Amsterdam is building a Dutch-East Indiaman

AMSTERDAH I S BUILDING A DUTCH-EAST-INDIAï'LIN.

" S t i c h t i n g ' Amsterdam bouwt O o s t i n d i e v a a r d e r ".

D u r i n g t h e l a s t d e c a d e s i n The H e t h e r l a n d s t h e i n t e r e s t i n o l d s h i p s h a s b e e n r e m a r k a b l y i n c r e a s e d .

Many s h i p s o f o l d age h a v e been k e p t o u t o f t h e hands o f s h i p -b r e a k e r s a n d a r e -b r o u g h t a g a i n i n t o t h e i r o r i g i n a l state»

A f l e e t o f a n c i e n t s a i l i n g v e s s e l s , b i g and s m a l l , i s s a i l i n g o n t h e D u t c h w a t e r s and a b r o a d .

S t e a m s h i p s have b e e n r e h a b i l i t a t e d and a t s p e c i a l e v e n t s i t i s a p l e a s u r e t o see them p a s s i n g b y , p u f f i n g and w h i s t l i n g .

From s e v e r a l s h i p - t y p e s , w h i c h e x i s t no l o n g e r , r e p l i c a s have b e e n b u i l t , n o t o n l y r e p l i c a s o f s m a l l v e s s e l s b u t o f t h o s e o f b i g g e r s h i p s as v r e l l .

Some y e a r s ago t h e s h i p y a r d " Amels " i n Kakkum i n The N e t h e r -l a n d s has b u i -l t a r e p -l i c a o f t h e I 8 0 ' D u t c h - E a s t - I n d i a m a n " P r i n s W i l l e m " f o r Japanese a c c o u n t .

A t t h i s moment t h e r e p l i c a s o f two o t h e r D u t c h E a s t I n d i a -s h i p -s a r e u n d e r c o n -s t r u c t i o n i n The N e t h e r l a n d -s ,

One o f t h e m , t h e " B a t a v i a " i s b e i n g b u i l t i n L e l y s t a d w h i l e t h e o t h e r o n e , v 7 h i c h has b e e n named " Amsterdam " , i s u n d e r c o n -s t r u c t i o n i n Am-sterdam, T h i s a r t i c l e w i l l d e s c r i b e t h e b u i l d i n g o f t h e l a t t e r . The p l a n t o b u i l d a r e p l i c a o f a s h i p o f t h e " V e r e n i g d e O o s t -i n d -i s c h e Compagn-ie " ( V,0,C, ) a r -i s e d -i n 1 9 8 0 . F o r t h a t p u r p o s e was c h o s e n t h e V , 0 , C , - s h i p " A m s t e r d a m " w h i c h v/as b u i l t i n 1 7 ^ 8 . I t has b e e n d e c i d e d t h a t t h e b u i l d i n g h a d t o b e c a r r i e d o u t b y v o l u n t e e r s , m o s t l y u n e m p l o y e d v/oodworkers and y o u n g p e o p l e \-rho a r e l e a r n i n g t h e s h i p v / r i g h t t r a d e .

I n t h a t v/ay,when t h e s h i p w i l l be r e a d y , t h e C i t y o f Amsterdam v ; i l l p o s s e s s a n i m p r e s s i v e monument i n memory o f t h e V.O.C,,v;hich company has p l a y e d s u c h a p r o m i n e n t p a r t i n t h e d e v e l o p m e n t o f t h i s c i t y .

A t t h e same t i m e t h i s p r o j e c t has t h e o b j e c t i v e t o b r o a d e n t h e h i s t o r i c - m a r i t i m e i n t e r e s t o f t h e n a t i o n .

To r e a l i z e t h i s p l a n a f o u n d a t i o n has b e e n c r e a t e d naxaed " Amsterdam b o u w t O o s t i n d i e v a a r d e r "« A p a r t o f t h e n e c e s s a r y f u n d s have b e e n p r o v i d e d b y t h e m u n i -c i p a l i t y o f t h e C i t y o f A m s t e r d a m , t h e m i n i s t r y o f E -c o n o m i -c a l A f f a i r s and t h e m i n i s t r y o f S o c i a l A f f a i r s v / h i l s t many s p o n s o r s h a v e b e e n i n t e r e s t e d i n t h i s p l a n t o g e t h e r v ; i t h an e m i s s i o n o f s h a r e s on t h e Exchange. The V.O.C.-ship " A m s t e r d a m ".

