Rare 18th-Century Warship Rudder Found in the Solent
Thursday, June 2, 2022
PORTSMOUTH, ENGLAND—The rudder of the HMS Invincible, a 74-gun warship that sank in the Solent off the coast of southeast England in 1758, was spotted about 200 feet away from the stern of the wreckage during a geophysical survey, according to a BBC News report. “We weren’t particularly looking for it,” marine archaeologist Dan Pascoe said of the 36-foot-long flat piece. The ship was built by the French in 1744, and was captured by the British in 1747 before it eventually ran aground when the rudder jammed, and capsized three days later. “The ship was highly maneuverable and the rudder was critical to its design,” Pascoe added. He and his team plan to protect the rudder from erosion of the sea floor with sandbags. A gunpowder barrel, swivel guns, a bottle of corked rum, and woodworking tools have been recovered from the shipwreck site so far by researchers from Bournemouth University and the Maritime Archaeology Sea Trust. If funding becomes available, the rudder could also be raised and conserved. To read about the discovery of the famous wreck of HMS Erebus, go to "Franklin's Last Voyage."
Advertisement
Ode to Odin
Advertisement
July/August 2023
May/June 2023
March/April 2023
January/February 2023
November/December 2022
September/October 2022
July/August 2022
May/June 2022
March/April 2022
January/February 2022
November/December 2021
September/October 2021
July/August 2021
May/June 2021
March/April 2021
January/February 2021
November/December 2020
September/October 2020
July/August 2020
May/June 2020
March/April 2020
January/February 2020
November/December 2019
September/October 2019
July/August 2019
May/June 2019
March/April 2019
January/February 2019
November/December 2018
September/October 2018
July/August 2018
May/June 2018
March/April 2018
January/February 2018
November/December 2017
September/October 2017
July/August 2017
May/June 2017
March/April 2017
January/February 2017
November/December 2016
September/October 2016
July/August 2016
May/June 2016
March/April 2016
January/February 2016
November/December 2015
September/October 2015
July/August 2015
May/June 2015
March/April 2015
January/February 2015
November/December 2014
September/October 2014
July/August 2014
May/June 2014
March/April 2014
January/February 2014
November/December 2013
September/October 2013
July/August 2013
May/June 2013
March/April 2013
January/February 2013
November/December 2012
September/October 2012
July/August 2012
May/June 2012
March/April 2012
January/February 2012
November/December 2011
September/October 2011
July/August 2011
May/June 2011
March/April 2011
January/February 2011
Advertisement