While difficult to tell for certain due to the scarcity of remains, the iron work, means of assembly, and the size and overall
condition of the wreck point to the late-19th or early-20th century as a possible date of construction.
As of yet, non-structural artifacts that would aid in determining a more exact date have not been found at the site.
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Historical research on rams provided data for comparison with the wreck at Cherryfield Point. Drawings generously
provided by the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum depict the lines of the vessels and a plan view of the deck arrangement.
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The turn of bilge on the Cherryfield Point wreck was very abrupt and consistent with the nearly 90-degree turn in rams.
Measurements taken on the wreck’s frame tips provided a fairly accurate indication of the vessel’s shape that is
consistent with a ram schooner. The intact wreckage measured just less than 24 feet in beam and between 125 and
135 feet in length.
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An overlay of this data with a drawing of the Victory Chimes (above) emphasizes the similarity in hull shape.
While the two vessels may have differed in length, their beam measurements appeared to have been very similar.
Nevertheless, mast steps and a centerboard, which would have been typical of a ram schooner, were not found. These
assemblies may well be covered by bottom silts. But if they are indeed missing, the construction would be more typical of a barge
built in the same manner as rams to pass through the canal.
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