A group of Danish maritime experts have visited the Unicorn to pick up some tips on naval preservation.
The team from Fregatten Jylland or Frigate Jutland inspected the Unicorn’s roof as they decide what sort of protective cover to build on to their own boat.
Project manager Bo Laursen said: ”It’s old maritime heritage to have these roofs during the wintertime. It’s a naval tradition, but a lot of the drawings have been lost.
”Looking at the Unicorn, we are discovering a new angle to the roof. The roof we are looking at is slightly lighter than this, more of a wax canvass.”
Built in 1860 and incorporating steam power with the traditional sails, the Jutland is younger than the Unicorn, which was launched in 1824.
The Jutland is the longest existing wooden ship in the world after undergoing a massive refurbishment.
Bo said: ”The Jutland had a major overhall with a 75% rebuild in the 1990s. It’s not normal for wooden ships to be that original.
”Suddenly we had this great ship that no one knew about before. We are trying to make it living again.”
The Jutland played an instrumental role in the war against the Prussians in the second Schleswig War in 1864.
Bo said: ”We lost the war on the ground, but on the water we actually won.”
Now Bo and his team are trying to establish the best method of preserving their treasure, starting with establishing a protective roof.
He said: ”The Jutland’s holding up OK now but with these expensive ships they are becoming interesting again as you ask how do you take care of them?
”No one wants to fund the refurbishment, but they would like a new roof or a new mast.”
The group has now acquired some vital funding to build a roof over the Jutland, but unlike the Unicorn they only want to have it up in the winter months.
”We have the money for putting the roof up, but we would be very hesitant putting it up unless we can get it down again easily,” Bo said.
Unicorn operations director Roderick Stewart welcomed the ongoing contact with the Danish team.
”It’s immensely important,” he said. ”This illustrates the Unicorn’s international importance. There are very few really old ships in the world and it’s very important that we all understand what we are trying to do.
”We’ve a lot to learn from them and they want to learn from us. Their frigate is at the moment open to the weather and they are having problems with maintenance, which occurs as with the Unicorn.”
The Danish contingent are also visiting Glasgow Museum of Transport during their stay for more inspiration.