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Wednesday, February 11, 2015

2008 Rose Festival: Niña Replica

IMG_0864 Nina Replica in Portland, Oregon on May 30, 2008
Niña Replica in Portland, Oregon on May 30, 2008

Though not officially part of the Rose Festival, the Niña was docked at the Madison Street Dock on the East Esplanade, right across the Willamette River from Waterfront Park, from May 23 to June 1.

IMG_0863 Nina Replica in Portland, Oregon on May 30, 2008
Niña Replica in Portland, Oregon on May 30, 2008

There was an admission charge to board the Niña, but no line!

IMG_0862 Nina Replica in Portland, Oregon on May 30, 2008
Niña Replica in Portland, Oregon on May 30, 2008

The Niña is a replica of one of the three ships used by Christopher Columbus on his first trip across the Atlantic Ocean.

IMG_0861 Nina Replica in Portland, Oregon on May 30, 2008
Niña Replica in Portland, Oregon on May 30, 2008

The Niña was officially named Santa Clara, after the patron saint of Moguer.

IMG_0860 Nina Replica in Portland, Oregon on May 30, 2008
Niña Replica in Portland, Oregon on May 30, 2008

The name "Niña" was a nickname, after the ship’s owner, Juan Nino of Moguer.

IMG_0859 Nina Replica in Portland, Oregon on May 30, 2008
Niña Replica in Portland, Oregon on May 30, 2008

Of the three ships, Niña was Columbus' favorite.

IMG_0858 Nina Replica in Portland, Oregon on May 30, 2008
Niña Replica in Portland, Oregon on May 30, 2008

Like the Pinta, the Niña was a Caravel, a type of sailing ship often used by Spanish and Portuguese explorers.

IMG_0853 Nina Replica in Portland, Oregon on May 30, 2008
Niña Replica in Portland, Oregon on May 30, 2008

The Santa Maria, on the other hand, was a type of cargo vessel called a Nao.

IMG_0852 Nina Replica in Portland, Oregon on May 30, 2008
Niña Replica in Portland, Oregon on May 30, 2008

This replica of the Niña was designed by American engineer and maritime historian John Patrick Sarsfield.

IMG_0857 Nina Replica in Portland, Oregon on May 30, 2008
Sails of the Niña Replica in Portland, Oregon on May 30, 2008

Sarsfield discovered a group of shipbuilders in Valencia, Bahia, Brazil, who still used construction techniques from the 15th Century.

IMG_0856 Nina Replica in Portland, Oregon on May 30, 2008
Sails of the Niña Replica in Portland, Oregon on May 30, 2008

It was there that Sarsfield began construction of his replica in 1988, using only the adzes, axes, handsaws, chisels and naturally-shaped timbers that would have been available to the builders of the original Niña.

IMG_0855 Nina Replica in Portland, Oregon on May 30, 2008
Niña Replica in Portland, Oregon on May 30, 2008

Woods used to built the Niña include Sucupira, used for the keel, keelson, bilge clamp, shear clamp, stringers, sheer plank and tiller, Jataí Peba, used for the sub deck and hull planking, Pau Oleo, used for the masts, yards and spars, Jaquera, used for the rudder, king post, king plank, framing, bulwarks and cap rail, and Olanje, used for the deck beams.

IMG_0854 Nina Replica in Portland, Oregon on May 30, 2008
Rudder of the Niña Replica in Portland, Oregon on May 30, 2008

The shear plank is 70 feet long and 4 inches thick. The rest of the hull planking is 2 inches thick.

IMG_0840 Nina Replica in Portland, Oregon on May 30, 2008
Niña Replica in Portland, Oregon on May 30, 2008

IMG_0843 Nina Replica in Portland, Oregon on May 30, 2008
Niña Replica in Portland, Oregon on May 30, 2008

IMG_0845 Nina Replica in Portland, Oregon on May 30, 2008
Bow of the Niña Replica in Portland, Oregon on May 30, 2008

On July 11, 1990, John Sarsfield was killed in a traffic accident while on his way to select a mast for the Niña.

IMG_0847 Nina Replica in Portland, Oregon on May 30, 2008
Niña Replica in Portland, Oregon on May 30, 2008

His friend Ralph Eric Nicholson supervised the continuing construction, and the Niña was launched on April 27, 1991.

IMG_0849 Nina Replica in Portland, Oregon on May 30, 2008
Bow of the Niña Replica in Portland, Oregon on May 30, 2008

British maritime historian Jonathan Morton Nance produced a historically accurate sail plan for the ship and completed the construction and rigging.

