RESTORED PT BOAT RETURNS HOME

29 November 2016: We had some issues with the earlier posting of this story and are trying again!

Courtesy of FoxNews:

A historic World War II boat that survived dozens of operations -- and a few near-misses -- on the other side of the Atlantic is finally heading home to the waters where its journey began more than 70 years ago.

PT-305, fresh off a multi-year restoration project at the National World War II Museum in New Orleans, is traveling atop a barge set to reach the Industrial Canal near Louisiana’s Lake Pontchartrain by midday Tuesday.

“This is a big deal for all of us, but especially for the men and women for the last ten years who put blood, sweat and tears into the restorations,” Stephen Watson, museum executive vice president and COO, told FoxNews.com Monday.

The battle-hardened boat, nicknamed the U.S.S. Sudden Jerk, operated in the Mediterranean along the coasts of southern France and Northern Italy. PT-305 conducted more than 77 offensive patrols and operations, fought in 11 separate actions and sank three German ships during its 14-month deployment, according to the museum.

Following WWII, PT-305 took on a civilian role as a tour boat in New York Harbor, a fishing charter and an oyster boat, while falling into disrepair before the New Orleans museum scooped it up in 2007.

From there, a volunteer crew worked more than 100,000 hours on the project at the museum’s restoration pavilion to get PT-305 running again.

On Friday afternoon, the boat was moved outside the facility where volunteers, according to Watson, gathered for some quiet time before traffic lights and public signage was removed to make way for its 1-mile trek to the Mississippi River.

The next day, the boat, resting on a cradle, was lifted up onto a self-propelled modular transporter and was headed on its way.

“It was just a remarkable thing to see. They made it look so easy,” Watson said of the crew who walked alongside the vehicle and PT-305 as it slowly turned corners and moved through the streets.

Working in coordination with the Port of New Orleans, PT-305 arrived Saturday when no cruise ships were docked. It was hoisted onto a barge, which traveled down river, and is now heading back in the other direction through canals toward Lake Pontchartrain.

On a personal note, I saw this project a couple of years ago and was very impressed with the attention to detail and devotion the volunteers put into the project.... It is nice to hear it's finally back where it belongs!

Until next time,

                                            Fair Winds,

                                                             Old Salt

 

SAVE THE WHALES

21 November 2016: The controversial group, Sea Shepherd Conservation,  which has made a career out of fighting the Japanese whaling industry has just built a new custom vessel to pursue their mission.... here's a look.

 In January 2015, the controversial whale warriors Sea Shepherd Conservation Society won 8.3 million euro from the Postcode Lotteries in the Netherlands and UK to put towards the construction of a new custom-built patrol ship to battle Japanese whalers in the Southern Ocean.
To build their dream ship, Sea Shepherd turned to Dutch shipbuilder Damen Group for a modified version of the Fast Crew Supplier. Just 18 months later, Sea Shepherd commissioned the Ocean Warrior, the fastest, most high-tech, efficient and capable vessel to ever join the fleet. 
In September, the Ocean Warrior, rumored to cost $12 million, departed Antalya, Turkey on its maiden voyage to Australia, via Amsterdam and Italy, to participate in Sea Shepherds 11th Antarctic whale defense campaign in the South Ocean beginning this December. 

If you would like to learn more about this ship, here a video of her getting underway and heading to their hunting grounds in the Southern Ocean.

(click here)Ocean Warrior's Maiden Voyage

Thanks to gCaptain for this information.

That'll do it for now, friends. To those readers in the United States (and elsewhere it if applies!) Happy Thanksgiving. See you soon.

                       Fair Winds,
                                Old Salt  

MAYFLOWER II BACK TO MYSTIC SHIPYARD

14 November 2016: Last year we posted a piece about Mayflower II being hauled at Mystic Seaport for the start of some major restoration work. She is 60 years young and in need of about $2.5 million in repairs and restoration work. It was known at the time she would not be put on the hard until this year, and indeed, did spend last summer at Plimouth Plantation, having had a few "quickie" remedial repairs done. Here's what she looked like when she qwas "younger."

Well, she's now back, and this time, it's the real deal...... she will be out of service for a couple of years. Here's what the folks at Mystic had to say about the project:

Mayflower II, Plimoth Plantation’s 1957 replica of the ship that carried the Pilgrims to Massachusetts in 1620, returned to Mystic Seaport November 2  to continue preservation work at the Museum’s Henry B. duPont Preservation Shipyard.
This is the third phase of a multi-year preservation initiative for the nearly 60-year-old ship. Mystic Seaport shipwrights and Plimoth Plantation maritime artisans are collaborating on the restoration, which is being carried out to prepare the ship for the commemoration of the Pilgrims’ arrival 400 years ago in 2020. Unlike past years, Mayflower II will remain at Mystic Seaport for a period of 30 months and not return to Plymouth in the spring.
The Shipyard’s first task is to begin the process of downrigging and removing more than 50 tons of steel and lead ballast from the hold. Once that is completed, she will be hauled out of the water and moved to a location in the yard where the bulk of the work will take place.
“Our goal is to haul her as soon as possible,” said Quentin Snediker, the director of the Shipyard. “The next month-and-a-half to two months are going to have a pretty intense focus on preparation.”

“We’ve been working on the project for about the last two years,” he adds. “When she first came to us, we evaluated the structure, and since then we’ve been planning the process, acquiring the material, and getting ready to jump into the work that can now begin.”

Mayflower II will be available to view in the Shipyard, but visitors will not be able to go on board for the foreseeable future due to the nature of the work being done to the vessel.

Here's her arrival at the Seaport:

 

I am sure Mystic will keep us apprised of their progress as the work moves along. We will update our readers as we learn more.

Until next time,
                              Fair Winds,
                                       Old Salt 

PS Maritime Maunder just hit 25,000 readers! We are astonished and humbled... thank you. os