The o r i g i n a l " Am.sterdam " has b e e n b u i l t on t h e s h i p - y a r d o f t h e V.O.C, i n Amsterdam i n 17^8 and was v j r e c k e d on h e r m a i d e n v o y a g e t o t h e D u t c h - E a s t - I n d i e s i n 1 7 ^ 9 .

A f t e r a s h o r t d r a m a t i c v o y a g e she s t r a n d e d d u r i n g a h u r r i c a n e on t h e E n g l i s h c o a s t n e a r E a s t i n g s and s a n k away i n s h i f t i n g s a n d s h o r t l y a f t e r .

The l e n g t h b e t w e e n t h e s t e m and t h e s t e r n was 150 Amsterdam f e e t ( one Amsterdam f o o t i s 0,283 m and i s d i v i d e d i n t o e l e v e n i n c h e s ) .

The r e p l i c a has t h e same d i m e n s i o n s as t h e o r i g i n a l s h i p and has a l e n g t h b e t w e e n s t e m and s t e r n o f k2,k3 m,the l e n g t h o v e r -a l l o f t h e h u l l i s -a b o u t 4 8 m w h i l e t h e w i d t h on t h e o u t s i d e o f t h e f r a m e s i s 11,65 m. The d i s t a n c e betvreen t h e u n d e r s i d e o f t h e k e e l t o t h e t o p o f t h e t r a n s o m i s 13.m . The d i s p l a c e m e n t o f t h e o r i g i n a l s h i p i n f u l l y l o a d e d c o n d i -t i o n was a b o u -t I3OO -t o n s . The r e g l i c a . The s p e c i f i c a t i o n s and t h e b a s i c d r a i r f i n g s f o r t h e r e p l i c a h a v e b e e n made b y " B u r e a u v o o r Scheepsbouw " i n B l o e m e n d a a l i n The N e t h e r l a n d s , w h i c h d e s i g n and c o n s t r u c t i o n b u r e a u made t h o s e f o r t h e V.O.C,-ship " P r i n s W i l l e m " as w e l l . I t was an i m p o r t a n t a d v a n t a g e t h a t t h e Rijksmuseum i n A m s t e r d a m p o s s e s s e s a r e l i a b l e s c a l e m o d e l 1:30 o f t h e h u l l o f t h e " A m s t e r -dam ", T h i s m o d e l i s v e r y w e l l d e t a i l e d and c o n t a i n s a l l p a r t s o f t h e h u l l - c o n s t r u c t i o n . The d i r e c t o r a t e o f t h e i^jksmuseum g a v e f u l l y a s s i s t a n c e i n u s i n g t h e m o d e l f o r m a k i n g d r a w i n g s . 70

The l i n e s o f t h e s h i p h a v e n o t h e e n d e t e r m i n a t e d b y m e a s u r e m e n t b u t have b e e n a c h i e v e d b y t h e t e r r i s t i c f o t o g r a m m e t i c m e t -h o d . I n f o l l o v ; i n g t h i s m e t h o d t h e f o r m and t h e d i m e n s i o n s o f a n o b j e c t a r e r e c o r d e d b y means o f s t e r e o s c o p i c photos,\'J'hich a r e t r a n s f o r m e d i n t o a c c u r a t e d r a w i n g s b y s p e c i a l a p p a r a t u s . T h i s method i s f r e q u e n t l y u s e d i n r e s t o r a t i o n s o f b u i l d i n g s e c t . O b s e r v i n g t h e f o r m o f t h e h u l l i t w i l l be n o t e d t h a t . t h i s s h i p had a r o u n d s t e r n w h i l e t h e p r o c e e d i n g s h i p s o f t h e V.O.C. u s e d t o h a v e f l a t t r a n s o m s .

