SS United States to be sunk to become artificial reef
Discussion
After years of failed attempts to save the great liner in various forms, it looks like her days are now numbered, as she's soon to be towed out to sea and sunk to form an artificial reef.
Better than being cut up for scrap I suppose.
https://www.npr.org/2024/11/20/g-s1-34309/ss-unite...
Better than being cut up for scrap I suppose.
https://www.npr.org/2024/11/20/g-s1-34309/ss-unite...
People have these dreams of converting the big liners to hotels etc, but once the reality of maintenance costs hits home, investors walk away. Even sat not moving, in fresh water, they rot eventually, serving up all sorts of costs and environmental concerns.
I think turning it into a reef is a really good fate. Want to see it? Down you go!
I think turning it into a reef is a really good fate. Want to see it? Down you go!
Tony1963 said:
People have these dreams of converting the big liners to hotels etc, but once the reality of maintenance costs hits home, investors walk away. Even sat not moving, in fresh water, they rot eventually, serving up all sorts of costs and environmental concerns.
Its not so bad if it can be towed to a dry dock to have maintenance carried out periodically, like they done recent with USS Texas and one of the Iowa Class BB's, and they have done to HMS Belfast, but if you do something stupid and what they've done to RMS Queen Mary at Long Beach, with no thought to that, you're pretty much FUBAR'd......which is why the old girl is in such a sad state now and there is no option to fix it where it is, or tow to somewhere to fix it, or even tow out to sea to sink it as a reef... 
aeropilot said:
Its not so bad if it can be towed to a dry dock to have maintenance carried out periodically, like they done recent with USS Texas and one of the Iowa Class BB's, and they have done to HMS Belfast
The USS Texas and Iowa Class ships are officially still in reserve for the US Navy, and they are required to be kept it in a state whereby they can be restored to active service, hence the drydocking and maintenance. Also, it's much easier to get funding and support for keeping battleships preserved than for civilian liners. Best thing for the United States is to become a reef, the costs of keeping it afloat must be enormous and there isn't anything left on the inside anyway. It's all been ripped out years ago.
FourWheelDrift said:
Worries it might hit a bridge if moved.
USS New Jersey had to pass under the same bridge on the way to dry dock recently and they had to remove the mast, radar, etc and make the journey at low tide to do it. I'm not sure of the relative heights of the two ships but I'm surprised that no one looked at it for the United States before now.
spitfire-ian said:
FourWheelDrift said:
Worries it might hit a bridge if moved.
USS New Jersey had to pass under the same bridge on the way to dry dock recently and they had to remove the mast, radar, etc and make the journey at low tide to do it. I'm not sure of the relative heights of the two ships but I'm surprised that no one looked at it for the United States before now.
Unless its a new bridge built since SS United States arrived at its current resting place??
All aspects of the proposed tow will be checked by an independent third party expert as part of the insurance covering the operation. It is known as ‘marine warranty’ or ‘towage approval’. It would be interesting to know how many ‘cement boxes’ the vessel has to contain leaks below the waterline!
aeropilot said:
Well, how did it get where it is now then, as surely it must have had to pass under the same bridge to get to where it is?
Unless its a new bridge built since SS United States arrived at its current resting place??
When it arrived, it had an interior. Now its been gutted, she floats higher in the water.Unless its a new bridge built since SS United States arrived at its current resting place??
Just checked, she was towed to where she now sits back in 1996, so a long time after either of the 3 bridges between her and the open sea were constructed, so I'm a little confused as to why they think she'll not pass under those same bridges 30 years later, unless its because she's now so light, after being stripped out, she's a lot higher up in the water....?
aeropilot said:
Just checked, she was towed to where she now sits back in 1996, so a long time after either of the 3 bridges between her and the open sea were constructed, so I'm a little confused as to why they think she'll not pass under those same bridges 30 years later, unless its because she's now so light, after being stripped out, she's a lot higher up in the water....?
I reckon its that people in the US are a bit nervous of ships and bridges at the moment.Huntsman said:
A quick bit of wikipedia work suggests her air draft is about 144ft (175ft keel to masthead less 31ft draft)
The nearby Walt Whitman bridge has 150ft clearance.
It wouldn't take much to lower her air draft by a lot if she's floating a bit high.
Wouldn't be surprised given the state she's in, that she might not need some concrete poured into her bottom anyway, which will her bring back down in the water.The nearby Walt Whitman bridge has 150ft clearance.
It wouldn't take much to lower her air draft by a lot if she's floating a bit high.
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