The replacement of rotten timber aboard Napoleonic frigate HMS Trincomalee with new beams of African opipi supplied by Cheshire-based Anderson Sawmills is almost complete.
The ship, built in 1817 in Bombay and which is the oldest British warship still afloat, needed a number of timber beams to replace original teak sections.
David McKnight, general manager of HMS Trincomalee Trust, said sourcing the correct timber for the restoration work had not been straightforward, as opipi was prone to deep shakes.
“When it came to restoring the ship it proved impossible to get a sustainable source of teak,” he said.
“We approached university researchers and maritime historians and their advice was to use opipi. It’s probably the best timber to replace teak with.”
The opipi, valued at £1,600-1,800, has been used for structural beams in the captain’s cabin and for sections in the ship’s inner walls. Some deck timbers will be machined with a camber to facilitate water run-off.
