Hull Analysis of the Spring Break Wreck, a Nineteenth-Century Shipwreck Washed Ashore in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida

Summary

This is an abstract from the "A Sudden Wreck: Interdisciplinary Research on the Spring Break Shipwreck, St Johns County, Florida" session, at the 2019 annual meeting of the Society for Historical Archaeology.

On 28 March 2018, after several days of foul weather, a large section of articulated hull remains unexpectedly washed ashore at Ponte Vedra Beach in northeast Florida. Around 15 meters long, the timbers represented a substantial section from below the turn of the bilge of a large ocean-going vessel, fastened with numerous treenails and some iron fasteners. When first encountered the timbers were in excellent condition, with tool marks and shipwright scribing clearly visible to researchers. A number of interesting ship construction idiosyncrasies were noted during the documentation of the hull, including the use of Roman numerals to denote partnered frame timbers, spacer pieces to separate paired frame members, and square pegs forced through round holes to transversely fasten these timbers. These features and wood species identification have lead researchers to believe this craft was built in a vernacular yard in the southeastern U.S. sometime between the 1830s and 1890s.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for Historical Archaeology 2019   •
• A Sudden Wreck: Interdisciplinary Research on the Spring Break Shipwreck, St Johns County, Florida

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Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Society for Historical Archaeology

Record Identifiers

PaperId(s): 409