Hearts of Oak: Restoring HMS Victory's Wooden Walls

Latest phase in the restoration of HMS ‘Victory’ - removal of her hull planking, for full oak replacement.
Produced by Maritime Films UK for The National Museum of the Royal Navy.
Director/Camera/Edit: Rob White/Andy Jones

[@GermanGreetings]

A portrait of Nelson hung at the wall over my bed in youthtime, after I had the chance, to get on bord as a pupil... Hornblower books 50 times at least, building Victory and Bounty as huge scale RC-models (Mizzen Mast 1,80 m:, 70 kg weight to put inside :) Years later I was honoured, to become godfather of a half british girl... Guess, what she was taught... from my view , her parents made the best possible choice among Germans here, and I felt her grandparents in heaven smiling, filled up with pride, love and joy. She became a sailor... Love To GB :) And thank you for the giant investigations into Victory`s future. The restaured parts look simply fantastic.

[@RstewDstew]

This is wonderful to see. Given the abhorrence of modern societies' obsession with cancel culture and demolishing as many "British," things they can, the preservation of icons of Great Britain's history has never been so important, and HMS Victory is definitely iconic. 🙌 👌🇬🇧🇬🇧

[@drolaticdemiurge1137]

i love yall people on the internet desperately trying to pretend yall are opressed or something lol cancel culture man? cmon

[@harbourdogNL]

I love this ship, and have done since I was a child (I'm 66 now). My first visit was with my Dad around 1970, and then again with him many years later (early 2000s) and a few years ago with my wife. I've told my wife when I die I want her to take a small pile of my ashes and carefully hide them somewhere aboard.

[@kma3647]

I find this stuff fascinating to watch. The USS Constitution is also under repairs right now. They're of a similar, but not quite the same era. Obviously Victory was a far grander ship, but both seem to have been taken on by their respective navies as a symbol of maritime power and selected to preserve the history of maritime power. Historians understand, but often the average person does not understand just how critically important control of the seas was to bringing forth the modern era by protecting trade and in Britain's case, using that same Navy to impose British will and stop the slave trade (never be ashamed of your history of the legacy of the British empire. The world is a better place for your efforts, btw). I know Victory is more famous for its action against the French, but it's part of a larger legacy that deserves to be recognized and preserved. Just on a side note, it should be interesting to see how the latest test of naval dominance coming from Yemen holds up. Will it crumble eventually like the Barbary pirates of the 19th century or will it mark a transition of American naval dominance to a more multilateral situation? Cheers from across the pond. Best of luck with restoring HMS Victory to its glory!

[@chippysteve4524]

I feel that this video might benefit from a bit of historical context. It was thanks to the wisdom of Napoleon and Les Compagnons des Metiers that France is covered in beautiful well-managed oak forests and still has highly skilled carpenters and other trades capable of e.g. rebuilding Notre Dame and historic ships and castles. The last Briton who had the brains to plant significant oak forests was Henry VIII !!! Britain voted for Thatcher who killed off the apprenticeship system that had passed on and evolved traditional knowledge and skills for centuries and the Tories who sold off many of our remaining national forests to themselves for personal gain,cutting off the supply of affordable oak and Labour did nothing to stop them. Britain now has to import the vast majority of its timber from our former trading partners in Europe,with new import taxes,delays and red tape, so the next time you hear a UK politician talking about sustainability,make the traitors walk the plank me shivverin' maties! Yaaargg! ;-)

[@patmcbride9853]

Selling little bags of "Victory Compost" would raise some money.

[@GermanGreetings]

I thought exactly the same. When 30 years before Thor Heyerdals ''RA'' was refitted in Oslo, the museum sold small pieces of Papyrus (and it was not cheap, I remember). 25 years later, having become a historian artist in between, I planned an evening lecture about the ''RA'' and asked in Oslo, if some Papyrus is still... Of course not. They were all gone. For me it was a sad news, but I am sure: for the Heyerdal-Museum the benefit was helpful.

[@CocoaBeachLiving]

Fantastic. Love to see this happening. History like this must be preserved. Future generations will be able to visit this beautiful warship and learn about her.

