's, when she was launched, but already considered an "old" ship by the time of Trafalgar. You are right that the two ships aren't comparable: The Victory was built to head a line of battleships, and the Constitution was built to out-gun enemy frigates. Like comparing a battleship to a heavy cruiser.

[zeek997733]

lol if she got in a fight with an enemy aircraft carrier its obvious who would win.... OLD IRONSIDE!!

[jcrmarine]

for those of u who dont know ur history and say constitution would have gotten her ass kicked, she was hit repeatidly by hms victory cannon but they bounced of her sides hence the nickname "old ironsides". because of the kind of wood they used to build her.

[maureenOWW]

@jcrmarine stop spouting ridiculous myths.Constitution was hit ONCE by a 18-pounder and it bounced off. ONCE. The other cannonballs hit her and did damage. She never fought the victory, of course. Victory had 64-pounder cannon, and had over 3 times the number of guns of any ship the Constitution ever fought. You can't even begin to compare them. Constitution was an average-sized frigate with a thicker than average hull, Victory was a state of the art battleship designed to beat all known rivals.

[BonesLover247]

@maureenOWW well that's what the USS Constitution was designed for too, and as you can tell, she did pretty well, given the fact what she's still afloat 214 years later. Also if someone wishes to compare the two they can, clearly you are, that last sentence is a major comparison I'd have to say, as is your little reference to the guns.

[LuxorVan]

Because "God" (Me) fought alongside! Call me Jesus, my real name is Jacob" Well Michael in the Flesh"! That's where I confuse even the wisest men! Love TEOM!

[Clearly69]

No tug boats back in the day. We have it so easy these days.

[iowa61]

All this rhetoric about our CinC being a "liberal" is pointless, boring as hell, and ultimately meaningless. Hell, Roosevelt was a 'liberal." Truman was a "liberal." LINCOLN was a "liberal." Already the "liberal" Obama has hunted down and killed or captured more terrorists than the "conservative" Bush ever did... The USS CONSTITUTION is a national treasure, no matter which party holds the presidency.

[elswick1542]

One of the worlds greatest preserved warships!

[STRANGER12345678910]

just like her hull the constitution's namesake is unbreakable...unless a libral gets a hold of it HAAA!!! lol jk

[Graphic36]

It's a ship in a liberal commander-in-chief's navy and it's still afloat.

[STRANGER12345678910]

not what i meant but ok

[STRANGER12345678910]

and the uss constitution vs the hms victory battle wud take FOREVER because the uss constitution took 2 ships by out monuvering and well lets face it the hms victory is very slow so ya theres our victory BUT broadside to broadside hms victory + with those 42 llb cannonballs goin a mile out wud be theirs, but all in all the hms victory vs uss constitution wud be a good battle, i wud also like to see the uss independence before she was razzed vs hms victory

[MrAmerica1995]

Yeah, because the Constitution would be faster and more maneuverable, but Victory has more sheer firepower. Would be an intresting battle.

[hockey160029]

@MrAmerica1995

It would have been a very short battle. Victory would have blow the Constitution out of the water. How long it would take to bring her guns to bare is just a matter of who had the weather gauge. The Constitution's only option would be to turn and run.

[Mewtario]

I'd call it a long match! Over 200 years and they are both still active! Have they sailed the Victory recently, though?

[STRANGER12345678910]

if i am correct, in a battle with a cyane and levant, constitution had 12, 32 llb cannonballs LODGED in the side of her hull at the end of the confrontation...man 21 inches of southern live oak sure did the job. thank god she wasnt scraped.Long live Ol' Ironsides!

[STRANGER12345678910]

Man, she beat the shit outa the british french and barbary states...wow...she kicked ass

[labrax100]

@STRANGER12345678910 was blockaded though

[boiledliddo]

Impressive ship. :)

Thank you for posting the video.

