Outfit the USS Trippe War of 1812 Armed Sloop
A replica of the War of 1812 armed sloop USS Trippe is now under construction by the Buffalo Maritime Center at their shop in the Black Rock section of Buffalo, just a few yards away from the location of the naval station where the original vessel was outfitted for its role in Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry's fleet at the Battle of Lake Erie in September 1813.
The Buffalo Maritime Center, a registered 501(c)3 non-profit with a mission to preserve and promote the historic waterfront and waterways of the Niagara Frontier, received the donation of a 34-foot hand-crafted mahogany hull earlier this year and is currently in the process of completing it with the goal of having it ready for the Battle of Lake Erie bicentennial commemoration in September.
The Maritime Center and its partners have funds on hand to complete the construction of the hull but additional funds are needed to outfit the ship.
What We Need & What You Get
The total amount required to complete the ship is $90,250 broken down as follows:
- 7000 lb ballast keel fabrication $20,500
- Electric propulsion system $6,200
- Spars: mast, boom, bow sprit, gaff $21,750
- Sails: main, topsail, staysail, jib $17,000
- Rigging: stays, chain plates, halyards $10,500
- Specialty fasteners, turnbuckles $4,500
- Marine epoxy, bottom paint, varnish $3,000
- Period accurate anchor $1,800
- Replica arms: 16 pounder long cannon $5,000
- Total $90,250
Perks offered will range from free passes for deck tours and rides, prints of USS Trippe painting by noted marine artist John Montague, as well as opportunities to charter the vessel and for harbor cruises escorted by the 100-year old historic fireboat Edward M. Cotter. If the entire goal is not reached, the Buffalo Maritime Center and its partners, including the Friends of the Edward M. Cotter fireboat, will use the funds raised to secure matching grants from other funding sources. Any funds raised over and above the goal will be used to fund the Maritime Center's other important educational projects.
The Impact
The War of 1812 Bicentennial is upon us. It is remarkable how little we know of events that took place during this critical time in U.S. history. The re-creation of the USS Trippe will provide a platform to expose our citizens and visitors to the exploits of the brave men and women who fought to protect their homes on both sides of the Niagara River.
Theodore Roosevelt believed that the Battle of Lake Erie was the most important naval battle in U.S. history. One amazing facet that has been lost to local residents is the contribution that the villages of Buffalo and Black Rock made in the building of Oliver Hazard Perry's fleet. Five of the nine American ships that defeated the British fleet at the Battle of Lake Erie were built or outfitted at the Black Rock Navy Yard in the spring of 1813.
One of these five craft was originally a merchant vessel built on Buffalo Creek in 1811. This small sloop which was designed to carry salt to shallow Lake Erie ports, such as Silver Creek, Barcelona, and Presque Isle, was sold to the Navy in 1812. She was converted to a fighting ship at the U.S. Navy Yard at the mouth of Scajaquada Creek. The Navy rechristened her the USS Trippe, after a naval hero.
This project entails the re-creation of the War of 1812 sloop-of-war USS Trippe. A donated hand-made wooden hull will be completed with professionally designed modifications so as to fashion a faithful representation of a one-of-a-kind historically accurate sailing vessel. Upon completion she will be registered as an uninspected passenger vessel in conformity with United States Coast Guard regulations.
The donated hull gives this project a significant jumpstart. The boat is already housed in the Maritime Center's boat building shop in Black Rock and volunteers have already begun work. The Center is capable, with the guidance of their executive director, a master shipwright, of completing the sloop. Volunteers have been organized and the work can be completed by early summer if sufficient funds can be obtained. The lion's share of the remaining costs are attributable to elements that require specialized fabrication. They include lead casting of the ballast keel, design and construction of spars including the mast, boom, bowsprit and gaff. Both the standing and running rigging need to be specially designed and sized specifically for the sail plan that also requires custom lofting. Regional firms and suppliers can perform most of this contract work. Once again, the Buffalo Maritime Center will incorporate these prefabricated elements into the hull and thus complete the construction.
So as to incorporate the highest level of community participation in this project, an ad hoc committee has been formed under the name Maritime Legacy Buffalo. Committee participants in this coalition are members or directors of long standing cultural, heritage and neighborhood organizations, including the Old First Ward Community Center, The Valley Community Association, Buffalo Riverfest Park, Mutual Rowing Club Memories Museum. Buffalo Lighthouse Society, Lower Lakes Marine Historical Society, Western New York Railway Society, Buffalo Maritime Center, Niagara Frontier Antique and Classic Boat Society, Buffalo Yacht Club, Buffalo Canoe Club, Buffalo Naval and Service Park, Black Rock Historical Society and the Buffalo History Museum. It is anticipated that additional groups and individuals will join the coalition committee as the USS Trippe project becomes better known.
An aggressive yet achievable goal is to launch the Trippe for the annual River Fest Celebration held the third weekend in June. Local waterway trips will be held in July and August. It is hoped that the Trippe's first sailing season since 1813 will culminate with a voyage to Put-In-Bay, Ohio, escorted by the fireboat Edward M. Cotter (a National Historic Landmark) where she would join her sister ships from other Great Lakes ports in the bicentennial commemoration of the Battle of Lake Erie on September 13, 2013.
Other Ways You Can Help
Not everyone can contribute, but that doesn’t mean you can’t help:
- All work on the USS Trippe is being done by volunteers. If you live in the area, you are welcome to stop in at the Maritime Center shop at 90 Arthur Street in Buffalo to take a look or lend a hand.
- Help spread the word! Tell people about this project. Tell people about the Trippe. Please share this project with any family or friends that you think might be interested in this project. Every bit of interest helps!