Bilge design
Bow design
Cabin design
Clutch design
Crew quarters design
Deck design
Rudder design
Sleeper design
Stair design
Stern design
Under cabin design
Glossary
The P.S. Lady Sherbrooke
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Bilge
Bow
Cabin
Clutch design
Crew Quarters
Deck
Rudder
Sleeper
Stairs
Stern
Under Cabin
Glossary
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Design of the Boat

Until now, there have been no plans discovered showing the master shipbuilder Isaac Johnson's design for the Lady Sherbrooke. In fact, it is quite likely that there never were actual drawings, or at least not like the detailed drawings used today in constructing even the most modest of vessels. An understanding of Johnson's design was really one of the key objectives of the project to rediscover the Lady Sherbrooke. In combination with historical accounts from the 1800s, and an understanding of the state of boat building technology from the period, a virtual recreation of the Lady Sherbrooke has been done.

Reports carried in various area newspapers vividly described the July 30, 1817 launching of the Lady Sherbrooke: as follows.

On Wednesday morning, the 30th past the beautiful steamboat, Lady Sherbrooke, belonging to Messrs. John Molson & Sons, was launched from the ship-yard of Hart Logan, esquire. The length of her keel is 134 feet 4 inches, and breadth of beam 34 feet 5 inches. Her magnitude and symmetry of construction is such as to exceed any vessel of the kind that has yet been seen on the waters of the St. Lawrence...

The report continued stating that the boat was

"to be fitted up principally for the transport of merchandise, but will have a cabin large enough to accommodate ten or twelve passengers, and which can be enlarged if need requires".

Drawings Drawings
In order to reconstruct (on paper) the design of the Lady Sherbrooke much of the vessel was recorded both in situ and then on board the research ship if the object was raised. Sections ranging from the bow to the stern, one of the sets of stairs to one of the cabin, and even the bilge to the clutch, were recorded and images of these objects are presented here.

So that you may get a fuller appreciation of these parts of the Lady Sherbrooke wherever possible the underwater image has been paired with additional information such as descriptions of the artefacts.