IMG_0830 Nina Replica in Portland, Oregon on May 30, 2008
Niña Replica in Portland, Oregon on May 30, 2008

The Niña was commissioned on December 10, 1991 in Valenca, Bahia, Brazil and is dedicated to John Patrick Sarsfield.

IMG_0831 Nina Replica in Portland, Oregon on May 30, 2008
Sails of the Niña Replica in Portland, Oregon on May 30, 2008

The Niña is a relatively small ship, only 17.3 feet wide and 93.6 feet long overall, with a deck length of 66 feet.

IMG_0832 Nina Replica in Portland, Oregon on May 30, 2008
Sails of the Niña Replica in Portland, Oregon on May 30, 2008

The Niña's displacement is 100 tons with a draft of 7 feet.

IMG_0841 Nina Replica in Portland, Oregon on May 30, 2008
Sails of the Niña Replica in Portland, Oregon on May 30, 2008

The Niña's sail area is 1,919 square feet.

IMG_0834 Ship's Boat aboard Nina Replica in Portland, Oregon on May 30, 2008
Niña Replica Ship’s Boat in Portland, Oregon on May 30, 2008

Aboard the Niña, is the ship's boat, which provided transportation to shore from the anchored mother ship. It can be sailed or rowed.

IMG_0819 Ship's Boat aboard Nina Replica in Portland, Oregon on May 30, 2008
Niña Replica Ship’s Boat in Portland, Oregon on May 30, 2008

This historically correct vessel was built by a 14 year old apprentice whose family built the Niña.

IMG_0846 Hold Hatch aboard Nina Replica in Portland, Oregon on May 30, 2008
Niña Replica Hold Hatch in Portland, Oregon on May 30, 2008

The hold is where all food, extra gear, water and animals were kept. No people were below. All crew lived, ate and slept on deck.

IMG_0839 Hold of Nina Replica in Portland, Oregon on May 30, 2008
Hold of the Niña Replica in Portland, Oregon on May 30, 2008

The present day crew enjoy luxuries that Columbus never had. Below deck are 8 bunks, a wooden table, cookstove, and storage for ice.

IMG_0844 Windlass aboard Nina Replica in Portland, Oregon on May 30, 2008
Niña Replica Windlass in Portland, Oregon on May 30, 2008

The windlass provides the mechanical advantage needed to handle the heavy anchors a caravel carries. It can also be used to kedge the ship out of shallow water or up to a wharf. The wooden handles provide leverage and are moved as the drum turns.

IMG_0835 Nina Replica in Portland, Oregon on May 30, 2008
Niña Replica in Portland, Oregon on May 30, 2008

These views looking aft from the main deck show the aft cabin space and the ladder to the poop deck above, where the aft sails are.

IMG_0836 Nina Replica in Portland, Oregon on May 30, 2008
Niña Replica in Portland, Oregon on May 30, 2008

IMG_0848 Dedication Plaque aboard Nina Replica in Portland, Oregon on May 30, 2008
Niña Replica Plaque in Portland, Oregon on May 30, 2008

Closeup of the Niña's dedication plaque.

IMG_0827 Compass on Nina Replica in Portland, Oregon on May 30, 2008
Niña Replica Compass in Portland, Oregon on May 30, 2008

Closeup of the Niña's main compass in the aft cabin space. I believe a candle can be placed in the enclosure on the right to provide light to see the compass at night.

IMG_0820 Captain's Quarters Hatch aboard Nina Replica in Portland, Oregon on May 30, 2008
Hatch to the Captain’s Quarters of the Niña Replica

The captain's quarters are a small cabin with two bunks and a small navigation desk. It was the only private space Columbus had. There is only 4 feet of headroom and no ventilation except for this hatch opening in the aft cabin area.

IMG_0850 Model aboard Nina Replica in Portland, Oregon on May 30, 2008
Model of the Niña Replica in Portland, Oregon on May 30, 2008

This model of the Niña's framing design was mounted above the hatch to the captain's quarters.

IMG_0828 Aft Cabin Space of Nina Replica in Portland, Oregon on May 30, 2008
Niña Replica Aft Cabin in Portland, Oregon on May 30, 2008

In addition to the tiller, the aft cabin space included displays of construction photos and a video about the ship, as well as a period cannon and a display of the "treasures" that might have been carried aboard.

IMG_0825 Cannon aboard Nina Replica in Portland, Oregon on May 30, 2008
Niña Replica Cannon in Portland, Oregon on May 30, 2008

IMG_0851 Display aboard Nina Replica in Portland, Oregon on May 30, 2008
Niña Replica Display in Portland, Oregon on May 30, 2008

For more information, visit the official website of The Niña.

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