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display in 1954. Following an extensive conservation project, the vessel reopened in April at Greenwich, UK. But why is the ship so important?


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“That’s the million dollar question,” says Richard Doughty, chief executive of the Cutty Sark Trust. “Why do people want to save her? What’s her signifi cance? The Cutty Sark isn’t remembered because she brought tea back from China or because she was the most successful war clipper in the world or because she’s one of three remaining composite ships anywhere in the world. Few people know this; few people care,” Doughty explains. “Cutty Sark is signifi cant because she captures people’s imaginations. She’s a tangible reminder of another world – a way of life just beyond the grasp of human memory.” Doughty is passionate about what the


ship represents and has overseen a fi ve- year redevelopment project to restore her to her former glory. The original plan was thwarted by a fi re in May 2007, thought to be caused by an air-venting machine. Doughty admits that the fi re turned


him “prematurely grey” but also feels they were very fortunate. The fi re destroyed temporary works (the mast, rigging and deck housing had been removed for restoration) and the three decks. One needed replacing anyway, one had been installed in the 1950s and the other was a composite deck that had been changed and altered during its working life. “Cutty Sark came through the fi re just as she has come through the storms around Cape Horn and the ravages of salt corroding its iron frame,” says Doughty proudly.


SHIPSHAPE Despite adding 14 months onto the projected completion date and an extra £10m (12m, US$15.6m) on to the total cost, the fi re didn’t deter anyone and Doughty’s eager to unveil the transformed visitor experience the ship now offers. Perhaps the biggest transformation


is the positioning of the ship. Instead of being displayed in a concrete bunker, grad- ually crumbling under her own weight (the mast had already been removed as it was too heavy for her to support out of water), the ship is now suspended 3.5m (11.5ft) from the bottom of the dry berth. Visitors can walk underneath her and she’s as near as possible to how she would have been when supported in water. The entire struc- ture from the waterline down is enclosed


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uilt in 1869, the Cutty Sark served as a merchant vessel and then as a training ship until being put on public


Visitors can walk beneath the ship and there is space for corporate dining


by a glass canopy formed from a geodesic dome. The side panels are double glazed sheets of glass, which are angled at nine degrees to minimise refl ections. A huge basement houses kitchens, plant rooms and toilets. Air conditioning from the water- line down ensures the ship is protected from the elements and the temperature and humidity controlled. Inside, the main visitor route takes


Chief executive Richard Doughty


“Cutty Sark is signifi cant because she captures people’s imaginations. She’s a tangible reminder of another world – a way of life just beyond the grasp of human memory”


visitors into the lower hold of the ship. “Here we’re looking at Cutty Sark the trader, getting people to understand that this was a Victorian cargo ship and was built for the China tea trade,” says Doughty. “That space is dark and atmospheric. Lights slosh around the inside walls and visitors walk on and beneath tea chests. They go through a forest of screens projecting facts and fi lms as they progress down the ship.” A children’s trail delivers the same messages but in different ways, so younger visitors can also enjoy the experience. For example, a scampering monkey leads them to different parts of the ship where things happen. Other trails enable visitors to look through the ship to the sea beyond or through the sheaving to the conserved structure. Performers in costume bring the ship to life and a smartphone app allows guests to create a souvenir of their visit.


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