Designing Virginia
July 24, 2024 - 7pm to 8pm
David B Wyman
This talk describes the evolution of the design of Virginia but also the evolution of the designer that made the design possible. The design of Virginia was a collaboration with John Bradford whose extensive historical research of the original Virginia and vessels like her formed the basis for the design. John documented this in his very detailed book, “The 1607 Popham Colony’s Pinnace – Virginia”. The present Virginia was designed to be as historically correct as possible consistent with carrying passengers and meeting current U.S. Coast Guard safety standards. The requirements to be historically correct and meet Coast Guard safety standards required many compromises in the design.
This is the third of the 2024 Summer Lecture Series. This year the lectures will be held on Wednesday evenings at the Bath Freight Shed (27 Commercial St, Bath Maine). Recordings will be available here a couple of days later.
The lectures are free, but if you consider them valuable, please donate to Maine’s First Ship either in person or online.
David is a practicing Professional Engineer whose main focus is naval architecture. Over the years he has been engaged in designing all sorts of vessels but with a special interest in historic vessels. He graduated from the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy with a BS in Marine Transportation and the University of Massachusetts with an MS in Ocean Engineering. His career has included time in the Coast Guard as a marine Inspector, Professor of naval architecture at Maine Maritime Academy, Senior research engineer at a naval research laboratory and most recently an independent naval architect and marine surveyor in Castine Maine. He held a USCG Masters license for motor and auxiliary sail vessels. He originally designed Virginia in 2004 and has been involved with the project ever since.
