Plimoth Patuxet Museums

Plimoth Plantation will partner with Mystic Seaport's Henry B. du Pont Preservation Shipyard to restore 27 planks along the lower port side of the Mayflower II's hull as part of the larger effort to return the vessel to U.S. Coast Guard operational status, scheduled for 2020. Following the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Historic Vessel Preservation Projects and the USCG NAVIC No. 7-95 Guidance of Inspection, Repair and Maintenance of Wooden Hulls, the work will employ 17th-century techniques and period-appropriate materials. Activities include purchasing and testing a forklift and aerial articulating boom lift; hauling out and stabilizing the vessel; removing old plank wood and fasteners; preparing the frame for new planks; selecting, cutting, and spiling the new plank stock; and then steaming, hanging, and fastening the new planks, one at a time. The project process and results will be documented through the USCG inspections, daily work logs, blog posts, and two podcasts featuring conservation-focused interviews with project staff.