Navy on Yorktown: Fix it or junk it

[Capt Worley PE]

This doesn't sound too good...

MOUNT PLEASANT -- The aircraft carrier Yorktown played a heroic role in numerous battles for the Navy, from the time it was built in the 1940s until it was decommissioned in 1970.
But as the longtime centerpiece of the floating maritime museum at Patriots Point, the inactive warship has been slowly losing a silent, corrosive and very costly war with nature.

Officials at the military attraction estimated Tuesday that it would cost more than $100 million to dry dock and repair the ship's deteriorating steel hull. It's money that South Carolina does not have.

The long-simmering problem came to a boil as the Patriots Point Development Authority discussed a letter it received from the Department of the Navy about the deteriorating condition of the donated ship.

In short, the Navy has given the state agency two options for dealing with the Yorktown: Either put the vessel in dry dock so its rusting hull can be fixed or submit a plan to dispose of the aging ship.

More at link.

http://www.postandcourier.com/news/2009/oc...-it-or-junk-it/

 

[Fluvial]

*Everything* is more expensive on the hind end.

That's a sad story Cap'n.

 

[Road Guy]

that stinks, our cub scout pack is going there again this March for the sleep-over. maybe they need to raise the cost a little, I think per person the sleep-over is only about $35 bucks, and that includes several meals...cant see how they can raise enough money to fix the hull though, I think they said the hull is stuck in about 30' of muck..

 

[Chucktown PE]

This doesn't sound too good...


More at link.

http://www.postandcourier.com/news/2009/oc...-it-or-junk-it/

Sad as it is, I think it's time to turn the thing into an artificial reef. They could build a lot of stuff with $100 million that would do just as much, or more for tourism. I drive by that ship on my way to and from work every day. I would hate to see it go but the financial model isn't sustainable. They should bring in a newer decommissioned ship and tow the Yorktown out to sea. Those ships weren't built to last forever with no maintenance and the only reason it makes sense to maintain them is if they're being used to fight a war. Yes they have intrinsic historical value but even so, they have a limited service life and no amount of dry-docking and paint can keep the saltwater from rusting the hull.

 

[Chucktown PE]

that stinks, our cub scout pack is going there again this March for the sleep-over. maybe they need to raise the cost a little, I think per person the sleep-over is only about $35 bucks, and that includes several meals...cant see how they can raise enough money to fix the hull though, I think they said the hull is stuck in about 30' of muck..

So even if they raised the fee to $50 per person, they still need 2,000,000 people to spend the night on the thing.

 

[Capt Worley PE]

That's a sad story Cap'n.

Yeah, I know.

I first toured the ship right after it opened (1975, maybe) and returned in 1999 with my wife in tow. I was amazed how much it had chnged in those years. Maybe it just looked better kept to a kid, I don't know.

The sad thing is I believe they just invested a lot of money in sprinkler and alrm systems for the Scout sleepover areas.

Anyone remember when the N/S Savannah was moored there?

 

[Chucktown PE]

Yeah, I know.
I first toured the ship right after it opened (1975, maybe) and returned in 1999 with my wife in tow. I was amazed how much it had chnged in those years. Maybe it just looked better kept to a kid, I don't know.

The sad thing is I believe they just invested a lot of money in sprinkler and alrm systems for the Scout sleepover areas.

Anyone remember when the N/S Savannah was moored there?

^^ I remember. They mentioned the Navy Ship Laffey that was recently towed to dry-dock. I think it's been in for a month or two now. They just towed the Coast Guard Cutter Ingham away and I believe they're moving it to a museum in the Florida Keys. There really aren't many ships left at Patriot's Point.

 

[Road Guy]

here is how it looked 3 years ago

 

[chaosiscash]

Anyone remember when the N/S Savannah was moored there?

Yeah, me too. Its too bad about the Yorktown.

 

[Capt Worley PE]

Is that sub still there?

 

[Chucktown PE]

Is that sub still there?

Yes. But it's in pretty bad shape as well and needs to be in dry-dock.

 

[Fluvial]

They mentioned the Navy Ship Laffey that was recently towed to dry-dock.

My Dad served on the Laffey in the late 50's.

 

[Slugger926]

Curious, why not change its location to someplace out of the way, even dredged inland, then incase it in concrete so the ocean will no longer be eating away at the hull? Wouldn't that perserve it cheaper than refurbing the hull?

 

[Supe]

This sounds like a job for Mighty Putty!

 

[Road Guy]

Curious, why not change its location to someplace out of the way, even dredged inland, then incase it in concrete so the ocean will no longer be eating away at the hull? Wouldn't that perserve it cheaper than refurbing the hull?

sounds reasonable, but then you have to satisfy all the environmental smucks out there who would say that was disruptful to the oceanside habitat. when we were there they had a project to rebuild the oyster popluation to help with the pollution in the area. The scouts filled these bags of old oyster shells and placed them on the shore line to encourage new oysters to "cling" there to regrow them in the area, of course you could make a huge retaining wall and surround the area and put the oysters on the outside of that (or maybe gabion baskets) but I am sure some NEPA person would say that was a no-no...

The ship itself may not make much money but I am sure the tourist area of Charleston would take a hit if it wasnt there anymore (maybe Obama will make that a stimulous project )

 

[Slugger926]

This sounds like a job for Mighty Putty!

Or just coat the hull with JB Weld, Duct Tape, and bailing wire where needed.