Some y e a r s b e f o r e t h e " Amsterdam " was b u i l t t h e d o c k y a r d o f t h e a d m i r a l t y o f Amsterdam had s t a r t e d i n b u i l d i n g s h i p s w i t h a r o u n d s t e r n i n s t e a d o f a f l a t t r a n s o m .

O b v i o u s l y t h e r e e x i s t e d a c o n t a c t b e t w e e n t h e a d m i r a l t y d o c k y a r d and t h e V . O . C . s h i p y a r d and t h e l a t t e r has f o l l o w e d t h i s a l -t e r a -t i o n . To r e a l i z e t h e c o n s t r u c t i o n o f t h e r e p l i c a a s m a l l p a r k was o f f e r e d t o t h e f o u n d a t i o n a t t h e v / a t e r s i d e n e a r t h e c e n t e r o f t h e c i t y . I t was one o f t h e c o n d i t i o n s t h a t p e o p l e c o u l d o b s e r v e t h e c o n s t r u c t i o n o f t h e s h i p f r o m t h e p u b l i c r o a d . The p a r k h a d t o be made r e a d y f o r t h e u s e o f a s h i p y a r d , t h e g r o u n d had t o be h a r d e n e d , t h e n e c e s s a r y b u i l d i n g s , v r o r k s h o p s w i t h m a c h i n e s , m o l d l o f t f l o o r , s l i p w a y , c r a n e e c t . e c t , h a d t o be i n s t a l -l e d . I n f a c t i t i s s t r a n g e t h a t t h i s s h i p y a r d has b e e n f o u n d e d f o r t h e b u i l d i n g o f o n l y one s h i p ; when t h e s h i p w i l l be r e a d y t h e p l a c e v d . l l be a p a r k a g a i n . The H u l l ,

The s h i p h a s tv/o d e c k s f r o m f o r e t o a f t , t h e u p p e r d e c k and t h e l o w e r d e c k .

B e l o w t h e l o w e r d e c k i s a n o r l o p d e c k , m o r e o v e r t h e r e i s a f o r e -c a s t l e d e -c k , a p o o p d e -c k and a n u p p e r p o o p d e -c k .

On t h e l o w e r d e c k l 8 g u n s o f 12 p o u n d s c o u l d be p l a c e d , o n t h e u p p e r d e c k 22 guns o f 8 pounds and o n t h e p o o p d e c k 8 guns o f

The s c a n t l i n g s o f t h e c o n s t r u c t i o n p a r t s h a v e been d e t e r m i n a t e d b y s t u d y i n g o l d s p e c i f i c a t i o n s and v / i t h t h e h e l p o f o l d b o o k s i n w h i c h t h e h u l l c o n s t r u c t i o n has b e e n d e s c r i b e d i n d e t a i l s . To m e n t i o n some o f t h e s e b o o k s : " Scheepsbouw en B e s t i e r " v / r i t t e n b y r l i c o l a e s W i t s e n

(I69O ),

" De N e d e r l a n d s c h e Scheepsbouw K o n s t O p e n g e s t e l d " b y C o r n e l i s v a n I J k (

1697 ) ,

" Seeman " b y W.a W i n s c h o t e n ( 1681 ) .

The k e e l has a l e n g t h o f a b o u t 38,5 m , i s 0,6o m h i g h and 0,45

w i d e .

The k e e l s o n i s 0,20 m h i g h and 0,40 m w i d e , t h e b i l g e s t r i n g e r s a r e

0,30

x

0,15

m.

The f r a m e s a r e b o l t e d betv/een t h e k e e l and t h e k e e l s o n .