[@tophatanimation8748]

I'm not sure that ripping out existing wood and replacing it for new is 'preserving'. It'll likely be a brand new ship by the time it's finished, much of the original replaced. Still, Nauticalia will do well from the sale of the removed planks.

[@simontaylor2319]

Replacement isn't preservation

[@ICE1RAIKKONEN1979]

Loving the updates with the Great repair of Victory, been checking on the progress by visiting over the last 3 years. Keep up the awesome work and hopefully I’ll get to see Victory in her Trafalgar state with all the Masts and rigging back to show me son when he’s a bit older 😃👍🏻

[@johnbewick6357]

Early in the last century my father was taken to see Victory, at the time extensive restoration work was being done, and blocks of oak that had been removed during the repair were being sold as momentoes. My father was brought one and cherished it, until he left home to serve in the second world war. Unfortunately when he returned home after the war his family had moved from Epsom where they had been, and the wood was lost. He never forgot and would mention it whenever the Victory was spoken of.

[@1339LARS]

Great, thank you!!! //Lars

[@billparsons2702]

Fantastic work

[@williamrobinson7435]

Really exciting to work on this I'd think. It's pretty cool to deal with a Messum skiff so, as one who was obsessed with Viscount Admiral Lord Nelson as a kid, well, wow.. I bet you see q a few woodlice, they like thier oak. I was digging out the stem/breasthook of the aforementioned 19th century boat and was pondering for a mo when out came 7 or 8 of the tiny trilobites looking for all the world like they had suitcases. I almost apologised to them. All the best with this project, which is of vital importance to our national heritage, of course. 🇬🇧🌟👍

[@tophatanimation8748]

A pink Victory, bravo Lincoln University, Bravo - Slow handclap.

[@christopherdandeker6122]

wonderful

[@paulwhitehead1581]

fascinating!

[@roystonwright6038]

I use run past the Victory whilst training through the dockyard back in the early 80s. The RN museum was small and there was no black fencing around the ship. Also the Mary Rose was in no 2 dock next to her. Still open to the elements but with spray water system keeping the Mary Rose timbers from drying out. Always wanted to get drafted(posted) to Victory whilst in the Mob(RN), but never got the chance sadly. Hearts of Oak⚓👍

[@anthonycollingridge970]

Question - How much of the current HMS Victory took part in Trafalgar? Is she endanger of one day becoming "Triggers Broom"..??

[@simonr6793]

Wow that's what you call rotten timbers, it looks like she wasn't corked when they replaced the timber of the hull back in the 1990s 🤔. It's a good job that the UK doesn't have problems with Toledo worm's as they wouldn't have left anything behind other than mush and giant worm hole's in the timbers. Scary 😮. I hope once done that the ship survives another 250 plus years!!!

[@nicholasbell9017]

Caulked, maybe? I'm sure she was.

[@rickwhite3757]

Toredo worm's

[@gordonrobertson4125]

I did not see it mentioned in the film, but are they going to fix the sag of the frames? I was there in 2019 and they had installed a lot more supports for the hull to try to help counter the distortion the hull has suffered due to sitting on her keel for so long. Ships are designed to float, not spend their lives sitting on the keel. That in itself will be a massive task. With good tradesmen, she will prevail.

[@RB-747]

I think it was for Victory that they have commissioned a system of pistons to sit under and around the hull - in effect giving the same force as being supported by water

[@adamknopp6631]

Victor on the Victory!

[@kjtilka]

This ship is an important part of Britain history . When they ruled the waves

[@Grumszy]

I imagine in time the Victory will be like Triggers brush... from... Only fools and horse's TV show.

[@tophatanimation8748]

Like those Spitfires that had hit the deck at 250mph 80 years ago and are 'restored' to flying condition within 6 months.

[@Vagabondo-fs6qu]

When did bulkheads or hull change to walls?

[@clayguy1]

They should sell small pieces of the old hull to people around the world.. I bet they could pay a large part of the restoration bill doing that.. I'd love to have a piece of history.

[@tophatanimation8748]

They did that in the 90s, a lot of what they're replacing now is from the botched 1990s refit.

