Preserving Museum Ships

[Northern Exploration]

As much as we all would want to see some of the BC Ferries ships preserved, it is an expensive and a bit of a daunting task.

The USS Olympia is facing some of the hurtles right now. Docked at Penn Landing in Philly is it in desperate need of very expensive dry docking to replate the hull as it is in quite bad shape. It is an interesting ship in that it is the oldest steel hulled vessel still afloat but the interior reminds you of a much older era in sail. I enjoyed touring her about 8 years ago when I was last in Philly. The bill for repairs is estimated at $10 million and up. Come on BCinNJ that is almost in your backyard, ante up .

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Olympia_(C-6)

The HMCS Haida faced the same issues and was "rehulled" and moved to Hamilton harbour. The oldest Canadian Navy ship afloat is an important part of our wartime heritage. The ship was a part of the Toronto waterfront previously. When the Toronto Symphony had its summer concert series on the waterfront, the guns of the Haida were fired during the playing of Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture.

hmcshaida.ca/

Currently there is a battle going on regarding the HMCS Fraser. When it was too expensive to maintain as a Museum ship,,it returned to the Canadian Navy and items were removed for museum purposes. The Artificial Reef Society thought they had the option to repurchase the vessel or have first rights, should it be planned to be scrapped. The DND announced the Fraser would be towed to Port Colborne, ON and scrapped. The Fraser is significant in that is the was the first totally Canadian design built in Canada. It was considered a Cadillac as it had comforts for the sailors previously unheard of, and was quite advanced for its time.

thechronicleherald.ca/NovaScotia/1200039.html

[Freeland]

It would be interesting to know if the HMCs Fraser ever show up at Pier 91 in Seattle during
Sea fair week. Back in early sixties I remember seeing a four Canadian Destroyers show up at
pier 91. They had stream line curve lines. I think it was because they could be wash down
during a Nuclear war to get rid of the fallout. They seem like they were painted a light pale green.

Anyway I saw the picture and it brought back memories of Sea Fair when there there was an
open house on Navy ships that came into Elliott Bay . The good old days of early
childhood.

Emory in Freeland.

[Northern Exploration]

The Fraser was based out of Esquimault so chances are she was one of the 4 you saw. There were only 7. The rounded hull form was for two reasons. Quick wash off of nuclear residue, but more practically to help prevent ice forming in winter. My Uncle sailed on the her sister ship the Skeena out of Esquimault.

Some Wiki info on the Fraser.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMCS_Fraser_(DDH_233)

I am sure if you want further information there must be a website by someone, that shows all her deployments.

[Nick]

All of Canada's warships have been painted in Canada's version of "shipside grey", which is a grey-green colour, as opposed to the USN's dark grey. This is probably the colour you saw on the warships in Seattle.

[Freeland]

Thanks for the come back from both of you.

At this age of 64 you wonder if your imagination has run wild on the color of the Canadian ships.

I always enjoyed open house on Aircraft Carriers and Submarines at Pier 91.

I think they had one US Carrier the had retrieved one of the early space capsules in the Pacific. I remember the huge displays on board. You appreciated the tight living quarters on the US Submarines. ( Black-fin ? )

Emory on Whidbey

[D'Elete BC in NJ]

Sept 3, 2010 8:13:32 GMT -8 Northern Exploration said:

As much as we all would want to see some of the BC Ferries ships preserved, it is an expensive and a bit of a daunting task.

The USS Olympia is facing some of the hurtles right now. Docked at Penn Landing in Philly is it in desperate need of very expensive dry docking to replate the hull as it is in quite bad shape. It is an interesting ship in that it is the oldest steel hulled vessel still afloat but the interior reminds you of a much older era in sail. I enjoyed touring her about 8 years ago when I was last in Philly. The bill for repairs is estimated at $10 million and up. Come on BCinNJ that is almost in your backyard, ante up .

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Olympia_(C-6)

Amazingly, very little local information is available regarding the need for massive restoration on the Olympia. Much more is being made right now of the whole scandal surrounding ex Senator Fumo using the seaport's yachts for personal trips to Cape Cod and Martha's Vineyard, and the bilking of millions of dollars from the museum by a former chairman, a former director, and an investment firm. Generally, there seems to be a certain level of disinterest in the museum, and much discussion has been made about relocating the whole setup to a more tourist friendly locale since the existing location is really set apart from most of Philly's other tourist destinations. I found a good local story from June discussing many of the issues here.

The New Jersey, which resides a short ferry ride (originally the Mt Mansfield and now the Essex II, both formerly of the Lake Champlain ferry fleet, and both renamed Freedom when moved to the route) just had her staff dramatically cut as state funding looked to be eliminated and there were fears she would be closed to the public even though she attacts 3 times as many visitors as the Seaport Museum across the river.

[Northern Exploration]

Sept 7, 2010 4:38:34 GMT -8 D'Elete BC in NJ said:

Sept 3, 2010 8:13:32 GMT -8 Northern Exploration said:

As much as we all would want to see some of the BC Ferries ships preserved, it is an expensive and a bit of a daunting task.

