Exterior renovations

[Mark Sarsfield]

That's the direction that we're heading in.  Rick wants to get all of the lockers and storage rooms cleaned out, first, and then we'll go from there.  Our new paint job sounds like it's coming into reality, as well as the deck replacement.  So, Batfish is getting a face lift this year.

[Travis McLain]

I have to question if something as precise as spare armatures were stored in the superstructure. First, the U.S. Navy learned before the war that that was a very rough place to keep sensitive things and that's why it designed its boats with storage for torpedoes inside the pressure hull, starting with the Tambor/Gar class; no more "external" storage for torpedoes and attempts to install external torpedo tubes were failures because the "fish" took a beating and could not be properly maintained.

Second, a spare armature for a main propulsion is huge and heavy, and there would have been no way to get it from topside storage down into the motor room at sea without removing at least part, if not all, of the control cubicle. I believe any main propulsion armature needing repair would have been done so in place by the resourceful electrician's mates or at a shipyard. Remember, most of the fleet boats built during the war had the four-motor propulsion configuration. Only later in the war did they devise a two-motor setup with a large motor on each propeller shaft. A spare armature for a motor-generator set could have been stored somewhere in the pressure hull.

Armature is just what came to my mind at the time, sorry. Also, referncing the silversides video again, their engine rooms did have ladders going up to the deck. On another note, the hatches may have been decked over to ease walking on the deck, just thinking here. If they were walking alon the deck it may have been a hassle to step down on the hatch, also if they ever had to run along the deck, like when rescuing a downed pilot under fire, they might have twisted an ankle or something if they stepped down onto the hatch. so im thinking they put wood on the hatch so it would be easier to walk over. But it is just a guess.

[Fred Tannenbaum]

No problem, Travis. A few deck hatches, especially the after battery compartment hatch (leads to the crew's dinette) and engine room hatch both have sections of deck over them to make it easier for people to walk over them. The after battery hatch would have teak decking over it and the engine room hatch a piece of steel with a hole in the middle. But those hatches probably would never have been opened except when in port. As far as I know, the bridge hatch was the only hatch used to prevent flooding in case they had to dive to escape a plane or something. I've seen video of various lifeguard rescues by boats with the gun access trunk from the control room that they would hand the rescued up to the bridge instead of sending them down a deck hatch.

Engine room hatches had ladders to them but they probably would have been removed and hung in the overhead during a patrol. Same thing with hatches in the torpedo rooms. Otherwise, they'd be in the way.

[Travis McLain]

Engine room hatches had ladders to them but they probably would have been removed and hung in the overhead during a patrol. Same thing with hatches in the torpedo rooms. Otherwise, they'd be in the way.

That makes sense.

[Tom Bowser]

There were a lot of access hatches in the deck, especially aft for access to the engine exhaust, etc. We have two aft of the aft torpedo loading hatch and one just forward of it. Does Batfish have metal deck from aft of the aft gun station or wood. Drum has the original metal deck aft. We replace the wood deck with steel channel, which I hate.
Tom

[Rick]

We currently have the wood deck.  I had planned to keep it that way.  I really want to have access to those hatches that go into the galley and Engin rooms for when we do work there.  These are the only ventalation that we have...

[Mark Sarsfield]

Agreed.  If it's a nice, breezy, clear day outside, it would be nice to pop a hatch in one of those rear areas.  I know that the conning tower and control room benefit from this.

[Lance Dean]

Agreed.  If it's a nice, breezy, clear day outside, it would be nice to pop a hatch in one of those rear areas.  I know that the conning tower and control room benefit from this.

I tell you what, it's eerie to feel a breeze coming through the sub.  I'm sure Tom got a kick out of me in October last year when we were standing in the middle of the Drum and I felt a breeze blow through.  It kinda spooked me and I was like "Where is that breeze coming from??".  I have no idea why I found it odd.

I'm a newbie at submarine museums compared to all of you guys.

[Mark Sarsfield]

When it's chilly outside and cold and damp inside, a breeze does creep you out.  Especially, if you're in a compartment all by yourself.  Subconsciously, I think everyone treats old boats/ships like the Queen Mary.

On a 70 degree spring day, a cool, dry breeze is a nice addition and you save some money on AC.

[Rick]

It is odd how you become "familiar" with an environment.  I remember in the old mainframe days in the Air force whe had to power down the mainfriame.  The quiet was deffening.  I suspect a breeze in the boats is along the same line.

[Mark Sarsfield]

What's the latest on getting that money freed up for painting the boat? 

[Rick]

I am trying to attack this a little differently.  As we do not have 200k in the bank with the Foundation,  and no one can give me a satisfactory bid to complet the job,  I am attacking this one step at a time.  The first thing is to get the paint and soil tested.  I could really use someone who knows how to do this and is willing to put ins some time for us.  Once this is done we can start addressing the issue of what we have to do to dispose of the old paint. 

[Mark Sarsfield]

You've gotten bids for $200K?  Wow.  What happened to the $65K bid?

[Rick]

Mark S.
The 65k was turned down by the sub vets.  They determined that this was not a satisfactory long term solution for the boat.
I am not sure why they are so resistant.  The BMF wants to do it the long and hard way.  I am anticipating this to be in the 160k to 200k by the time it is done.

Rick

[Mark Sarsfield]

Roger that.  Sounds like that they need to get on the ball to start raising money.