See Cutty Sark's copper hull

A floating miracle

To preserve the shape of Cutty Sark’s hull and relieve the pressure on the keel, Cutty Sark was lifted over three metres (10 feet) as part of a landmark conservation project.

This feat of engineering allows visitors to walk beneath the ship itself, and experience a 'fish's eye view' of the historic ship.

Cutty Sark's hull is covered in copper alloy sheathing, made up of 70% copper and 30% zinc.

The hull was innovative for its composite design, which combined wooden planks with an iron 'skeleton' of frames, beams and cross bracing. The result was a very strong, rigid ship with more room for cargo – because the iron framework took up substantially less space than a wholly wooden hull.

Originally the hull was covered in Muntz metal, a composite that was developed in Birmingham. The current sheathing has the same appearance, but is more readily available today.