Speaking as a Lionnfish (SS-298) volunteer, I sure hope she isn't the next one to go. And suffer the fate her younger sister her sister the Ling (SS-297) is possibly facing.
I read this website with some envy when I hear about the amazing work done by volunteers to get some of the boats in such great shape that equipment actually operates, like engines that run or periscopes that raise and lower.
We don't have the resources to accomplish anything as impressive as that. There are only 3 volunteers working on the Lionfish. The goal is to make her look good. A proud memorial to the men who served on her. We do get help where students from the Naval Academy Prep school in Newport, or Massachusetts maritime, or Maine maritime come for a 1/2 day to help us out. And we had two incredibly generous welders from the Groton sub base come for a few days. A plank owner visited her last year and thanked us for taking care of his boat, that made me feel good.
The Cove is typically open 363 days a year. In the 5 years have been working on the boat it was only closed for one two week period because the brow got broken in a storm, and the visitors could not safely walk onto the boat.
I think last year over 7000 visitors came aboard on one day, well it was the Cove's free entry day. So the Lionfish is still going strong. Sorta, she is made of metal, is floating in water, and rust and deterioration of the deck is a constant battle.
And it has been a long time since the last drydock "tuneup".
Best wishes to all of us who work hard to keep the boats going.
Drew