T h e r e a r e 27 r i n g f r a m e s w i t h deckbeams and Icnees v/hich c o n t r i -b u t e i m p o r t a n t l y t o t h e t r a n s v e r s a l s t r e n g t h . The s p a c i n g o f t h o s e r i n g f r a m e s v a r y f r o n 0.70 m t o l, 8 o m, t h e d i m e n s i o n s a r e 0,30 x 0,25 B e t w e e n t h e r i n g f r a m e s s e v e r a l t w e e n f r a m e s a r e p l a c e d 0,25 m x

0,25

m. The d i m e n s i o n s o f t h e u p p e r d e c k - b e a m s a r e 0,25 m x 0,25 m, t h o s e o f t h e l o v / e r d e c k a r e 0,35 m x 0,30 m. The d e c k s t r i n g e r s a r e 0,45 m x 0,15 m. T h e r e a r e two w a l e s , t h e d i m e n s i o n s o f t h e u p p e r v / a l e a r e o,8o m 0,15 m,those o f t h e l o w e r w a l e 1,00 m x 0,15 m. The h u l l p l a n k i n g i s 0,10 m t h i c k , t h e c e i l i n g 0,05 m. The h u l l p l a n k s a r e c o n n e c t e d t o t h e f r a m e s b y g a l v a n i z e d b o l t s a n d n u t s and w h e r e i n e v i t a b l e w i t h b a r b e d b o l t s .

The h u l l p l a n k i n g has b e e n c a u l k e d i n t h e o r i g i n a l way t o ob-t a i n a w a ob-t e r ob-t i g h ob-t h u l l and a g o o d f r i c ob-t i o n b e ob-t w e e n ob-t h e planks»ob-to i m p r o v e t h e l o n g i t u d i n a l s t i f f n e s s o f t h e s h i p . The m a t e r i a l s . The

¥ . 0 , 0 ,

u s e d f o r t h e c o n s t r u c t i o n p a r t s o f t h e h u l l m a i n l y o a k and p i n e - w o o d f o r t h e d e c k s . I t i s d i f f i c u l t a t p r e s e n t t o o b t a i n w e l l s e a s o n n e d oak t i m -b e r s o f -b i g d i m e n s i o n s and s p e c i a l l y o a k e n c r o o k s a r e v e r y s c a r s e An i m p o r t a n t c o n s i d e r a t i o n i n t h e c h o i s e o f wood v/as t h a t t h e s h i p , w h e n r e a d y , w i l l a l w a y s be moored i n f r e s h w a t e r so t h a t she w i l l m i s s t h e p r e s e r v a t i n g e f f e c t o f s e a w a t e r . 72

I t was e x p e c t e d t h a t o a k f o r t h i s p u r p o s e v/ould have a t o o s h o r t d u r a t i o n and t h e r e f o r e a more d u r a b l e k i n d o f t i m b e r had t o be c h o s e n , I r o k o ( c h l o r o p h o r a e x c e l s a ) i s a k i n d o f wood v ; h i c h i s more d u r a b l e t h a n o a k , t h e s h r i n k a g e i s l e s s , t h e s t r e n g t h a n d t h e w e i g h t i s e q u a l t o o a k , i t has fev\r l a i o t s , i s w e l l a v a i l a b l e i n b i g d i m e n s i o n s a n d t h e p r i c e i s r e a s o n a b l e . These a r e t h e most i m p o r t a n t m o t i v e s t h a t t h e s h i p f o r t h e g r e a t e r p a r t h a s b e e n made o f i r o k o . The d i s a d v e n t a g e o f p i n e - v / o o d , i f u s e d f o r t h e d e c k s , i s t h a t t h i s k i n d o f v/ood i s r a t h e r s o f t a n d l e s s p r o o f a g a i n s t w e a r ( l a d i e s s t i l e t t o h e e l s ) and t h e f i r e - p r e v e n t i o n a u t h o r i t i e s t h i n k i t t o o i n f l a m m a b l e t o u s e i t w i t h i n t h e s h i p .

So t h e v / e a t h e r d e c k s have been made o f i r o k o as w e l l .

