Stability and Safety of Wooden Ships

June 26, 2024 - 7pm to 8pm

Capt. Iver Franzen, SNAME

In the era of sailing ships there were many tragic accidents resulting in the loss of both ships and life. The response by governments to these tragedies took the form of increasingly tighter regulations. Rehabilitated original ships and accurate replica sailing ships are now required to reconcile historical accuracy with modern practices and government regulations.  

This talk discusses the basic stability requirements for wooden sailing ships using the stability test of Virginia as an example, and talks about safety using the new Maryland Dove as an example.

This is the second 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). The recording is available here and on YouTube.

The lectures are free, but if you consider them valuable, please donate to Maine’s First Ship either in person or online.

Iver Franzen has worked as both a captain and a naval architect. in this 45-year maritime career. Iver became a licensed captain in 1980 and worked many years as a charter and delivery captain, and many more as a commercial passenger vessel captain, throughout the East Coast and Caribbean. He’s worked in naval architecture since 1987, starting with an intensive 5-year apprenticeship. He became a member of SNAME in 1992. He’s been involved in numerous projects such as Pride of Baltimore II, Kalmar Nyckel, the 1996 refit of USS Constitution (Old Ironsides), USS Constellation, Clipper City, USCG Eagle, Elissa, Providence, MD Dove, to name only a few. Iver opened his own naval architecture practice in Annapolis in 1996, and continues to work as a vessel designer, USCG certification consultant, researcher, writer, educator, public speaker, and when an interesting situation comes along, as a captain.