The thread on loss of historical ships has been one of the more interesting I've followed.
Last year I visited England and got to fullfill a lifelong dream of seeing the Cutty Sark and Victory. Like many of us, I have spent uncounted dollars and hours on little bits of wood, metal and plastic creating representations of both ships.
As a square rig saiIor, I was horrified by the Cutty Sark's condition. Time and freshwater have taken their toll. Although she doesn't necesarily need to be seaworthy, right now she is in "critical condition".
While the Victory enjoys government support, the Cutty Sark relies on the generosity of private donators and volunteers. Soport seems to have tapered off over the years. (I'll resist the urge to go off on one of my political diatribes... we all know the toll of political correctness and revisionist history). Maintaining a wooden ship is a challenge with a full crew when afloat, sitting in the open along a freshwater river.....
Anyway, the punch line is that the Cutty Sark needs help. If you're interested take a look at:
http://www.cuttysark.org.uk/restoration.html
Best Regards,
Alan Kemp