The l o w e r d e c k s have b e e n made o f b a n g k i r a i ( s h o r e a l e a v i f o l i a ) b e c a u s e t h i s k i n d o f v;ood i s v e r y w e a r p r o o f and l i t t l e i n f l a m m a b l e . The k e e l s o n , t h e b i l g e g i r d e r s a n d t h e p i l l a r s h a v e b e e n made o f azobé ( l o p h i r a p r o c e r a ) . The c o n s t r u c t i o n o f t h e h u l l . The d r a w i n g s , b e l o n g i n g t o t h e s p e c i f i c a t i o n s , h a v e b e e n made b y " B u r e a u v o o r Scheepsbouv; " , m e n t i o n n e d b e f o r e . The d e t a i l d r a w i n g s w e r e made i n t h e d r a v j i n g r o o m o f t h e s h i p -y a r d a f t e r w h i c h t h e -y v/ere l o f t e d o n t h e m o l d l o f t - f l o o r . O r i g i n a l l y t h e f r a m e s w e r e composed o f s e v e r a l c u r v e d p i e c e s o f wood b u t s e t t i n g a s i d e t h e p r o b l e m t o o b t a i n t h e s e c r o o k s , t h i s c o m p o s i t i o n g i v e s a l o s s i n s t r e n g t h a n d a c o n s i d e r a b l e l o s s o f v/ood. F o r t h a t r e a s o n t h e frames,deckbeauns and o t h e r p a r t s o f t h e r e p l i c a h a v e b e e n l a m i n a t e d and g l u e d . I n t h i s way a c o n s t r u c t i o n has b e e n o b t a i n e d w h i c h i s s t r o n g e r and more r i g i d t h a n t h e o r i g i n a l one a n d o n t h e o t h e r hand one i s s u r e t h a t a component i s t h o r o u g h l y s o u n d w h i l s t t h e g r a i n i s p a r a -l e -l t o t h e c u r v e o f t h e wooden p a r t .

I n t h e N o r g e s T e l o i i s k e H/^gskole i n T r o n d h e i m i n Norway f u l l s c a l e t e s t s h a v e b e e n c a r r i e d o u t w i t h a g l u e d l a m i n a t e d a n d a c o n v e n t i o n a l wooden s e c t i o n o f a f i s h i n g v e s s e l , w i d e 5,50 m.

The r e s u l t was t h a t t h e l a m i n a t e d c o n s t r u c t i o n was 22 % h i g h e r i n s t r e n g t h a n d '^0 30 % h i g h e r i n s t i f f n e s s t h a n t h e c o n v e n -t i o n a l c o n s -t r u c -t i o n .

A n o t h e r a d v a n t a g e i s t h a t t h e l a y e r s o f g l u e v d . l l a c t as a b a r r i e r a g a i n s t d e c a y .

The k i n d o f g l u e t h a t has b e e n u s e d i s b a s e d on r e s o r c i n o l -p h e n o l and i s e x c e l l e n t l y s u i t a b l e f o r t h i s -p u r -p o s e .

B e f o r e g l u i n g t h e wood has t o be k i l n - d r i e d t o a b o u t l 4 % humi d i t y .

The g l u i n g w o r k has t o be e x e c u t e d i n a s p e c i a l w o r k s h o p i n w h i c h t h e a i r has t h e r e q u i r e d t e m p e r a t u r e and h u m u d i t y ; g l u i n g i n t h e open a i r does n o t g i v e r e l i a b l e r e s u l t s .

The k e e l has b e e n l a m i n a t e d t o o and as t h e w o r k s h o p d i d n o t h a v e s u f f i c i e n t l e n g t h t h i s w o r k had t o be done by a f i r m w h i c h i s s p e c i a l i z e d i n t h i s w o r k .

The l e n g t h o f t h e k e e l was a b o u t 40 m.

The s h i p has 75 f r a m e s and t h e y a r e l a m i n a t e d i n s u c h a way t h a t t h e y have o v e r t h e v/hole l e n g t h t h e c o r r e c t b e v e l f o r t h e h u l l p l a n k i n g and t h e c e i l i n g .