[@clayguy1]

@@tophatanimation8748 but still it's from the ship.. It's still history

[@tophatanimation8748]

@@clayguy1 Yes, but I don't think those expecting a piece of Trafalgar history will appreciate a piece of wood carved out in the 90s 🙂

[@clayguy1]

@@tophatanimation8748 I know.. but if forewarned.. You'd get people like me who just want even current history

[@dhurt8955]

I wonder how much of HMS Victory is still original

[@djowen5192]

It would be interesting to see if they find any obvious traces of repair to battle damage.

[@exsubmariner]

Reference the carbon issue. Surely the cutting down transportation shaping planning drilling installing painting whould produce more carbon

[@carlhicksjr8401]

Honest question here. I thought I read that the USN offered the RN lumber from the USS Constitution's preserved white oak plantation. Do I have that right? There are several ships from around the world that absolutely deserve preservation and it seems to me that all the preservationists should work together to maintain the world's maritime history.

[@kevinreardon2558]

Quite a victory.

[@onbedoeldekut1515]

Nelson's Victory, otherwise known as 'Trigger's boat'!

[@gap9992]

lol. Just what I thought

[@barneymagee3285]

At the rate they’re going no one alive today will see her restoration complete.

[@HeidiLandRover]

No wooden ship is ever complete - they are always a work-in-progress :-)

[@user-gl8qu7qf2q]

Make a building round it to prevent weathering !!! its done for concorde and other aircraft

[@alanwilkinson9487]

Wonder what will happen to the old timbers,dryed out maybe, and sold in squares as souvenirs ,?

[@Enhancedlies]

great idea

[@Cabmaker]

I would love to have one of those planks to make something out of

[@johnland7318]

They do, sell off bits of HMS Victory, or did when I visited years ago!!

[@gertkaiser4273]

On my wall is a small display of oak and copper collected during the AST restoration

[@hawwab]

What will they do with the old planks?

[@mikethespike7579]

The Spanish and Portuguese built their ships out of teak for a good reason. It doesn't rot so easily. We English had to use oak instead of teak because we had only limited access to the forests in South America. That, at least, is what I was told.

[@djowen5192]

We did build some ships from teak, as the great oak forests dwindled we commissioned ships from the east.

[@pit_stop77]

Does it really matter? We are not enemies of France anymore

[@mikethespike7579]

@@pit_stop77 What has this to do with England's former relationship with France? This is about renovating a wooden ship and what wood was used by the different nations. Not about war.

[@simontaylor2319]

I understand the only original part on the Flying Scotsman engine is the name plate. Is this the same for HMS Victory?

[@cannon440]

Why isn't the ship kept inside a building? Surly it would increase its longevity immensely.

[@j5edgar2h]

I thought she would have been put together with trenails, not 20th centuary ironmongers screws ?

[@tophatanimation8748]

YEP! sadly It's not a restoration, it's a rebuild.

[@j5edgar2h]

but wooden pegs should last longer & be cheaper than the (presumably) stainless screws ? ' iron sickness' was a major fault with non-stainless metal fasteners.@@tophatanimation8748

[@AgentCircus007]

English weather......put a glass house on!

[@stevefletcher7531]

How many millions did the 1990s renovations cost, and only lasted 30 years, you need to get people who know what they are doing to do the work

[@twin40dave]

All the cannons are fiberglass

[@tophatanimation8748]

At this rate, the only original part, will be the Anchor next to where the Hovercraft to Isle of White departs.

[@robertmaloney2255]

As with any project, a lot of people standing around watching other people work

[@prun8893]

3:33 I got some take-away curry in Hackney the other night and found myself saying the same thing for about 24 hours.

[@gegwen7440]

Glad to hear that we they have saved that carbon from being released back into the environment by not letting the oak rot away. Ermmm was that not what has happened for millions of years but now all of a sudden it is ?

[@herschelmayo2727]

The French threw the bugs on her at Trafalgar. They just didn't wait long enough.

[@pbysome]

What an insult, french Oak on a 18th century British warship, Nelson would turn in his grave.

[@fixento]

I bet its not English oak, but imported from Canada

[@phillipridgway8317]

They used to source wood from all around the colonies when Victory was still relatively young. The masts, for instance, were once replaced with large Kauri tree trunks from New Zealand. Now the oak is sourced from France!