[NJHCRevEdge]

My God, what a sight! As a former sailor, this brings tears to my eyes. Her and her 5 sisters showed the French, British, and Barbary pirates what-for! I was born 200 years too late, I'd have loved to have sailed in the days of wooden ships and iron men.

[nordschleifefan]

If you know your history, you will recall that HMS Cyane and HMS Levant both engaged Constitution at the same time, only to result in both of the British frigates being captured as prized. Levant tried to escape after seeing Cyane had struck colors, but the Constitution overtook her and she struck her colors, afterward.

[MAIDEN068]

ive preformed on that ship with a fife and drum corps.

[SPUTunit]

nice awsome cool good nice

[NJHCRevEdge]

We beat you twice, I'd love the chance to do it again!

[fourstar7]

i wonder why the Victory is drydocked...why don't they sail it like we do the Connie?

[NJHCRevEdge]

The only problem, Victory would never catch the Constitution. So why don't you eat shit and die, you pathetic limey, queen loving, tea sucking fairy?

[irishoforiel]

Victory isnt a commisioned warship anymore.

[tonyoffpompey]

She is commissioned mate - she is just not actively commissioned and will likely never sail again. She is still on the books and is still the flag ship of the RN

[SleepyTymeT]

@tonyoffpompey The Victory is a splendid vessel, and her greater size is something to see, even if not on the water at present. I am lucky enough to spend time on Constitution, and hope that all who see her also get a chance to visit the Warrior and Victory in Portsmouth. Both nations have much to share in best practices for passing the torch

[cjmahoney]

@tonyoffpompey

er...the flagship of the RN? Don't you mean the US Navy? She was the scourge of the RN, not the flagship of it

[tonyoffpompey]

@cjmahoney Sorry cjmahoney, I was talking about HMS Victory. If you look at my other posts I was prob in discussions with someone re. Victory as well at the time. I for sure would not have made that elementary mistake.

Scourge of the RN is a slight exaggeration though, but I take your point :)

[MrDeano324]

@cjmahoney

Scourge of the Royal Navy?. If Great Britain was so concerned about her, they would have dispatched HMS Victory to annihilate her. Many Americans seem to forget that Constitutions sister ship USS Chesapeake was captured by one British 38 gun frigate. Constitution and Chesapeake were identical in every way. And the nickname 'Old Ironsides' was used by Britain to refer to HMS Britannia 32 years before Constitutions construction. Their was nothing special about Constitution. Just a myth

[Vermiliontea]

@MrDeano324 Don't be so silly and chauvinistic. RN was very concerned about all american ships, and rightly so since they did a lot of damage. They tried their best and captured some american ships, Like Chesapeake, with a bit of luck. They needed the luck since the american ships, fleet frigates or privateers, could always sail away from the british if they didn't want to fight. Finally Chesapeake was NOT a sister ship to Constitution, and NOT identical. Chesapeake was in fact much smaller.

[MrDeano324]

@Vermiliontea

The Royal Navy was not concerned about Constitution. She was a 44 gun frigate. The Royal Navy had First Rate ships of the line boasting some 122 cannon. One broadside from a British First Rate would have decimated and sunk Constitution. HMS Victory was special, Santisima Trinidad was Special, The Bucentaure was Special. Theres nothing special or mighty about a frigate that played zero part in world history and that uses a nickname first coined by its enemy 30 years before...

[Vermiliontea]

@MrDeano324 Constitution was almost as long as Victory, and 15 ft taller. But was a frigate and could outsail all british frigates. Her sides were 21 in thick Quercus virginiana, 1.2 density. During 1812 war, she carried 56 guns. 4 long 24 pound cannons, 30 24 pound cannons and 22 32 pound carronades. She defeated 33 ships, including 5 RN Frigates, 2 of them in a single engagement. She was the most successful US ship during the war, which cost Britain in excess of 1500 lost ships.

