November 2009 Dry Dock Photos
Courtesy of Joseph W. Lombardi
FOLKS,
It has been awhile since my last update, but as you can imagine, it has been very busy and fruitful.
The hull is now completely re-plated with 3/8” steel. The machinery spaces (B-1 & B-2) are now completed and signed off as being officially accepted. All wasted transverse and longitudinal frames, keel and bulkheads from the machinery spaces have been removed and new framing/bulkhead plating installed as needed. While you probably would not serve dinner to guests below a boiler these spaces are now immaculate, strong and sorted out.
The hull has been plated up to the 13’ waterline, well above the current waterline to remove any riveted seams and to replace the badly pitted shell plating found when the double plates were removed.
A decision was made to replace the keelson from the stem to the end of the skeg as this was also riveted plating. When double plating over the keel blocks was removed, many sections were badly deteriorated and holed; the decision was made to re-plate to eliminate any possible leakage down the road and is the correct decision being that no Band-Aids were to be installed.
Other tasking coming up is to coat all interior shell plating, bulkheads and frames with two coats of epoxy and a stripe coat for sharp edges and welds. This will ensure the interior is rust-free for many years down the road. This tasking is being done now to preclude the presence of condensation that would have compromised the coating system had it been applied once the ship was waterborne. Once all of the keelson work is completed the exterior of the ship will be hydro blasted, primed and painted with a high end, zinc rich epoxy premium coating. More on that later as we move ahead.
The Detyens fabrication, dock masters, rigging and welding crews and the MMIF fabrication/welding crews that have done this work deserve a BZ, (in Navy parlance, Bravo Zulu), for a job well done.
I very much enjoyed the visit by Sonny (and his cohorts) of the LAFFEY ASSOCIATION; they were treated to a briefing and a walk around the dry dock. My hope is that they came away from their visit with increased resolve to again instill their passion for this vessel to others. Theirs is quite a story of rigor, stamina and determination against all odds and should be required reading for all.
Joseph W. Lombardi, AMS
Marine Surveyor & Consultant
Ocean Technical Services, LLC
10 Dalton Avenue
Gloucester, Massachusetts 01930Office 978-526-1894
Cellular 508-958-1299
Fax 866-381-2687
www.oceantechserv.com
We have no clue what these yard birds are posing for:
Rich, Dave, Donnie, John, and Sonny
