The Falls of Clyde ship

[Composite 2992]

Re: The Falls of Clyde ship

Differences in cost could be due to how many volunteers you can hustle up to lend a hand.

I spent a few days on the USS Missouri knocking out rust from under some of the deck planks.

BTW, I have seen a lot more done with a lot less. There are vintage airplanes and cars that look as though they're just a rivet away from the scrap heap. But after several years of loving restoration, they look as though they just rolled off the assembly line. Amazing!

If I had the time I wouldn't mind volunteering to do something on the FOC or the Missouri. When taking friends there, I can point out a particular detail and proudly say, "I did that."

[LikaNui]

Re: The Falls of Clyde ship

How can there be such a wide gap between estimates of what renovation/preservation will cost?

The $2 million would be to simply repair the hull to ensure that FOC won't sink, while the $40 million would be for a complete renovation and restoration of the entire ship back to near-perfect condition.

[admin]

Re: The Falls of Clyde ship

The following came as a comment to the general HawaiiThreads.com feedback bin. I'm omitting the name but including the note as I think it'd be of interest to everyone:

Mr. Whitfield, I read your remarks on website and no one has been as succinct as you describing what has been going on with the Falls of Clyde. I just wanted to make sure that you know Tuesday, tomorrow 4:30 will be the "Change of Command" ceremony at the Maritime Center and then we are piped over to Gordon Biersch for the reception. The piper will be Dan Sinclair who used to be her carpenter. He wholeheartedly shares your views on Bishop as do we all. Hope to see you there.

[Ron Whitfield]

Excellant!

That saves me a trip to the MC to find out the time, and I appreciate the message being relayed, thanx!

In many ways, I see this unfortunate episode in the vessel's post sailing existance as a blessing, as she was way overdue for the types of major work that will now start to be accomplished, which was not going to happen had she continued to languish in Bishop Museum hands. The uppers and rigging needed to come down after decades of inattention, so at least that part is accomplished and nobody got hurt.
It's a sad state of affairs, and obviously it will take many years, $, and educated efforts to turn the final corner to restoration, but at least she now has yet another lease on life. Close call, way too close.

I'd like to see the State be involved to help find the safest and most proper way to promote and display the vessel.
The entire waterfront area around Aloha Tower is in need of redesign and the FOC should be highly considered as much as a centerpiece as the Tower when this inevitably occurs. Keeping her in the water looks good, but in the long run, I think she needs to be land based. This opens up valuable dock space and suddenly generates $. Having her safely secured on land exposes her awesome hull, eliminates the severe rust problem from salt water, costly haul-outs, minor hurricane threats/sinking, and more. Not that it'll be easy, but nothing concerning her future will be easy. I hope they start to listen.

Long live The Falls Of Clyde!

[LikaNui]

Re: The Falls of Clyde ship

Hooray!!!
Will she drydock at Pearl Harbor? And once she's out of drydock, then where? The Maritime Museum ought to rent her the same slip she's in right now, for the traditional $1 per year.
And we've got a lot of millionaires living here, and about a dozen Billionaires. Hit 'em up for donations! Get grants from various sailing foundations, and matching funds from the feds.
The Advertiser now has the story [url=http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080929/BREAKING01/80929086]at this link[/ur].

[MrBobHarrisSan]

Re: The Falls of Clyde ship

Great news about the official change in command to happen this afternoon! Only wish I could be there. My family and I will be moving from the Big Island to Kauai on Thursday, so as always I will be looking for the Falls on our approach to Honolulu. Something about seeing the Falls down there from an airplane in inter-island flight always puts me in a thoughtful mood. Now I can look down with some hope. As dismal as she may look now, I wholeheartedly agree about the incredible restorative power of loving volunteer hands. Hope I can make it over to Oahu soon to help out. I also would like to add my thanks to Ron for his enthusiasm and efforts to keep people informed. Hats off to everyone involved! Now let's get to work!

[Ron Whitfield]

Re: The Falls of Clyde ship

Just back from the signing ceremonies at the Maritime Museum where The Friends Of The Falls Of Clyde officially took over the reins of the ships opperations, preservation, and fund raising.

In memory of the great Bob Krauss and his original efforts to save the ship, there is now a Bob Krauss Million Quarter fund drive to raise the first monies needed to get things rolling. The quarter jar was passed around the crowd to kick it off, and Bob's daughter was in attendance and spoke as well.

I was also able to speak with my former captain, 'Skip' Naftel, who is the head honcho for TFOTFOC, and he told me that they are shooting for a permanent berth in Pearl Harbor, near the Arizona Memorial, the Missouri, and Bowfin, once she comes out of dry dock.
I'm not sure how this will effect potential volunteer workers accessing the vessel, as it's tough to get on base these day's, but it's a safer area than Honolulu Harbor should potential danger come up. Plus, it has built in tourist traffic. So, there are a lot of positives to be up-beat about.

