2/25/24 – Battleship Texas Update
Posted by Battleship Texas Foundation on February 25, 2024
DRY DOCK TOURS
The last Dry Dock Tour was today. Since November 20th, 2022, over 4,300 of you have participated in one or more Dry Dock Tours, raising over $630,000 in ticket sales alone. Thank you all for your support!
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What’s Next?
Battleship Texas will remain at Gulf Copper Shipyard for until her new home is ready for her. Additional steel work, removal and replacement of the ship’s deck, and superstructure/aft fire control restoration will continue. And painting the topsides!
Splash!
The ship will be put back into the water in early March 2024 (weather permitting).
Antifouling
The ship’s hull has been coated with PPG SIGMASHIELD 880 GF. Historically the ship would be coated with an anti-fouling coat that is red in color, but that coating is no longer needed as the ship is stationary and antifouling is not need to keep the hull free of marine growth for efficient movement through the water.
Keel Blocks?
Yes, the keel blocks supporting Battleship Texas can be moved. Each block is moved so the area atop of them can be blasted, repaired (if need be), and coated.
What about the rudder?
The rudder will remain where it is. Funding is best spent elsewhere.
Will the ship run again?
No, the ship will never be able to run under its own power again.
Touring?
The Battleship Texas Foundation is working on new touring opportunities before the ship reopens.
Reopening?
There is a lot to be done before the ship is ready for touring at its new home in Galveston, Texas. Reopening is projected to happen sometime in 2025 or 2026.
SHIP REPAIRS
Docking Keels
A quality control check was conducted on January 30th, 2024. Leaks were expected and the team has successfully located them. Several of the leaks were under the starboard after docking keel. To fix it requires removing the docking keel, fixing the hull, and installing a new docking keel. For structural support symmetry we are replacing the two after most docking keels. At this time we are only replacing the after two docking keels. We have a procedure for safely removing these blocks that will not structurally damage or compromise the ship.
This work is progressing well and 1/3 of these two docking keels have been replaced and the associated hull under them repaired.
Work will continue to ensure that Battleship Texas is leak free, right up until she goes back in the water. Her hull is 112 years old and has been in an abnormal state (out of the water) for 18 months; we do anticipate that she might have some water intrusion once she is afloat. If we do have water intrusion, we will evaluate it, address it with the resources we have available, and keep working to ensure Texas is as internally dry as possible.
5″ Guns
Two 5”/51 guns were reinstalled on the ship this week. 5/“51 mount #9 and #11 were reinstalled Tuesday and Friday. Mount #13 will be reinstalled this week, with the port side guns following once the ship is out of drydock and pier side at Gulf Copper. All six of the ship’s 5” guns were removed while in drydock, were restored at our workshop, and are being reinstalled.
Aft Fire Control Tower
Repairs to the ship’s Aft Fire Control tower are ongoing. The windows, which were removed years ago, will be replaced. The jams that hold the windows have been installed in the secondary battery level, trial windows have been made and test fitted.
Foremast
The deck drains on the port side of the foremast have largely been reinstalled, ensuring that water drains properly off the ship.