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Good afternoon Gordon,

Racehorse‘ as in HM Sloop ~ in answer to some points raised the following transpired which you may enjoy my sharing with you.

I have read with a lot of interest your creation page on the “Racehorse”. I immediately noticed the struck topgallant masts and the painstaking research that went into the “gammoning” subtitle. However, I would expect a ship in that kind of weather to sail under reefed topsails only, with one jib to boot as you illustrated. Was that considered with Mr Goodwin, and possibly disregarded for “artistic licence”?  I would be curious to have his take on that. (then, just nitpicking here, would the ship not sail under independent Admiralty orders, and thus have a common (tricolour) pennant?) I love the painting… May I ask, even if it means I cannot afford it“.  

Racehorse (detail)

I replied :

Racehorse

Greetings Bernard, I see your know your seamanship, sensible observations, intelligent questions, a pleasure to read. “May I ask, even if it means I cannot afford it 😉 ~ asking is free and confidential.

I’ll answer your points as requested, as best I can here and for good luck [which we all need] pass them on to Peter Goodwin.

Maybe you know of Peter, possibly own one of his books?

Artistic Licence” ~ some is inevitable, I’ve endeavoured to be as true as possible to the scene including placing crew as they most probably would have been while about this task.

No photographs or video were available to work from …

Wind, sea and sun are reconstructed as best my advisers and I could from the log book.

The Swedish Brig, a detail in H M Sloop Racehorse

Was that considered with Mr Goodwin?~ After I’d made a few sketches I was very fortunate to be able to visit Mr Goodwin and his wife Katy Goodwin to work up our ideas. 

Cpt, J. Sparrow, Peter Goodwin  & Gordon Frickers

Subsequently, as the painting developed, I noted points, emailed Mr. Goodwin then we had more than a few phone conversations that we wish we had recorded.

I’m doing much the same think now with my client who has asked for a replica of the painting by Norman Wilkinson, lost with the ‘Titanic’.

Several of our calls lasted over an hour. 

Racehorse
HMS Racehorse

Your points:

I was guided primarily by Mr. Peter Goodwin who has the log books, drafts of the sloop and so on, plus my own knowledge of seamanship and boat building.

The overall dimensions of ‘Racehorse’ and her equipment as shown in the painting, including men’s clothing, length of spars etc are as true as to the original ship as we could make them.

She was French built at Nantes, modified several times by the British after her [prompt] capture.

We also consulted Captain Frank Scott who has been a master in square rig, knows the North sea and it’s moods, and is the grandson of The Captain Scott [of the Antarctic] so about as fine a sea man as we know. 

Conditions were bad, had been for weeks before this indecent as the log some what monotonously tells us.

The two expedition ships had become separated in the North Sea while homeward bound.

Both were struggling to make an English port.

Reading the logs I was getting bored with the gales then though, what was it like for the poor soaked sods, week after week after week?

H M Sloop Racehorse (detail)

Racehorse’s rigging was stretched, endangering the masts hence the need to re gammon before making up on [tightening] the shrouds.

A few hours before the moment shown, ‘Racehorse’ had taken several heavy waves on board, lost two of her boats, had a pump smashed and sustained various other damage. 

“struck top gallant masts” ~ yes, struck, with the main top gallant mast still at the mast head, lashed in place, as was common practice, and a man aloft on the fore top mast clearing a block. 

“under reefed topsails only” the fore and main course were set and eased as shown to help lift the bow. The outer foresail has been taken down to ease the upward pull on the bow sprite.

The inner and the main upper staysail are set to help the helmsmen keep her steady on course.

would the ship not sail under independent Admiralty orders, and thus have a common (tricolour) pennant?)” ~ Given the weather, we are lucky she was flying any pennant at all ! I was guided by Peter Goodwin on this although the pennant was an idea that as I painted, the ship asked me to consider.

We have shown what I hope reads as a standard RN pennant.

It has the advantage of clearly marking ‘Racehorse’ as a British warship so was probably flown once into the busy North Sea.

Flags, I appreciate are a complex business because they were changed often.

If you know better please tell me.

We wanted to show as best we could, from the log, this was just another [dangerous] job in a day’s work for Jack Tar.

A salute to the ‘iron men in wooden ships’ men of those times hence showing so much detail of the crew at work.