[@philhunter9158]

Probably still in better condition than these two new aircraft carriers!

[@jeffreytan2948]

After restoration, can't they permanently roof her? Would be a lot cheaper in preserving the wood by keeping it dry all the time.

[@killerdoritoWA]

I agree. With climate change and extreme weather, would be laborious and a shame to repeat the process in several decades.

[@guysmith6039]

Victory was made to be seen in all her glory. The masts and the rigging with the signal flags saying “England expects every man to do his duty etc”. Every time I visited recently I felt that the tourists were missing out. I can’t wait to see her again in all her glory

[@michaelmclaren7373]

Washing the wood down with saltwater would keep the freshwater out.

[@RB-747]

I think that it would also be dangerous to let her dry out too much because of warping

[@stephenleighton6349]

Is your first language not English ?

[@bigbob1699]

USS Constitution is still sailing.

[@stephenleighton6349]

Grow up !

[@bigbob1699]

@@stephenleighton6349 And sail on.

[@Fanakapan222]

Floating ? The yanks proud boast that its the oldest warship 'Afloat', but does it actually go anywhere ?

[@geoffreyhattersley9186]

By the way. A WALL in Naval terminology, is a BULKHEAD. I WOULD HAVE THOUGHT THAT A NAVAL DOCUMENTARY SHOULD HAVE KNOWN THAT!!

[@ekspatriat]

Caps off pal....take your pill.

[@Fanakapan222]

Would not a Bulkhead traverse the entire beam of a vessel ? In which case does Victory have any ? Crossing the T and all that.

[@geoffreyhattersley9186]

@@Fanakapan222 A Bulkhead is any upright surface that is effectively a Wall!

[@tophatanimation8748]

@@ekspatriat He's right nevertheless.

[@ekspatriat]

Yes and a 'bigmouth'@@tophatanimation8748

[@gordongate]

salt soaking into the wood of the hull from the seawater would have helped prevent fungus from taking hold.

[@claytonnans5639]

You should pack salt between the frames.

[@nicholasbell9017]

If you want to suck-in moisture, apply salt! Tar is used to soak opium fibre, hammered between the planking, and sealed with white lead putty before painting.

[@nicholasbell9017]

Oakum, not opium! Bloody predictive text!.

[@hoilst265]

@@nicholasbell9017 I believe Opium was used on East India ships...

[@hoilst265]

Wouldn't your nearest neighbour be the Republic of Ireland, eh?

[@simonr6793]

You can just imagine this ship protecting the East Indian Trading Company when they where moving their tea and other products from one side of the world to another!!!

[@IamJunius]

Taking a lifetime to get all this work done. Indicates the sad state of Britain

[@nicholasbell9017]

Don't be so negative. This ship is old. She is made of wood. Until you start cutting out the rotten stuff you can't plan the restoration. Compare this with, say, a cathedral, crumbling stonework, acid rain damage. Yeah, a Mason could work on that for their whole life, and this is no different. It's great that HMS Victory has this enormous refit happening now. It's a huge specialised project. Not an example of Britain failing. Come to Portsmouth and see for yourself. VICTORY is still open, you can explore inside, and watch the amazing shipwrights sorting her out for the next 200 years as our Flagship. And I'll tell you what, I would be happy to spend my life as part of such a team. I wish you joy, and hope you will visit. Nick.

[@harbourdogNL]

Clearly you've never done any building It always takes longer to reno that to build new. And what's the rush anyway? Rush jobs are bodges.

[@IamJunius]

Retired Naval Officer who as a young officer had his shipped rammed by a British Frigate. They have been working on Victory for over 14 years and many more to go. Sad indeed, just like the modern Royal Navy

[@mickymondo7463]

I really hope that they're not using French Oak to restore her, we have very few good Oak trees left in Britain, and the Oak used on the new Parliament building Portcullis House was all sourced from France

[@colinsmith6116]

How much of the ship is original? Is much, if any of it actually Nelson’s ship.

[@tophatanimation8748]

there's a mounted anchor next to the hoverport at Southsea that's from the Victory.

[@pietjepuk9575]

How much wil this joke cost the People of UK ? For entire city's falling in decay and homeless People is no money , but for this 💩 thesky is the limit 😡😡👎👎