T h i s has s a v e d a c o n s i d e r a b l e amount o f w o r k and v i 7 o o d . I n l a m i n a t i n g t h e frsimes t h e i r s t r e n g t h and s t i f f n e s s h a v e i n c r e a s e d so i t was p o s s i b l e t o r e d u c e t h e number o f f r a m e s com-p a r e d w i t h t h e o r i g i n a l c o n s t r u c t i o n w h i c h s a v e d w o r k , m a t e r i a l a n d i m p r o v e s t h e v e n t i l a t i o n b e t w e e n t h e h u l l p l a n k i n g a n d t h e c e i l i n g . A s i d e f r o m l a m i n a t i n g wooden p a r t s , j u s t m e n t i o n e d , t h e s h i p has b e e n b u i l t o f s o l i d wood and t h e c o n s t r u c t i o n i s e q u a l t o t h a t o f t h e o r i g i n a l " A m s t e r d a m ", An e x c e p t i o n i s t h a t t h e number o f r i d e r s have b e e n i n c r e a s e d . I n t h o s e d a y s t h e s h i p s o f t h e V.O.C. w e r e n e v e r d o c k e d i n g r a v i n g d o c k s , b e c a u s e t h e r e w e r e no d o c k s i n The N e t h e r l a n d s , b u t t h e y w e r e i n c l i n e d so f a r t h a t t h e k e e l came o u t o f t h e w a t e r . C a l c u l a t i o n s showed t h a t when t h e s h i p v J i l l be p u t on d o c k b l o c k s o u t o f t h e w a t e r t h e s t r e s s e s i n t h e f r a m e s c a n be l o c a l -l y r a t h e r h i g h . As t h e r e p l i c a has t o be d o c k e d p e r i o d i c a l l y i n t h e f u t u r e i t h a s b e e n d e c i d e d t o i n s t a l l more r i d e r s t h a n was u s u a l f o r mer-c h a n t s h i p s .

Where wooden p a r t s have t o be b e n t , i n m o s t c a s e s t h i s c a n be d o n e w i t h o u t h e a t i n g .

When t h i s w i l l be i m p o s s i b l e o r t o o r i s k y t h e t i m b e r s h e v e t o b e b e n t b y h e a t i n g one s i d e a n d w e t t i n g t h e o t h e r s i d e .

F o r m e r l y t h i s w o r k was done a b o v e a f i r e o f wood and r e e d b u t i n t h i s case i t has b e e n done b y i n f r a - r e d h e a t i n g .

As t h e p r e s e n c e o f p i p e l i n e s and e l e c t r i c a l c a b l e s e x c l u d e d a n o r m a l s l i p x v a y , t h e s h i p h a s b e e n b u i l t i n a h o r i z o n t a l p o s i t i o n and t h e l a u n c h i n g o p e r a t i o n r e q u i r e d a p r o f o u n d s t u d y . I t has b e e n d e c i d e d t h a t t h e s h i p , w h e n h e r s t r e n g t h w o u l d be s u f f i c i e n t , h a d t o be t r a n s p o r t e d f r o m t h e b u i l d i n g - s i d e on a p o n t o o n . The p o n t o o n w i t h t h e s h i p had t o be t o w e d t o a f l o a t i n g d o c k a f -t e r w h i c h -t h e s h i p c o u l d -t a k e -t h e w a -t e r .

F o r t h i s t r a n s p o r t t w o enormous " Mammoet " waggons w e r e a v a i l a b l e , e a c h waggon had 100 w h e e l s w h i c h w e r e s u p p o r t e d b y h y d r a u l i -c a l -c i l i n d e r s i n s u -c h a way t h a t when t h e g r o u n d i s u n e v e n t h e p l a t f o r m o n t h e t o p o f t h e waggon w i l l be s t r a i g h t . F i r s t t h e s h i p h a d t o b e l i f t e d . D u r i n g t h e b u i l d i n g t h e wooden k e e l h a d b e e n b a s e d on a h e a v y s t e e l p r o f i l e . F o r l i f t i n g t h e s h i p s i x h e a v y s t e e l b a r s have b e e n w e l d e d w i t h r i g h t a n g l e s t o t h i s p r o f i l e .

