BATFISH 40mm Restoration Update

[Rick]

Mark A

I took a little Park Manager liberty and tryed the 40 mm out.  It is smooth.  I expected to get a real work out on thiis thing, but not at all.   I 7 yoa son was even able to move the handles with out help.   This does bring us back to the original problem of security and maintenace we talked about earlier.   

Don't worrie,  we put it back into position,  pointed right at the mayors office......... 

BZ to Makr A again..
Rick

[Travis McLain]

Mark A. : JohnG and myself also tried out the 40, and it operates just great!! We hoped to give some people on the highway a scare by leading one of the cars with it. lol 

[MWALLEN]

This does bring us back to the original problem of security and maintenace we talked about earlier.

I have sent spec's to Vaughn about creating a realistic looking "gun rest" that will have a locking flange.  It will be locked in place, pointing straight aft and the key will be kept in Rick's office.  I will line the flange with rubber so that when tourists get up there, and they will get up there, if they decide to play with it, and they will play with it, it will only bang against the rubber inside the flange, keeping any damage to a minimum.

We will be back down on the 12th to finish up the painting on the 40 and then continue the deck work.  I won't know until Thursday PM if Vaughn is coming.  If so, then if he is able to build all of this for me, we should be done with it next Saturday.

Oh...and thanks for all the kind words.  It's been a blast...but now I'm wanting to get working on the deck and kill some more WASPS. 

[Mark Sarsfield]

I pointed out the 40mm to my wife on Friday and stated that it was the most recent item that has been restored on the boat and then I showed her the new deck that we're slowly laying down.  She said that it was nice seeing we're come down to "play".  I think she got a better appreciation for how much labor we're putting into the Batfish so that it doesn't turn into the U.S.S. Rustoleum.

[Rick]

I just spoke with Vaughn and Marry.  They will not be able to make it down until the 19th.   They want to greet our visitors ( I will put a seperate posting).

Rick

MarkA, 
How many Wasps did you killl.  I think you are close to becoming an ace.......

[MWALLEN]

How many Wasps did you killl

After I got stung, I knocked down 2 "working" nests...each nest had 3-4 live targets.  After I destroyed one of them I went down below decks and I think the remnants of the one nest decided to get some payback.  Another can of Wasp Away and 5 more corpses littered the outer hull.

Give me about 12 "for sure" and 4 "probables".   

[Rick]

There you go.   MarkA the Ace........   

What other sub can claim one.     

[Mark Sarsfield]

I'll try to remember to get some raid fogger for this Saturday.  They seem to get pestier and grow in numbers as the summer progresses.

[MWALLEN]

The ROTC (?) kids took out a bunch of deck.  We removed a bit more but spent most of our time removing bolts.  Only so much 2 people can do.

I did knock down 2 big nests that were active with at least 15 of the %$^@! things...

I'm beginning to think the best time to do this is in the fall/winter...but then I'll complain about it being too cold.  Well, my wife will...I like the cold.

[Mark Sarsfield]

Hmmmm... I wonder if those bug bombs/foggers strategically placed on the boat at night would wipe out the buggers while they sleep?  I've used them in garages and sheds before, but never in a semi-open area like the super structure.

[MWALLEN]

Went out to the sub today and you can see by the photos that it didn't take long for someone to damage the work my wife and I did on the 40mm.  I was very upset about this.  You can see from the two gun photos + the railing photos that someone has taken the gun and run it along the railing.  What a bunch of idiots.   

I think Vaughn is coming out on the 6th and will be putting a lock on this and I will hide the key.  What's wrong with people.   

Will have paint next time to touch up the damage.  Yeah, it might not be that much and we can touch it up in about 10 minutes, it's just the fact that someone would do this.

OK...I'm off my soap box now.

Mark A.

[Tom Bowser]

Same thing with ours. We have signs up all around the sail saying no climbing, no access permited, yet they still have to go up and play. We are about to lock down every thing that moves on the boat. People just don't have any respect for history.
Tom Bowser

[Mark Sarsfield]

I will link this conversation and post it to the reenactors.  I'm pretty sure that they didn't do it, but I'll let them know, none the less.

[MWALLEN]

I don't know who did it...but it was deliberate with the amount of damage done.  The railing is scraped down to bare metal and is rusting.  They had to know it was scraping.  Idiots.

Like I said...it's going to get locked down and I'm hiding the key.  I didn't work on it all summer to have some idiot come out and goof around on it and damage it.

[Rick]

I jully understand everyones frustration.  MarkA and I have already talked about this and I fully agree that a lock mech. needs to be added to the 40 MM to keep people from playing with it.  I know that the damage did not come from one of our volunteers or volunteer groups.  We all know what it is like to have something we worked hard on trashed.  Once the lock mech is in place the key will need to be stored in the lock box in the museum office.  This will keep a centrail point of control on it and available for use by museum staff...