[Vermiliontea]

@MrDeano324 Nickname was earned by never becoming much damaged in battle, and after finding twelve 32-pound balls embedded in the thick Quercus virginiana sides. 44 is just a rating, at the time US habitually rated frigs a dozen guns below. I don't know why. RN was so concerned that they started building 40-gun 24-pounder frigs, two 60-gun frigs, and converted some 74-guns to heavy frigates in emergency.

As for "zero part in world history", it's either your judgement or ignorance at display.

[MrDeano324]

@Vermiliontea

The nickname was given to the Britannia for the same reason. The Americans just stole it for their own vessel. Very origional. And as I said before, a British first rate would have ripped apart the Constitution with a single broadside. If the Royal Navy were that concerned, they would have dispatched one to deal with it. And Ignorance?. Tell me a battle USS Constitiution was involved in that changed the course of human history?...thought so...

[Vermiliontea]

@MrDeano324 What is it you don't understand? Britain dispatched many squadrons of ships of the line. Entire fleets. None of them ever got a chance to get an american frigate in range. What they did accomplish was to lock in some of them for much of the war with blockades. So "zero" is now anything not momentous enough for you to not belittle? And you thought what? :The success of USS Constitution had an enormous impact on US naval politics. Getting these built was the hard part. -> winning WW2.

[Vermiliontea]

@MrDeano324 Building these ships was a laboured effort. The goals were sky high: Make France stop harrassing US shipping, make Barbary states stop harrassing US shipping, make Britain stop harrassing US shipping and recognize the independence of US in acts. The detractors many, costs insane and the task ambitious for the young nation with meagre means. Yet these special ships were painfully dragged to completion, and achieved all goals completely. "zero part in history"? USA is irrelevant then?

[MrDeano324]

@Vermiliontea

Well you couldnt answer my question could you ;). And the battle that ultimately won the Independence war was the Battle of Chesapeake, in which 24 French ships defeated the 19 ship British fleet. This led directly to the surrender at Yorktown as no British supplies or munitions could get through. These frigats did not win U.S independence. The French did...

[Vermiliontea]

@MrDeano324 (facepalm, though it somewhat explains where you've been, and where you posts from)

Look: These ships weren't even built then. Independence war ended 1783. Constitution was launched 1797.

And I did answer your question. Twice.

[MrDeano324]

@Vermiliontea

The Royal Navy dominated the American 'Navy'. All the British had to do to protect a stretch of water, a convoy or a suppy line, was to deploy a couple of first rates. The American frigates would not have dared take on one of these floating goliaths. And they didnt. They took on British Frigates and sloops of war. Maybe thats where the phrase "pick on someone your own size", comes from...

[Vermiliontea]

@MrDeano324 Britain dispatched large squadrons of ships of the line, to blockade the entire US Atlantic coast. You don't chase Frigs with ships of the line. That would be an exercise in futility. It was everyday routine for every frigate captain in the world to avoid ships of the line. Hunting frigates is a job for frigates. And Britain dispatched many frigate squadrons. After losing many ships, several frigates, they forbade british ships to engage US frigates and shiprigged sloops one on one.

[Vermiliontea]

@MrDeano324 At this time, the US Navy was among the weakest in the western civilisation. And the british navy by far the most mighty. This fact is completely irrelevant to anything discussed here. At sea, the 1812 war was a commerce raiding war. While the war held other motives (Canada), it was prompted by britain harrassing american shipping and financing hostile indian nations. Since Britain agreed to stop both these activities, in the treaty that ended the war, it's fair to say Britain lost.

[svenbeck0360]

@tonyoffpompey Actually she is planned to set sail this year on June 3rd

[svenbeck0360]

@svenbeck0360 Very true. I was on her and fired off the 21 gun salute.

[svenbeck0360]

@tonyoffpompey Well as a sailor on the USS Constitution I can tell you this, she will sail again.

[irish89055]

@svenbeck0360  Is there any original wood left on her?

[edj66]

@svenbeck0360 He's talking about HMS Victory I think.