On t h e ends o f t h e s e b a r s v e r t i c a l b a r s have b e e n v;elded t o p r e v e n t t h e s h i p f r o m c a p s i z i n g . Under e a c h b a r w e r e f o u r h y d r a u l i c a l j a c k s p l a c e d v:hich w e r e c o m p u t e r c o n t r o l l e d so t h a t d u r i n g t h e l i f t i n g t h e k e e l d i d n o t b e n d . A f t e r t h e s h i p had b e e n l i f t e d 1,40 m M.gh t h e waggons c o u l d b e r o l l e d u n d e r t h e c o n s t r u c t i o n .

The p l a t f o r m s o f t h e waggons w e r e r a i s e d and t h e j a c k s c o u l d b e r e m o v e d . I n s p i t e o f t h e f a c t t h a t t h e c o n n e c t i o n o f t h e y a r d w i t h t h e p o n t o o n was f a r from f l a t , t h e t r a n s p o r t o f t h e s h i p p r o g r e s -s e d -s m o o t h l y . The t r a n s p o r t t o t h e f l o a t i n g d o c k a n d t h a t o f r o l l i n g t h e s h i p on t h e d o c k and a f t e r t h a t t h e u n d o c k i n g have n o t g i v e n p r o b l e m s e i t h e r . The v j e i g h t o f t h e s h i p a n d t h e s t e e l c o n s t r u c t i o n was a b o u t 450 t o n s . Some d a y s a f t e r t h e l a u n c h t h e " A m s t e r d a m " h a s b e e n c h r i s -t e n e d b y H.R.H, P r i n c e s s ïiargrie-t.

The r i g g i n g .

A f t e r t h e s h i p had b e e n l a u n c h e d t h e m a s t s c o u l d b e p l a c e d . The m a s t s and t h e b o w s p r i t h a v e b e e n made o f o r e g o n - p i n e a n d b u i l t u p o f p a r t s o f s e v e r a l t r e e s , g l u e d t o e a c h o t h e r .

The l o w e r m a s t s a n d t h e b o w s p r i t have r o p e - i v o u l d i n g s . The t o p s have b e e n made o f i r o k o , t h e m a s t - c a p s o f o a k .

The y a r d s a n d t h e m i z z e n y a r d have b e e n made o f o r e g o n - p i n e a n d t h e b l o c k s o f e l m .

I n s e l e c t i n g t h e r o p e m a t e r i a l t h e d u r a b i l i t y was a n i m p o r t a n t f a c t o r t o c u t down t h e e x p l o i t a t i o n c o s t s .

The o r i g o n a l u s e d r o p e s had a s h o r t d u r a t i o n a n d r e q u i r e d much m a i n t e n a n c e .

F o r t h e s t a n d i n g r i g g i n g H e r c u l e s r o p e h a s b e e n c h o s e n , r e i n -f o r c e d \-ilth s t e e l c o r e - t h r e a d s .

The r u n n i n g r i g g i n g has b e e n made o f p o l y e s t e r , p o l y p r o p e n e a n d n y l o n o f a q u a l i t y w h i c h i s u . v . - a n d o z o n - p r o o f . The f o r e c a s t a n d t h e m a i n m a s t have b e e n p r o v i d e d w i t h l i g h t -n i -n g c o -n d u c t o r s . The f i n i s h i n g t o u c h e s . F o r t h e a p p e a r a n c e o f t h e s h i p t h e s c u l p t u r e s and t h e d e c o r a -t i o n s a r e o f i m p o r -t a n c e . However t h e V,0,C, s p e n t i n 1750 l e s s money f o r a d o r n m e n t s t h a n t h e company u s e d t o do one c e n t u r y b e f o r e , t h i s d e c o r a t i o n s r e q u i r e d a l o t o f w o r k .

