The answer has to do with materials science, aerodynamics, and firefighting. On the materials side of the equation, wetting the sailing canvas commonly used in the "Age of Sail" caused the weave of sailcloth to tighten, resulting in a stiffer and flatter sail. Newton's laws and Bernoulli's principle come to play in terms of physics and aerodynamics.
From a Newtonian point of view, a moving air mass is a force (F=MA) acting upon a sail. By applying force to one side of a sail, a vessel is caused to move in a complimentary direction (with the wind). The flatter a sail is, the more uniformly and efficiently an applied force can act in one direction. The more curved a sail, the more perpendicular force that will be converted into transverse (less-desired) force. In essence, the more the curve, the less the amount of force that will be applied in the desired direction of travel. So, a flatter sail is more efficient...until Mr. Bernoulli steps into the picture.
A sail is also an airfoil in some aspects relative to the wind, so Bernoulli's principle tells us that an airfoil effect also impacts the efficiency of a sail. When a sail is moving through the wind, rather than merely being pushed along, it is in some respect flying through the wind the way an airplane wing flies. If a sail is slightly curved, this airfoil effect can be created, and in some circumstances, the resulting "lift" can have a greater effect on speed of travel than mere force of air mass pushing against a sail.
So, the ideal cloth sail, will be as flat and stiff as possible to maximize Newtonian physics, while still having enough curve to maximize Bernoullian aerodynamics. Although it is believed sailors of the day didn't understand the science behind the value of wetting their sails, they certainly did understand the practical benefits of doing so.
This brings us to the final notion, that of firefighting. As a good many of the ships in that age were subject to attack (war, piracy, etc.), and all were constructed out of flammable materials, fighting fires was a concern. Fires that broke out could threaten masts, rigging, sails, and even the vessels themselves. One of the added benefits of wetting sails was the idea that they were then less prone to damage from fire. It was also common practice to hang buckets of water in the rigging, so that sailors could ladel water out from above to douse flames on sails and rigging lines. In later years, "water engines" were variously used to propel water onto sails and rigging from both below and above.
So, as we can see, wetting sails produces multiple effects that were deemed beneficial. In modern times, we don't face sea battles in sailing ships, and have new materials that allow us to efficiently make stronger sails that can be tightened more to create stiffer/flatter surfaces...but not too flat...
Yes. That's why it was called 'USS'. Ships of the Confederate Navy were 'CSS'.
The USS Constitution, a historic frigate of the United States Navy, won 33 of the 35 naval battles it fought during its service. Its most notable victories occurred during the War of 1812 against British ships, where it earned the nickname "Old Ironsides." The ship's impressive record and resilience have made it a symbol of American naval heritage.
The ship USS Constitution got the nickname Old Ironsides because the ship had iron plating in the hull. The ship was used during the Civil War.
Oh, dude, the USS Constitution's nickname is "Old Ironsides." It got that name because its hull was so thick and sturdy that cannonballs would bounce off it during the War of 1812. So, yeah, it's like the tough guy of the seas or something.
USS Kearsarge, a Mohican-class sloop-of-war, is best known for her defeat of the Confederate commerce raider CSS Alabama
The USS Constellation was nicknamed "The Connie."
The web address of the Uss Constellation is: http://www.historicships.org
USS Charleston
The phone number of the Uss Constellation is: 410-539-1797.
The web address of the Uss Constellation Museum is: www.constellation.org
USS Constellation vs L'Insurgente happened on 1799-02-09.
USS Constellation vs La Vengeance happened on 1800-02-02.
there were 8 frigates on the American sife- the USS Constitution, the USS John Admas, the USS President, the USS United States, the USS Constellation, the USS Boston, The USS New York, and the USS Congress
The United States, Constitution and the Constellation
The address of the Uss Constellation is: 301 E Pratt St, Baltimore, MD 21202-3110
Captain Thomas Truxton was the first captain of the USS Constellation. The ship was the best the US had at the time in 1799.
No, the = USS Constellation = is a frigate.