How long would winterizing an 1860s gunboat take, and what did the conversion involve?
Short answerAbout two to three weeks for a locally based ship or up to six weeks for a new arrival, chiefly to enclose openings and keep crew spaces workable in severe cold.
NotesA ship already assigned to the Canada station might need two or three weeks, while a newly arrived vessel could require roughly six weeks. For an age-of-sail-era ship, the work centered on keeping the crew and working spaces warm by covering gunports, rigging tarpaulins over openings, and extending normal North Atlantic preparations.