HMS Gannet is the last surviving example of a nineteenth century composite vessel of the British Royal Navy. The ship has a timber planked hull over an iron frame and was originally fitted with masts and rigging, as well as an engine and propeller so she could move under sail or steam, indicative of a period of immense change in ship construction and propulsion. HMS Gannet is a member of the National Historic Fleet and is on display at The Historic Dockyard Chatham, Kent, UK.
Almost 90% of the original hull survives but the vessel has undergone many changes throughout her service history. Work to restore the ship to her original specification has seen the exterior of the vessel reconstructed, however, the internal mechanisms were removed in 1897 and replacing them with replicas has always been deemed too costly.
The Historic Dockyard Chatham want to explore the possibility of recreating the internal mechanism using Augmented, Virtual and Mixed Reality technology to better interpret HMS Gannet and improve visitor experience of the ship. This essay explores how these proposals might impact the ongoing conservation and preservation requirements of the ship and provides guidance for The Historic Dockyard Chatham on the subject.
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