# How Much of the USS Constitution Is Original? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 20, 2012, 12:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-of-the-uss-constitution-is-original/632047 "2012-08-20T12:51:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Bookkeeper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bookkeeper/32/281_2.png) [@Bookkeeper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bookkeeper)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2012, 12:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-of-the-uss-constitution-is-original/632047/21 "2012-08-25T12:28:40Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > I’ve done the tour a few times. If you look closely at some of the cannons, you’ll see that some have arrows cast in the barrel pointing toward the hole. The navy guide explained that was to make sure that if the ship was carrying Marines, they’d know which way to point the cannon. He was pulling your leg (or possibly relating “tour guide history”). The arrow would be the Board of Ordnance “broad arrow” marking the gun as British government property. While the current cannon are apparently all replicas cast in 1930, it was probably copied from an original gun that was captured from the British or left over from pre-Revolution days (cannon lasted forever if properly cared for). See an example [here](http://mid-atlanticmusings.blogspot.ca/2011/11/cape-cod-day-2-part-2.html). ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2012, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-of-the-uss-constitution-is-original/632047/22 "2012-08-25T12:45:30Z")
I reckon **BobLibDem** knew that was a Navy/Marine joke. Marines wouldn’t have been crewing the guns anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2012, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-of-the-uss-constitution-is-original/632047/23 "2012-08-25T13:42:57Z")
> [@lazybratsche](#): > > The Constitution has copper plate covering everything below the water line, which greatly reduces the “rotting”. I think a little water can get through the sheathing, but bigger marine critters like barnacles and shipworms cannot. Though I am not entirely sure if the copper sheathing was part of the original construction or added at a later date. > > Also, the keel and other major structural bits are made out of the densest, choicest wood. Basically the shipbuilders go into old-growth live oak forests and find the best possible keel-shaped tree, particularly for such an important ship like the Constitution. Would the shipbuilders know what ship it was going to- and was it known that the ship would be important? ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2012, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-of-the-uss-constitution-is-original/632047/24 "2012-08-25T13:58:34Z")
> [@Cicero](#): > > Would the shipbuilders know what ship it was going to- and was it known that the ship would be important? In this case, absolutely yes. This was one of the [original six Navy frigates](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Original_six_frigates_of_the_United_States_Navy), a not-insignificant economic undertaking for the fledgling nation and seen in military terms as critical to the continued existence and success thereof. Full copper sheathing was part of the original construction. ---
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2012, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-of-the-uss-constitution-is-original/632047/25 "2012-08-25T14:33:15Z")
Thanks for the link- it was really interesting to read the whole lot. I think half my question was really “How could they know it would be important so far in the future”: however it seems that ships of the era had a really long life anyway. Thinking back that is pretty well true anyway. The crew of a vessel of 1750 would be able to pretty well manage a ship of 100 years later (give or take a few decades). ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2012, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-of-the-uss-constitution-is-original/632047/26 "2012-08-25T14:52:20Z")
IIRC, two of the six American frigates, _Constitution_ and _Chesapeake_, are depicted in action (seen from the British side) in Patrick O’Brian’s _The Fortune of War_. The others are mentioned as well, and the story, though fictionalized, makes clear the real consternation felt in the mighty Royal Navy when their first encounters with the new American ships go against them. ---
**Author:** ![Lukeinva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lukeinva/32/17872_2.png) [@Lukeinva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lukeinva)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2012, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-of-the-uss-constitution-is-original/632047/27 "2012-08-25T16:10:01Z")
Several years ago in Boston in a rental car I wanted to go see the ship but I got lost. So I stopped at a hardware store for directions and after a few minutes of directions the shop owner said “heck, just get in your cah and follow me.” He drove all the way to docks with me behind him!.. so I’m taking this opportunity to a give a big shout out to that guy. I was not part of any tour but the crew let me on the ship anyway and tour it myself. It’s a great relic… and the oldest commissioned battleship in the US Navy. Love that boat. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2012, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-of-the-uss-constitution-is-original/632047/28 "2012-08-25T21:18:51Z")
> [@Peremensoe](#): > > IIRC, two of the six American frigates, _Constitution_ and _Chesapeake_, are depicted in action (seen from the British side) in Patrick O’Brian’s _The Fortune of War_. The others are mentioned as well, and the story, though fictionalized, makes clear the real consternation felt in the mighty Royal Navy when their first encounters with the new American ships go against them. Indeed. After the first few losses, the Admiralty even issued orders for single British ships not to engage the U.S. sail frigates. According to _Naval History_ magazine a few years ago, a digitized version of the USS _Constitution_ stood in for the French frigate _Acheron_ in the movie _Master and Commander_, based on O’Brian’s works. > [@Lukeinva](#): > > …It’s a great relic… and the oldest commissioned battleship in the US Navy. Love that boat. Warship, ship or frigate; not technically a “battleship” or a “boat.” ---
**Author:** ![tracer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tracer/32/20578_2.png) [@tracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tracer)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2012, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-of-the-uss-constitution-is-original/632047/29 "2012-08-25T23:02:33Z")
If I were to visit the U.S.S. Constitution, given that it’s a wooden sailing ship, I would want to do so on National Talk-Like-A-Pirate Day. Arrrrrrr. ---
**Author:** ![Ignatz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/3be4f8/32.png) [@Ignatz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ignatz)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2012, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-of-the-uss-constitution-is-original/632047/30 "2012-08-26T01:48:28Z")
deleted personal info included in link ---
