HMS Gannet Restoration

Picture above shows HMS Gannet in dry dock at The Historic Dockyard prior to restoration.

HMS Gannet has been in dry dock at The Historic Dockyard at Chatham since 1987, with ownership passing from the Maritime Trust to Chatham Historic Dockyard Trust in 1994.

Since then a major restoration program has taken place, generously supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund, Medway Council and the European Regional Development Fund.  The ship is now restored back to her 1886 appearance – a period which saw Gannet defending the port of Suakin in the Sudan.  

Since active service HMS Gannet has had various roles which had resulted in many changes to her physical appearance.  The time served as an accommodation ship to the nautical training school Mercury had resulted in some particularly significant alterations.  Before any restoration work could even be undertaken therefore, an extensive program of historical research was required in order to establish the original specification of the ship and all its fixtures and fittings. 

Work to date has seen the conservation and re-coppering of the ship's largely original hull, as well as the re-fitting of the original decks, cabins, masts and spars.  The most significant and vital part of the restoration program was ensuring the overall structure of the ship was secure.  Only minor repairs to the original iron framing and teak planking below the level of main deck were needed.  However above main deck the extensive corrosion of deck beams and hull frames required large-scale restoration.
 

Repairing heavily corroded parts of the hull was one of the first steps to making the ship's structure sound.

Of the decks, the upper, poop and forecastle deck all required full replacement and recaulking, which was carried out using traditional oakum.  Four substantial bulkheads that had been removed during her time as an accommodation ship and the original coal bunker were all reinstalled which helped insure the ship's structural integrity.

Gannet's Hull being re-coppered.

Another significant aspect of the ship's restoration was her rig.   All the masts and spars had to be newly manufactured to original specification from seasoned mast quality timber, in HMS Gannet's case, Douglas fir.  In fact suitable timber was sourced in the Forest of Dean, from trees that had been blown down during the 1987 hurricane.  The masts were then seasoned in the water of the dry dock underneath the ship and replaced using a tower crane. 

Removal of the foremast.

Finally across the decks non-original inserts such as hatch openings and ladders were removed and replaced to how they would have looked during the Victorian period.  A number of other fittings such as the ship's wheel, capstans and original 'Downton' pump were all restored to working order and some original and replica pieces of ordnance fitted.  Recently the fitting of a replica Nordenfelt machine gun in situ on the Poop Deck has completed the range of ordnance the ship carried and used whilst in action.  

Having completed the external restoration of the ship, important preservation work continues apace.  The next big task for the shipkeeping team is the stripping down of the mizzen yards to enable the mast and spars to be painted.  Alongside this work, the entire standing rigging will be dressed with a traditional mixture of tar and linseed oil to protect it from the elements.  Tasks such as re-caulking and repainting areas of the ship are an ongoing part of the preservation needs of the ship.

Repainting the masts and spars is one of the next restoration priorities.

The 'Historic Warship' volunteers meet every Monday and Wednesday and work the ongoing restoration of HMS Gannet, HM Submarine Ocelot and HMS Cavalier.  If you would like to get involved please contact the Trust on 01634 823800 or email info@chdt.org.uk|

Click here to have a look at our Photo Gallery of HMS Gannet|