The real USS Constitution update from Facebook

[Gunner]

In case you haven't heard.


Constitution takes one last spin before retrofit

By Kiera Blessing | Globe Correspondent August 29, 2014

The 216-year-old USS Constitution made a ceremonial sail to Castle Island on Friday, the final unassisted trip for a while.

Jonathan Wiggs/Globe Staff


The 216-year-old USS Constitution made a ceremonial sail to Castle Island on Friday, the final unassisted trip for a while.


Old Ironsides sailed through Boston Harbor Friday for the last time until 2018, as the 216-year-old warship prepares to undergo a three-year restoration beginning early next year.

The USS Constitution has sailed unassisted by a tug boat only twice since 1881, in 1997 and 2012. This summer it sailed with the help of a tug, but still moved by its own power. Friday was the final unassisted sail until the ship has completed its restoration.


Aside from making the usual repairs for wear and tear, the restoration aims to return Old Ironsides to an image of its 1812 self.

“She kind of ballooned away from how she was originally constructed,” said Peter Melkus, spokesman for the Constitution. “So one of our goals is to make her as authentic as possible to what we consider the era of her greatest popularity, the War of 1812.”

Melkus said the iconic ship has undergone many repairs since the late 1920s — about once a decade — but many of those did not follow the ship’s original blueprints. For this set of repairs — during which the ship will have weather-worn areas strengthened and the copper plates of her hull replaced, making her more “seaworthy” — the original blueprints of the Constitution’s sister ship, the USS President, will be referenced for accuracy.

On Friday, the Constitution sailed for Castle Island at 10 a.m. and fired a 21-gun salute. The ship set three topsails on its way back from the island and returned to the pier about 1 p.m.

Setting the topsails takes about 150 to 200 people, Melkus said, but the ship’s crew only consists of about 75 sailors. As a result, about 150 Navy chief petty officer selects were trained over the past week to set the sails as part of USS Constitution US Petty Officer Heritage Week.

Those 150 officers are set to be promoted to chief in September. The selects sleep aboard the ship for the week and undergo historical training. Taking the ship out on Friday was the culmination of their training, Melkus said.

Though Friday was the last time the Constitution will sail until 2018, it will enter the harbor one last time without sails on Oct. 17 to celebrate its 217th birthday, Melkus said, which is on Oct. 21.

The ship is expected to be moved to a dry dock for repairs in early 2015.
Kiera Blessing can be reached at kiera.blessing@globe.com.

[csadn]

How much do you want to be one of the wood- or copper-workers who gets to work on *that* project? :)

"I get to make *what*? For *what*? Oh, yeah, sure -- no pressure *there*...." :)

[7eat51]

Thanks for the story, Ed.

Three years to refit; that would be a neat project to work on. I hope Sue and I can see her one day.

What a way to complete CPO training.

[David Manley]

I got to work on Victory when I was a trainee in Portsmouth Dockyard many years ago. Much of the work done on her now is by a specialist contractor based in Gloucester Quays just up the canal from here

[RotS-Targe]

Oh how I would love to see her under her own power, guess it'll have to wait, but, I probably won't be able to get over there until after her refit is done anyhow, so, guess that works?

[Coog]

I had some thoughts of making it up to Boston as part of a vacation and seeing her in 2016 but guess I'll have to wait until 2018.

[Nightmoss]

Here's an update on the restoration I wasn't aware of:

Beginning June 9, Constitution will reopen to the public and remain open throughout the restoration with tours scheduled:
* Tuesday through Friday from 2 p.m. until 6 p.m.
* Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. (closed Mondays).
Visitors will see something remarkable - an active shipyard with craftspeople including, blacksmiths, wood workers and others, working to make sure USS Constitution remains ship shape for future generations

Information came from here:

http://www.navy.mil/submit/display.asp?story_id=87175

[Loki 13]

ROAD TRIP !!!!! Cool thanks for the info.

[Mark Kaiser]

I've seen her once when I was a kid, the memories are vague, but I remember her being "like the others in shape, but way bigger!", she was a beauty!, Being a little feller, I did not know what my eyes beheld. But even then, I remember there was an 'aura about her' the others did not have.

[Naharaht]

Watching the craftsmen at work could be interesting. I hope that the restoration is proceeding well.

[John Paul]

I would imagine they will be running buses from the Shipyard Gate/Welcome Center to where she is dry docked! It wouldn't be good policy to have a bunch of tourists running around the shipyard looking for the place where she will be docked!! But then who knows!!

When I first got stationed in Norfolk in the mid 80's my ship was scheduled for a Fleet Week visit in New York, and we were scheduled to be the escort ship for "Old Ironsides". However, world events got us sent to the Eastern Med instead! A fact I got very much used to every time we were suppose to do something fun!!

[DeRuyter]

Interesting I thought she would be closed the whole time. When I visited last year there was considerable security to get onboard, think airport screening but with active duty Navy personnel instead of TSA! I would expect a similar set up for dry dock.

[John Paul]

I'd give just about anything just for the opportunity to lay some paint on the old girl!!