AFFM News
Breaking News April 1, 2007
The 713 and the Cutter Alert get set Adrift!
This is to report that the LCI (L) #713 was set adrift from its moorings early Monday morning 2007-3-26. The old Coast Guard cutter Alert was tied along the port side and shared the incident. The vandals had to remove five lines to set them free. The ships drifted downstream on the Columbia River and rested against some dolphins along the shore-line.
The Coast Guard insisted that they be towed away immediately. There were upcoming 20 knot winds and the Alert's bottom was resting on snags with the fuel tanks holding a lot of oil.
Tidewater Barge Lines did the rescue towing and returned the ships to their berth. There was no charge for the towing. Thank you Tidewater!
The LCI was returned with no problems. However the Alert suffered three formidable holes in the hull just forward of the rudder shaft. The fuel has been removed, the oil drained from the engines and it will have to be towed to a dry-dock to save her. Pumps are the only salvation at this point. Thanks to Walt James for making dives in order to plug the holes which has greatly reduced the rate of leakage.
This will not deter any plans for the #713. We plan to proceed with preparations as being a participant with the Rose Festival Fleet in Portland on June 1st.
We have been supportive in the Alert's presence and deeply regret Captain McKenzie and his crew's anguish in their attempt to save their ship.
We might have a "first" in seamanship in that the LCI (L) #713 will now have her bow anchor out while moored to the dock!
Letter from Our President.
II really do not know how to say this but it is on the top of my mind and so here we go.
It seems that I have been sort of in the limelight because of having my picture on the front page of our newspaper, "The Columbian"
I would like to shift that limelight to Walt James.
Some of you do not know Walt James. He is "Mr River-Man." He has handled tug boats, towed many boat houses and house boats and, as a diver, has been under water more times that he can possibly remember. He knows the Columbia and the Willamette rivers like the palm of his hand.
Walt many years ago had the initial dream of saving the LCI and bought it from Art Raz as a rusty, gutted hulk. Look at it today! In our restoration efforts of the #713, Walt along with Leon Gilbo have been our kingpins. Of course, we are also indebted to many others who have sacrificed personal time [and money] in the process of restoration.
Now, let us move to the present. Yesterday I was a witness of Walt James "doing a dive" under the Alert. He went under to place heavy wax into the larger holes that were attempting to sink the Alert. Large capacity pumps were necessary to keep her afloat. [His experience came through. I would not even think of putting wax under the hull! The dive did abate the incoming flow to a great extent. The thought struck me this morning, "Would I like to make a dive under a ship that was sinking and really not knowing what I would see under there?" Hey, Walt! Wow!
Also, when the Alert was brought back and secured alongside the LCI #713 by Tidewater Barge Lines the Coast Guard pumps were not gaining on the inflow of water.
It was Walt James who was with the initial crew of taking two-by-fours and what ever to shore up the back steering compartment and abate the death swamping water to the Alert. Keep in mind, the Alert does not belong to Walt James or the Museum. He did this on his own because he had the knowledge and he loves ships. This is now Friday and Walt has set aside his personal work and time and devoted it to the Alert.
At this point, I need not say more. We all owe Walt James our thanks and give him recognition for what he has done.
If you have read this far, I thank you for listening to "my personal opinions".
Sincerely,
Gordon Smith, President AFMM
Copyright © 2003-2007 Amphibious Forces Memorial Museum,
All Rights Reserved
Recent Happenings:
New foot stands in preparation for 20mm gun mounts!
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A new electric panel for the generator gets installed! |
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The steering gear gets sanded and painted |
Walt cleaning the bilge while installing new decking in troop 4.
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FIxing holes in the side, which occurred while docked in Astoria.
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Gilbo cleans the day tanks, so we can have plenty of fuel for the new generator.
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Walt with a newly restored 20mm gun. The guns we purchased for the ship were cut into pieces and have to be meticulously welded back together.
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