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Ship pine takes a century to grow before it can be used for shipbuilding. The wood of this tree is durable and resinous. This special strength is explained by the fact that ship pines are hardened by the harsh climatic conditions of growth: their natural habitat is the west and northeast of North America.
What pines are called ship pines?
Pines that meet the requirements for height and structure are considered ship trees: for example, the height of the trunk should be about 40 m, and the diameter should be at least 0.4 m. More often than others, the red, yellow and white types of these coniferous trees meet the necessary characteristics.
Red pine grows on hills and dry rocky soil of sandy and loamy types, has fine-grained resinous wood that is high in density. The tree trunk reaches 37 m in height and 1.5 m in diameter. The color of the kernel is usually red or yellow-red, the bark is red-brown, with scaly plates and furrows, the crown has a round shape.
The wood of yellow, or Oregon, pine is strong, yet lightweight and resilient, and is particularly resistant to fire. The height of yellow ship pine can reach 40 - 80 m; size in trunk diameter - from 0.8 to 1.2 m, branches - up to 2 cm.The bark has a yellow or red-brown tint. Young branches are orange-brown in color, but gradually darken. The trunk is covered with cracks and scaly plates. The shape of the crown is round or cone-like, small branches grow spreading up or down.
White ship pine is characterized by wood of lower density and layering, however, the material can be processed well, is impregnated with high quality, and does not warp. The trunk is straight, grows up to 30 - 70 m in height and from 1 to 2 m in diameter. When cut, the core is pale yellow, the color of the bark is light gray. Gradually, the wood darkens, becomes covered with cracks and plates, which give a purple tint. The white variety of pine grows in swampy lowlands on clay soil.
Features of ship pines
Red, yellow and white types of pine are most in demand in shipbuilding due to the hardening of wood in cold weather conditions: as a result, the material achieves the required high quality.
Thus, good specimens of ship pines have the following characteristics:
- tree height – 40 m or more, diameter – 0.5 m or more;
- straight trunk;
- absence of knots and branches at the base of the tree;
- high resinity;
- light, elastic and durable wood.
It takes at least 80 years for a tree to grow with these properties. Specimens over 100 years old are considered especially valuable.
Ship pines are protected from rotting by a large amount of resin: due to their resinousness and lightness, they also float perfectly in the river bed.This greatly facilitates transportation to the construction site.
The wood of north-facing pine trees is denser in texture and has thinner layers because it receives less heat and sunlight. This makes it stronger and allows it to be used as a material for the most important parts. Ship pine has an original natural pattern, beautiful texture, and smooth wood fibers: this material is considered ideal for shipbuilding.
Where do ship pines grow in Russia?
Pine trees suitable for shipbuilding grow in harsh climates, as well as in arid and mountainous regions. In areas with mild climatic conditions, for example, in Crimea, they are less common.
Thus, on the territory of Russia, ship pines grow in the forests of the taiga, in the middle zone, in the North Caucasus. There are nature reserves where they are protected from logging. There is a protected zone with ship pines, for example, on the border of the Komi Republic and the Arkhangelsk region. These lands were once described by M. Prishvin in the story “The Thicket of Ships”. In 2015, a scientific expedition went to this region. Researchers have discovered pine forests, among which there are trees up to 300 years old.
You can learn more about the expedition to the ship thickets of the Arkhangelsk region from the video:
The famous natural monument “Mast Forest” in the Voronezh region, where the first ship forest in Russia was planted. Here are the oldest pine species from the Usman Forest. The average height of the plantings is 36 m, and the diameter is about 0.4 meters. In 2013, “Mast Forest” was classified as a specially protected natural site.
Even Peter I gave pine groves the status of protected areas; trees half a meter wide at the cut were especially protected. Realizing that ship trees take an extremely long time to grow, he ordered the laying of a mast, or ship forest, for the construction of a fleet in the future.
Peter I chose the Vyborg district (now Vyborg district), namely, the area near the river. Lindulovki. There he founded the grove, planting the first seeds, and after the death of the Russian ruler, Ferdinand Fokel was engaged in the propagation of ship forests. To limit the free deforestation and thus prevent their destruction, the tsar took care of state control with huge fines for unauthorized felling of trees. Nowadays, planting in this area continues constantly. In 1976, the Lindulovskaya Grove botanical reserve was founded here.
The use of pine trees in shipbuilding
Before metal appeared, wood served as the main material in shipbuilding. The name “mast” pine also deserved the fact that it was ideal for making a mast for a sailboat: for this they used a tall, slender tree with a diameter of half a meter, its wood is especially strong in the center of the trunk, at the core.
The most durable pine wood was also used to make the body: red pine was primarily suitable for this. It is now used to make deck sheathing for both interior and exterior decks. It is also suitable for sheathing - a frame that is used to fasten flooring and cover areas.
The main use of yellow ship pine is to create spars, that is, beams that support sails.White pine, being the least durable, is used as a material for making templates, temporary scaffolding, and various improvised means. Shipbuilders used not only wood, but also resin: they impregnated parts, ropes and sails with it.
In modern shipbuilding, in addition to decking, wood is also used for cladding and interior decoration of the vessel.
Conclusion
Ship pines received this name due to their special characteristics, which allow them to be used in shipbuilding. Today, the use of wood in this area is limited, but previously pine was one of the main valuable building materials.
