Save the Silversides!

[Lance Dean]

I was hoping that someone from the Silversides would come on here and tell us more about their restoration efforts.  The below is quoted from the Silversides website:

http://www.glnmm.org/save_the_silversides.htm

Corrected new address:

http://glnmmorg000.web151.discountasp.net/apps/dnn/mydnn/Donations/tabid/74/Default.aspx


Save the Silversides

The USS Silversides is in dire need of dry docking. Dry docking for maintenance and repairs is a regular and integral part of preserving any vessel’s life. It is critical in helping to maintain and preserve the submarine for future generations. Typically, submarines are dry docked every five years while commissioned. If they are permanently moored in fresh water, it should be done every 25 years. The Silversides has not been in dry dock for nearly 55 years. The museum believes she is well overdue. We are seeking your help in this endeavor. The estimated cost for this undertaking is $500,000. We are looking for assistance from Silversides’s friends and supporters. All donations are tax-deductible and will be deposited into an escrow account to aide in the dry-docking. Please help the Silversides!

Four Donation Levels with a one of a kind “thank you” gift:

$50.00 = Color Poster of USS Silversides
$100.00 = 48 Page booklet of Silversides patrols
$500.00 = Poster and booklet
$1,000.00 = Poster, booklet, piece of original teak from the deck of the Silversides, and a name plaque to be placed in the museum.

Donations of any size are very much appreciated. Please make checks payable to: Great Lakes Naval Memorial and Museum or GLNMM. In the “memo” section of your check, please specify that the donation goes to the “Save the Silversides” fund. Send your donations to: 1346 Bluff Street, Muskegon, MI 49441. For any questions, please call the museum at 231-755-1230 or e-mail us at SS236sub@aol.com .

Thank you for your support!


I have no idea how long this fund raising effort has been underway already.  I wish we could find out more.  Wouldn't that be something to have a plaque with your name on it inside of their new building?

[Mark Sarsfield]

I've been in contact with a guy named Dan that restored their 1MC years ago when he was in college.  I don't know how often he goes there or if even volunteers anymore.

[silversides]

10/31/11 We have had a very successful season running # 3 & 4 main engines. They have been started about every two or three weeks on weekends for our guest, usually on Saturday or Sunday plus a few special events. This put several hours on them of much needed run time. The feedback has been very positive from everyone who came through the boat.  A few were so thrilled they damn near jumped over the side, Fairbanks nuts, you gotta love them.

 This was our last weekend for the season, now it's time to start sorting out #1 & 2 and see if we can breath life into them again for next summer. Now I'm searching for a couple of special tools to help with maintenance. One main engine governor, a fuel injector test stand for a Fairbanks and a pressure gauge calibrator / test stand. Tom Bowers on the Drum was kind enough to help us with some much needed assistance. Frank

[Mark Sarsfield]

Glad to hear it, Frank.  We use a high quality recording of your engines when we do our event weekends on the Batfish.  With two surround sound systems at a pretty loud volume, many people ask us if the engines are actually running.   I always tell them that it's a recording of the Silversides engines and that our volume is about half as loud as the real deal.

[silversides]

 Mark, thanks for your feedback, It's been a pleasure to be able to do runs for the guest. We have had a few do a start up including some ladies. The response has always been the same , big smiles, they realise that these boats are a real national treasure and deserve preservation.

 I spoke with your director a few weeks back and he indicated that there is a trade school near the Batfish and there was some interest in some students rolling over your engines. I called him looking for a F/M injector test stand,  i have a bunch of injectors i want to overhaul this winter. That is after i find a test stand. I've contacted Fairbanks and they are trying to help us out with that.  If there is any thing we can do to help you let me know. Frank (encs ss) ret.

[Mark Sarsfield]

As far as I know, we have nothing in the way of test equipment nor tooling for the engines.  I think some older gentlemen were looking at the engines in 2010, but you'd have to ask Rick as to what their final assessment was.  

Being an aircraft propulsion engineer, I guarantee that all bearings are rusted and pretty worthless.  Oil becomes very acidic after a year.  The oil (or whatever hasn't seaped out) in these engines is 40 years old.  We'd have to tear them all the way down and start over.

If anything, we should probably work on the auxiliary (dink) and use that as our learning curve.  I'm glad to hear the F-M still takes an interest in their WWII equipment.

[silversides]

 Mark, thanks for getting back to me on the injector test stand. I will dig one up, it's just going to take time.

 I may have to take exception with you on those engines. As a retired senior chief engineman with 24 years in the Navy, on fleet boats and surface craft, you would be surprised how durable they are if they haven't been under water.  A great deal of my time was spent on Fairbanks plants and in my oppinion there was not a more reliable engine out there, and i worked on and operated most all of the major breand at one time.

 If those engines have not been mistreated in storage you might be surprised how little work it takes to start one. Food for thought stay away fron the dinky, main engines are easer to work on, don't let the size influnce you.

 Thanks for sharing your thoughts with me and i hope ok with my take on this subjects.  I hope to hear from you soon.                   Frank  (616) 874-1224

[Ctwilley]

So, how does the Silver-lady get her engines started? Do you have your air compressors up? I was able to look our over on the Bat and there are quite a few parts stripped.

[silversides]

Hi, we have a very old 1940's water cooled air compressor by Ingersal Rand that someone installed a long time ago. Were maintaining four air air bank at 500 psi for starting engines and blowing #2b balast tank about twice a year when needed. It has a very slight leak so when we got a couple degrees of list we push the water out.

 Having air on hand at all times makes starting a ten minute line up routine. We also use #3 & 4 fresh water tanks for filling the main engine cooling systems. For fuel we only the clean fuel oil tank in the after engine room and take on about 200 galons at a time. I treat it to keep it from going bad.

 What equipment are you missing from the boat and engineering plant? I would likt to hear about the work your doing and any plans for the future. Frank

[silversides]

 A great Saturday, We fired up # 3 & 4 main engines today and they ran just great, the first time for this season. There were quite a few visitors at the museun along with an x-engimen, all had a good time in cluding the R.O.V. class. Frank