Plans underway to restore SS United States

[Aktungbby]

Looks tough and $800 million is a lot of money. Warning: depressing:

[Rockstar]

Originally Posted by Aktungbby

Looks tough and $800 million is a lot of money. Warning: depressing:

SP-SP-SPOOKY.

I'm guessing the superstructure is aluminium? Wonder too how much of the hull plate they would end having to replace once things got going. Too many unkowns IMO, cheaper to build a new boat.

[Aktungbby]

Originally Posted by Rockstar

SP-SP-SPOOKY.

I'm guessing the superstructure is aluminium? Wonder too how much of the hull plate they would end having to replace once things got going. Too many unkowns IMO, cheaper to build a new boat.

Correct; which presented galvanizing problems to the hull. Furthermore, some engineering areas contain toxic PCBs. It is a common problem for ships of the period, but one that means the Environmental Protection Agency will take an interest. Frankly, being renovated for a maximum of 800 passengers against an original cost of $724 million (adjusted to today's dollars) just doesn't appear feasible to me; It was estimated that it would take one billion (USD) to put the United States back on the high seas.....Cruise companies are economically competitive and this vessel was built with the navy's wishes in mind as a troop ship with myriad compartment etc. Allegedly $600,000 has been raised. The great steam engines of her Blue Riband crossing record are long gone. EDIT: here's where the scheme falls apart for me:

The Conservancy's grant specifies that the refit and restoration must be done in the Philadelphia Navy Yard for the benefit of the Philadelphia economy, regardless of her eventual mooring site; the Conservancy continues to negotiate with possible stakeholders in the New York area.

@ Nipplespanner: all the while, the USS Olympia, in the nearby Maritime Museum in Philly continues to 'soulfully' decay. A legendary vessel and ADM Dewey's flagship at the Battle of Manila Bay...someone in charge of the waterfront needs to straighten out their prioritie$(enlarges) The Olympia received multiple grants including(a mere) $169,850.00 from the National Park Service's Maritime Heritage Program to continue work on interim repairs of deteriorating hull plates and deck leaks. Between April and August 2015, Four 4-foot by 7-foot sections of the hull at the waterline were cleaned, scaled to bare metal, and treated with ceramic epoxy and new bottom paint. This was accomplished using a custom-made mobile surface-piercing cofferdam. Further work is planned for the Summer of 2016.