[Leo Lakio]

Re: The Falls of Clyde ship

The story makes it into the New York Times.

[68-eldo]

Re: The Falls of Clyde ship

Pearl Harbor would be a good place for it. I think they would get a number of volunteers from the Navy. The problem is the Falls of Clyde does not have a Navy connection. It might be hard to sell it to the top brass. The other attractions are viewed PR for the Navy.

I might be mistaken but I believe the USS Missouri pays something like $17,000 a month rent on the pier. The Friends of the Falls of Clyde need to be sure they get a better deal.

[Nords]

Re: The Falls of Clyde ship

Pearl Harbor would be a good place for it. I think they would get a number of volunteers from the Navy. The problem is the Falls of Clyde does not have a Navy connection. It might be hard to sell it to the top brass. The other attractions are viewed PR for the Navy.

I might be mistaken but I believe the USS Missouri pays something like $17,000 a month rent on the pier. The Friends of the Falls of Clyde need to be sure they get a better deal.

The USS MISSOURI Memorial Association is squatting on one of the best aircraft carrier piers in the harbor, and they've been paying way below market for years. ADM Kihune's initial promise was that they'd only be there for a few years while they were getting ready to move over to the USS ARIZONA Memorial Museum area where the old Ford Island ferryboat landing used to operate.

Navy can't afford to look like the bad guy, but I think they can draw the line at sheltering Falls of Clyde.

[Composite 2992]

Re: The Falls of Clyde ship

One possibility is taking it out of the water and displaying it on land. Sitting in salt water creates a huge maintenance problem with marine growth that has to be cleaned off on a routine basis, hull corrosion, etc.

On land the problem is how to keep the hull properly supported and counteracting weathering. But at least that eliminates the huge cost of haul-outs, then removing and replacing bottom paint which, by itself, is costly.

[joshuatree]

Re: The Falls of Clyde ship

One possibility is taking it out of the water and displaying it on land. Sitting in salt water creates a huge maintenance problem with marine growth that has to be cleaned off on a routine basis, hull corrosion, etc.

On land the problem is how to keep the hull properly supported and counteracting weathering. But at least that eliminates the huge cost of haul-outs, then removing and replacing bottom paint which, by itself, is costly.

This would make the most sense for long term maintenance. Does Bishop Musuem have any open spaces on their property?

[Ron Whitfield]

Re: The Falls of Clyde ship

Blair Collis and the museum need to accept/admit the fact that they are highly culpable in this sad string of events, and should be facing court awarded monies to the new owners just for the dereliction issues, not mention many deceptions.
Ms. Ching is quite correct in asserting that the pathetically un-used money should be turned over for seriously needed work, immediately.

The Navy, incredibly, has virtually no interest in the historic sites and vessels they already have in the harbor, which are a part of their own history. They proved that yet again when they did nothing, and in fact opposed efforts to acquire, the Kioga, the last remaing tug from Dec. 7, '41 that performed heroically that day and afterward. I'm sure many that call shot's would prefer to rid themselves of the magnificent pieces that are there now, but know the bad PR would not be something they'd like to tackle. Thus, leaving it to the other few in power to push for any retaining and expansions of historical vision.
So, the FOC in Pearl Harbor is not the optimum situation, by far.
The only real positives are a safer harbor during major storms, and the surrounding vessels/Arizona Memorial, which = highest tourist access and $. However, the Naval axe would be forever over her mast's and eventually the FOC would have to find a new home.
She needs to be in Honolulu Harbor, and the State needs to use her as a focal point in re-invigorating the area which is greatly mismanaged and under-used.
The parking lot between piers 4 & 5(?) should be where they bring the FOC up and displayed so her awesome hull can be viewed.
It's a win win for all, if only the proper minds can get it to happen in spite of the beaurocratic hurdles.

[Ron Whitfield]

Another black eye for Bishop Museum officials

Rape, pillage, and burn, seems to have been the mantra chanted by those in charge of the FOC as they secretly hurried to sink the vessel, telling anybody interested to have at whatever irreplaceable and unique items of their choosing that they could get away with.
Now, as with the Iolani Palace's decades old efforts, the www.friendsoffallsofclyde.org has to waste precious time/effort and severly back-pedal to research BM documents, trying to find where the items may have gone innitially and where they may now be.
I'm sure most will be secured eventually from those who have the ship's best interests at heart, but of course many whom have artifacts will be loath/e to give them back once it's known a search is on, making them thieves of a sort should they try to keep them.
http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/ar...S01/812010334/

[buzz1941]

Re: The Falls of Clyde ship

Any steel-hulled, lapped hull needs constant care. The FOC group might think about relocating the vessel onto dry land, encased in cement. Many historic ships are kept this way.