**Author:** ![the\_diego](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7bcc69/32.png) [@the\_diego](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/the_diego)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2012, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-of-the-uss-constitution-is-original/632047/31 "2012-08-26T02:26:51Z")
As I understand it, salt water entering wood will make it vulnerable to boring organisms but that is minimized by copper sheets. The real enemy is fresh water (rain) as it will attract dry land molds and other organisms that help rot. ---
**Author:** ![Ignatz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/3be4f8/32.png) [@Ignatz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ignatz)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2012, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-of-the-uss-constitution-is-original/632047/32 "2012-08-26T23:30:47Z")
A bit of Constitutional history (as yet unverified): The U. S. S. Constitution (Old Ironsides), as a combat vessel, carried 48,600 gallons of fresh water for her crew of 475 officers and men. This was sufficient to last six months of sustained operations at sea. She carried no evaporators (i.e. fresh water distillers). However, let it be noted that according to her ship’s log, “On July 27, 1798, the U.S.S. Constitution sailed from Boston with a full complement of 475 officers and men, 48,600 gallons of fresh water, 7,400 cannon shot, 11,600 pounds of black powder and 79,400 gallons of rum.” Her mission: “To destroy and harass English shipping.” Making Jamaica on 6 October, she took on 826 pounds of flour and 68,300 gallons of rum. Then she headed for the Azores , arriving there 12 November. She provisioned with 550 pounds of beef and 64,300 gallons of Portuguese wine. On 18 November, she set sail for England . In the ensuing days she defeated five British men-of-war and captured and scuttled 12 English merchant ships, salvaging only the rum aboard each. By 26 January, her powder and shot were exhausted. Nevertheless, although unarmed she made a night raid up the Firth of Clyde in Scotland . Her landing party captured a whisky distillery and transferred 40,000 gallons of single malt Scotch aboard by dawn. Then she headed home. The U. S. S. Constitution arrived in Boston on 20 February 1799, with no cannon shot, no food, no powder, no rum, no wine, no whisky, and 38,600 gallons of water . GO NAVY ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2015, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-of-the-uss-constitution-is-original/632047/33 "2015-02-20T04:36:30Z")
The article on the USS _Constitution_ is the featured page-one article on Wiki today: [USS Constitution - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Constitution) Great picture from July 1997: [USS Constitution - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Constitution#mediaviewer/File:USS_Constitution_Sail200d.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2015, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-of-the-uss-constitution-is-original/632047/34 "2015-02-20T15:48:59Z")
Copper sheathing is to prevent [shipworm](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teredo_navalis) from eating the planks. Otherwise,[from what I’ve read](http://www.deckmagazine.com/wood/question---answer.aspx), water immersed in wood doesn’t really rot any more than water in air, it’s the wet/dry cycling that causes rot more than anything, because wood rot is really a fungal process, and completely submerged wood doesn’t have enough oxygen to support the fungi. So that’s why the keel hasn’t rotted away; most of the intervening 200+ years have been spent underwater, except for the occasional refit. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2015, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-of-the-uss-constitution-is-original/632047/35 "2015-02-20T15:52:29Z")
I saw a show about this where IIRC they said about 10% of the original wood remained. They showed a couple of pieces. I believe its was all in the interior of the boat. ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2015, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-of-the-uss-constitution-is-original/632047/36 "2015-02-20T16:07:20Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > Congratulations, Ralph. Plutarch asked the [same question](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ship_of_Theseus) almost two thousand years ago. Wow, I had no idea the Constitution was that old! ---
**Author:** ![bob\_2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bob_2/32/3341_2.png) [@bob\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_2)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2015, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-of-the-uss-constitution-is-original/632047/37 "2015-02-20T17:09:48Z")
It’s no surprise that any 17/18c wooden ship had been rebuilt many times. HMS Victory, the oldest commissioned ship in the world, is also estimated to be only about 15% original. A lot of previous restoration work has also been redone as it was even less durable than the original. She does live on dry land these days though. As far as the undoubted success of the US navy in the war of independance goes, you should realise that the British were a lot more concerned about the French and the Spanish at the time. I also note how the teaching of history skewed according to where you learn it. How many American students know that the British took and held Maine in 1814 without hardly a shot fired. An odd result of the treaty of Ghent (where we gave it back) is the continuing dispute over the sovereignty of Machias Seal Island. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2015, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-of-the-uss-constitution-is-original/632047/38 "2015-02-20T17:18:49Z")
Wow, I’d never heard of that before! Amazing the U.S. and Canada haven’t been able to reach an accord after all these years: [Machias Seal Island - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Machias_Seal_Island) ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2015, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-of-the-uss-constitution-is-original/632047/39 "2015-02-20T17:59:37Z")
> [@bob\_2](#): > > As far as the undoubted success of the US navy in the war of independance goes, you should realise that the British were a lot more concerned about the French and the Spanish at the time. I imagine that the captains of HMS _Guerrière_, _Java_, _Cyane_, and _Levant_ were considerably more concerned with _Constitution_. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2015, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-of-the-uss-constitution-is-original/632047/40 "2015-02-20T19:12:36Z")
> [@dropzone](#): > > As for the keel, are there any old-enough-growth oak trees left to make a keel? There’s a story of a British admiral during the Napoleonic era who used to carry acorns in his pockets. And whenever he was out in the country, he would always plant a few acorns in order to help maintain the future supply of oak trees that Britain would need for her navy. But by the time those acorns he planted became full grown oaks, it was World War II and nobody was building wooden ships anymore. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-of-the-uss-constitution-is-original/632047.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-of-the-uss-constitution-is-original/632047.md?page=3)