[RetroVideoFan]

@tonyoffpompey Yes, in fact, the oldest floating commisioned naval vessel in the world.

[mg1342mg]

What a beauty from The Age of Sail. I have read my books on her and her sisters so many times.

I would love to be on her stood to the wind with every sail bent, chasing down some hapless 36 gun British man of war.

[pete1munchen]

what would be really funny is seing this poor thing going up against the HMS Victory and the Victory blowing her out of the water!

[Reddrum101]

frigates were built to run away from ships of the line not face them

[gurumagoo]

Magnificent ship. I'd love to see her under full sail.

[NJHCRevEdge]

She is truly a sight to behold. She, and her sisters mauled the Royal Navy bad enough that British ships were ordered not to engage American frigates in less than squadron strength. I can only imagine how the CO must've felt on this day.

[labrax100]

@NJHCRevEdge not threatend

[dagroundNpound]

Great Video of OLd Ironsides, The history of that ship is amazing

[APhilipp28]

That's true!

On her last cruise 1814/15 she was battleing the British Empire alone!

[labrax100]

@APhilipp28 dont be stupid

[draysunburst]

That would be something if the bent every sail, she'd look even better.

[irishoforiel]

All hail Old Ironsides! She once took on two British men-of-war(ships of the line) and captured them both! She still has her commision ,the oldest warship afloat!

[ppitm]

Well no she didn't but that's okay.

[pete1munchen]

isn't the HMS Victory not the oldest?

[shipmate1957]

pete1munchen...the HMS Victory is the oldest warship in commission...but she is in permanent drydock. The uss Constitution is the oldest warship still in commission and afloat. She is still crewed by active duty US Navy sailors. Hope this helps

[labrax100]

@irishoforiel yes a fine ship but she would not come out to meet hms leander

[rprince418]

@irishoforiel Hell, she defeated 5 british ships. I call that Ace material.

[skipperdoodle1947]

@irishoforiel

They were frigates, 38 guns if I recall (not ships of the line). The smallest ship of the line typically was a '74'.

Not taking anything away from Constitution, or her impressive accomplishments.

[eddybaby58]

@irishoforiel Actually the HMS Cyane and HMS Levant were sixth-rate vessels, of less than 30 guns apiece, not line-of-battle ships, or ships of the line which were much larger and more powerful than the Constitution, which was a heavy frigate.. The Levant was rated a "sloop of war." No matter what, taking on two of these and defeating them was an amazing feat.

[pathman2010]

@irishoforiel I'm sure this has been responded to, but Constitution never took on or captured a ship of the line, let alone two. I'm as big a patriot and fan of Ironsides as anyone, but no naval commander in their right mind would take a frigate of that era against a ship of the line--the frigate would be annihilated. She beat a couple fifth-rate frigates, but those weren't considered ships of the line. She was built to beat ships of similar size, and to run from those that outgunned her.

[Parkyacar]

I think I just figured out the answer to my own question...they were just using the tug to get her out of the harbor...new question..how did they get sailing ships like that out of the harbor before there were tugboats?

[Tubakovich]

They'd get out in row boats and pull by rope. Like in Master & Commander when the ship got damaged.

[Jiggersfromsphilly]

No the would cast off and move with the tide. The use of boats as in Master and Commander comes from a real situation involving the Constitution.The tug you see is just a guarantee as the crew has very if not any , experience sailig the Constitution. Unlike their 18th century predecessors.

[Tubakovich]

I had this conversation with my Captain when I was in the navy as we were watching a British frigate dock in Bahrain. The frigate was approaching the dock without the help of tugs, and so I asked him how this old wooden ships used to do it. And that's what he told me.

[antipryzm]

they'd wait for the right wind and sail out.

[Parkyacar]

Why do they have a tugboat if she's under full sail?

[fizzlefist]

Now that is a beautiful ship.

[draysunburst]

She's the Constitution, I do believe you're right.