The USS Olympia is facing some of the hurtles right now. Docked at Penn Landing in Philly is it in desperate need of very expensive dry docking to replate the hull as it is in quite bad shape. It is an interesting ship in that it is the oldest steel hulled vessel still afloat but the interior reminds you of a much older era in sail. I enjoyed touring her about 8 years ago when I was last in Philly. The bill for repairs is estimated at $10 million and up. Come on BCinNJ that is almost in your backyard, ante up .

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Olympia_(C-6)

Amazingly, very little local information is available regarding the need for massive restoration on the Olympia. Much more is being made right now of the whole scandal surrounding ex Senator Fumo using the seaport's yachts for personal trips to Cape Cod and Martha's Vineyard, and the bilking of millions of dollars from the museum by a former chairman, a former director, and an investment firm. Generally, there seems to be a certain level of disinterest in the museum, and much discussion has been made about relocating the whole setup to a more tourist friendly locale since the existing location is really set apart from most of Philly's other tourist destinations. I found a good local story from June discussing many of the issues here.

The New Jersey, which resides a short ferry ride (originally the Mt Mansfield and now the Essex II, both formerly of the Lake Champlain ferry fleet, and both renamed Freedom when moved to the route) just had her staff dramatically cut as state funding looked to be eliminated and there were fears she would be closed to the public even though she attacts 3 times as many visitors as the Seaport Museum across the river.

And this lack of interest, expense etc. will likely mean the lead ship of the class the New Jersey is part of, and 4th example still afloat, the Iowa will be scrapped. It is still in the mothball fleet but there is more interest right now in preserving a couple of the aircraft carriers rather than more battleships.

I hadn't heard the misuse of money issues of the Philly Museum, so that makes sense why there isn't a groundswell of support to save the vessel. Moving it to another location where there is already a draw of other vessels would make sense. Such as Nauticus in Norfolk, or battleship row in Mass. as examples.

Here when it was determined to replate the hull of the Haida, Hamilton stepped up as they wanted a Museum draw in the Harbour and to act as a catalist for harbour renewal. The current fight of the Ticats with the city of Hamilton over building a stadium near the harbour is part of that renewal scheme.

[D'Elete BC in NJ]

Sept 7, 2010 9:40:55 GMT -8 Northern Exploration said:

Sept 7, 2010 4:38:34 GMT -8 D'Elete BC in NJ said:

Amazingly, very little local information is available regarding the need for massive restoration on the Olympia. Much more is being made right now of the whole scandal surrounding ex Senator Fumo using the seaport's yachts for personal trips to Cape Cod and Martha's Vineyard, and the bilking of millions of dollars from the museum by a former chairman, a former director, and an investment firm. Generally, there seems to be a certain level of disinterest in the museum, and much discussion has been made about relocating the whole setup to a more tourist friendly locale since the existing location is really set apart from most of Philly's other tourist destinations. I found a good local story from June discussing many of the issues here.

The New Jersey, which resides a short ferry ride (originally the Mt Mansfield and now the Essex II, both formerly of the Lake Champlain ferry fleet, and both renamed Freedom when moved to the route) just had her staff dramatically cut as state funding looked to be eliminated and there were fears she would be closed to the public even though she attacts 3 times as many visitors as the Seaport Museum across the river.

And this lack of interest, expense etc. will likely mean the lead ship of the class the New Jersey is part of, and 4th example still afloat, the Iowa will be scrapped. It is still in the mothball fleet but there is more interest right now in preserving a couple of the aircraft carriers rather than more battleships.

I hadn't heard the misuse of money issues of the Philly Museum, so that makes sense why there isn't a groundswell of support to save the vessel. Moving it to another location where there is already a draw of other vessels would make sense. Such as Nauticus in Norfolk, or battleship row in Mass. as examples.

Here when it was determined to replate the hull of the Haida, Hamilton stepped up as they wanted a Museum draw in the Harbour and to act as a catalist for harbour renewal. The current fight of the Ticats with the city of Hamilton over building a stadium near the harbour is part of that renewal scheme.

I don't think the relocation of the museum and its displays will be quite as drastic as a relocation to Norfolk or Mass...I think they are considering moving it to a Philly waterfront location with other amenties already providing a draw of outside population.

I just drove past the area being discussed about an hour ago, and was again reminded how I-95 really isolates the waterfront from the city. Unless a massive effort is made here to encourage tourist-draw businesses into what is now a very underdeveloped area, the museum will never have a large draw. On the other side of the river, the New Jersey does considerably better in attendance because the City of Camden...with significant help from the State of NJ...has dedicated a large effort to developing an entertainment zone that the Big J is part of. With a minor league ball field, a concert hall, aquarium and mass transit within walking distance, ease and diversity are the name of the game for entertainment, and people flock to the area. Even the United States is in a better location than the Independence Seaport Museum, and if they ever come up with the funding...or even a concept of how to use her...she stands a better chance of getting a decent draw of tourists.

...but there is more interest right now in preserving a couple of the aircraft carriers...

hmmm...and the JFK is just a hop, skip and a jump down river...