Scale of the model is ,'■: incli to the foot. The Orca 

 was 177 feet between perpendiculars, 32 feet 6 inches 

 beam, and 18 feet 11 inches depth; her net tonnage 

 was 462.39 and her nominal horsepower 280. Bow- 

 sprit outside knightheads was 28 feet long. Foremast 

 above deck 51 feet, fore topmast 40 feet, topgallant 

 mast and royal in one 42 feet, fore yard 59 feet 9 

 inches, lower topsail yard 51 feet 6 inches, upper 

 topsail yard 49 feet 9 inches, topgallant yard 40 feet, 

 royal \'ard 31 feet. Mainmast aijove deck 52 feet 

 3 inches, main topmast 40 feet, topgallant and royal 

 masts in one 42 feet, main yard 62 feet, lower topsail 

 yard 51 feet 9 inches, upper topsail yard 50 feet 

 6 inches, topgallant yard 41 feet, royal yard 31 feet 

 6 inches. Mizzenmast above deck 47 feet, mizzen 

 topmast 48 feet 9 inches, spanker boom 38 feet, 

 spanker gaff 27 feet. Stack was between main and 

 mizzen masts and stood 16 feet 6 inches above its 

 housing. 



The On a, at 177 feet between perpendiculars, can 

 be compared with the first Mary and HeUn, which was 

 134 feet between perpendiculars, 30 feet 9 inches 

 beam, 16 feet 10 inches depth of hold, displaced 496 

 tons light, 1002)^ tons at full load, and drew 16!^ feet 

 at post. A design prepared for a whaler built at 

 Bath, Maine, in 1880 showed dimensions of 142 feet 

 9 inches in length between perpendiculars, 27 feet 

 6 inches moulded beam, 16 feet 6 inches depth of 

 hold, draught of about 17 feet 6 inches at post with 

 full load and nominal horsepower was 250. 



In most of these American whalers the propeller 

 could be hoisted into a well in the counter when imder 



sail, and also to protect it when in the ice pack. In 

 the Orca the screw was 2-bIadecl, so as to be turned in 

 line with the stern and rudder posts when the vessel 

 was under sail or in the ice, but in general the lifting 

 screw was favored in this class of vessel. 



These steam whalers were heavily planked and 

 ceiled and were sheathed outside from keel to well 

 above the waterline with oak or greenheart, well 

 metalled, particularly forward. Internally they were 

 crossbraced in the hold and well kneed; and at bow 

 and stern the timbering was particularly heavy. The 

 Orca shows the very raking stem of the ice-working 

 whalers; this was first introduced in sailing Arctic 

 whalers about 1850 to improve their ice-working 

 ability. This stem allowed the vessel to slide up and 

 out on the edge of the ice enough to bring its weight 

 into play to break ice. 



Given by U. S. Fish Commission. 



FISHERIES RESEARCH STEAMER, 1880 

 Rigged Model, usnm 39422 



Fish Hawk 



The Fish Hawk was the first fisheries research steamer 

 built in the United States; she was designed by Charles 

 W. Copeland, consulting engineer of the U. S. Light- 

 house Board and was built by Pusey & Jones Co., Wil- 

 mington, Delaware, for the U. S. Fish Cf)mmission, 

 being commissioned in 1880. Designed primarily for 

 coastal fisheries research in relatively shoal water, and 

 not for offshore, cleep-sca work, she \\"as considered 

 a verv fine research vessel when built. 



Whaling Steamer Orca, built at 

 San Francisco, California, in 1882. 

 The largest of her type when built, 

 and most completely fitted, her 

 register dimensions were 177' x 

 32'6" X i8'i i", 462.39 net tons, 

 280 horsepower. Abandoned off 

 Point Barrow, Alaska in i88g. 

 Rigged model USNM 76237. 

 {Stnithsonian photo 26y38-h.) 



248 



