At 105 years old, the former USS Texas is the last surviving dreadnought type battleship in the world. She's also been in salt water essentially all that time. The old girl ships about 350 tons of water every day. Pumps keep up with that, but eventually, she'll fall apart.
The current preservation plan is to build a dryberth around her. The problem is, her hull plating and her framework along her bottom are so compromised that she would essentially collapse if she were dryberthed right now. So they are reinforcing the keel and plating along most of the length of the ship, a drawn out, and difficult process, but an interesting one to watch.
bought myself the flag as i already have Texas and the extra camo is quite costly for me, but anyone loving Texas feel free to support her in any way!
Long live Lone Star!
Posted by: ewok40k | 11/24/2017 at 09:05 AM
When I was flush with the inheritance from my Mom, I shoved $10k at them.
I can't help more now.
Posted by: Angus McThag | 11/25/2017 at 10:15 PM
There is clip on you tube about a restoration they did not too long ago. The 90s, I think. reinforcing the main structure of the ship will be somewhat more costly. Adm. Togo's flagship has been in concrete for a long time and is about the only way those old ships are going to make it well into the future.
Posted by: Quartermaster | 11/27/2017 at 07:54 AM