The most e x t e n s i v e ornaments a r e t h e f i g u r e - h e a d , t h e D u t c h l i o n , a n d t h e t w o s t a t u e s o n t h e t r a n s o m , l l e p t u n e and M e r c u r y . These s c u l p t u r e s a r e c a r v e d o f i r o k o - w o o d a n d h a v e a v / e i g h t o f more t h a n one t o n e a c h . A f t e r a s c a l e - m o d e l 1 : 5 h a s b e e n made t h e s c u l p t u r e s h a v e b e e n m o u l d e d on f u l l s c a l e r o u g h l y i n l a y e r s o f p o l y s t y r e n e , 5 cm t h i c k . T h e s e l a y e r s w e r e c o p i e d i n l a y e r s o f wood a n d g l u e d t o g e t h e r so t h a t a r o u g h f o r m has b e e n o b t a i n e d w i t h a minimum l o s s o f w o o d . A f t e r t h a t t h e s c u l p t u r e s c o u l d b e f i n i s h e d . A l l s c u l p t u r e s a n d d e c o r a t i o n s have b e e n made b y v o l u n t e e r s u n d e r t h e q u i d a n c e o f a s k i l l e d s c u l p t o r a n d t h e r e s u l t s a r e e x c e l l e n t . 76

The s h i p had t o be r e a d y f o r S a i l 90 i n A m s t e r d a m , t h a t i s t o say t h e r i g g i n g m u s t be c o m p l e t e . A f t e r S a i l 90 t h e s h i p v d . l l b e f i n i s h e d i n s i d e and c o m p l e t e d w i t h a l l k i n d o f e q u i p m e n t w h i c h f o r m e r l y had b e e n on b o a r d , s o t h a t v i s i t o r s c a n f o r m a good i m p r e s s i o n how an i n d i a m a n i n t h o s e t i m e s u s e d t o l o o k .

The o r i g i n a l " Amsterdam " v/as e q u i p e d d u r i n g h e r v o y a g e w i t h 8 guns o f 1 2 - p o u n d s , l 6 guns o f 8-pounds,8 g u n s o f 4-pounds a n d 10 s v d v e l g u n s o f 1 - p o u n d . I t h a s b e e n d e c i d e d t o p l a c e o n t h e r e p l i c a 4 guns o f e a c h t y p e . The b a r r e l s h a v e b e e n c a s t e d o f i r o n and t h e s w i v e l g u n s h a v e b e e n made o f n o d u l a i r c a s t i r o n so t h a t t h e y c a n be u s e d f o r f i -r i n g s a l u t e s . The d e s t i n a t i o n . A f t e r t h e S a i l 9 0 - f e s t i v a l s t h e " Amsterdam " w i l l b e m o o r e d t o a p i e r a l o n g t h e M a r i t i m e Museum i n Amsterdam where s h e w i l l b e f i n i s h e d . I n t h e c o u r s e o f 1991 she w i l l be opened f o r t h e p u b l i c . I t i s n o t t h e i n t e n t i o n t h a t t h e s h i p w i l l b e u s e d f o r s a i -l i n g v o y a g e s b u t i f t h i s w i -l -l be v/anted a f t e r w a r d s t h e s h i p c a n b e made r e a d y f o r s e a w i t h o u t h i g h c o s t s . Hovfever d u r i n g S a i l 90 she v d l l be e q u i p e d v d t h f o u r s a i l s ^ t^^^o j i b s , t h e f o r e - t o p s a i l a n d t h e m i z z e n s a i l , v / h i c h s a i l s h a v e b e e n made o f t h e o r i g i n a l hemp. I t w i l l b e p o s s i b l e t h a t i n t h e case o f a m a r i t i m e f e s t i v a l i n a f o r e i g n h a r b o u r t h e s h i p w i l l be t o w e d o v e r s e a t o a d d l u s t r e t o t h a t e v e n t . B u t , a s s t a t e d b e f o r e , t h e p r i n c i p a l d e s t i n a t i o n o f t h e s h i p i s t h e C i t y o f Amsterdam t o g i v e p e o p l e a g o o d i m p r e s s i o n o f a V.O.C.-ship o f a b o u t 1750.

R i j k s m u s e u m i n Amsterdam

Photo 9. The h u l l i n l i f t e d c o n d i t i o n

P h o t o 10. The t r a n s p o r t from t h e b u i l d i n g p l a c e t o t h e pontoon