2013 USS Torsk work weekend in Baltimore MD - seeking volunteers!

[maddawg308]

Okay it's that time again, the yearly work weekend for the USS Torsk WWII submarine museum in Baltimore, MD is coming up, October 4-6 (Friday thru Sunday). We are looking for anyone who would like to volunteer a little of their time and effort into getting the boat restored and maintained as it is used throughout the year as a floating museum, and thousands of people tour the boat every year admiring the work we do to keep her looking and functioning her best.

The Torsk is one of the few WWII subs still around, and one of the very few that is partially restored inside to allow free-guided tours of the boat. She served from 1944 through 1968, and has been a fixture in Baltimore Inner Harbor since that time.

WHAT WE NEED: volunteers who can donate their time, and it doesn't need to be the WHOLE time, if you can only show up for one day or part of a day, that is much appreciated. The kind of work that needs to be done involved a lot of cleaning, painting, polishing, some mechanical repairs, improvements to the restoration, general stuff that pretty much anyone can help out with. NO TOOLS OR EQUIPMENT ARE NEEDED, the boat has everything there so you don't have to bring your own. Parking is nearby (parking garages, you have to pay for that). Lunch and dinner will be provided for those who can attend on Saturday (donation to the boat encouraged, but not required, in order to pay for the food/beverages).

I have volunteered on the boat 2005-present, and so far I am the only member of the Steel Soldiers contingent who has showed up. Also, so far, the overwhelming majority of the volunteers are Navy vets, and a few Marine Corps, and maybe a Coastie or two. I think myself and one other guy is Army. We need more land lubbers like Army vets, and maybe we can get an Air Force vet out of their Barca-Lounger to help out, just to complete the service roster. I always get a few guys who say, wow, I live closeby, I wish I had more notice so I can volunteer. Well, here's a month's notice, PLEASE SHOW UP. We can always use new boat crew members to help out.

This is an uncommon opportunity for anyone to help out, no membership in the club required, no special friends-of-friends members only garbage, WE NEED YOU. A rare opportunity to work on a bigger MV than any of us can really own, without having to enlist in the Navy. If any of you would like to volunteer, please let me know and I can send more details.

 

[maddawg308]

Wow, not even a reply? Noone interested at all?

I guess noone on this site really enjoys working on large military vehicles anymore...

 

[doghead]

nobody, it's n o b o d y ....

http://grammarist.com/spelling/no-one-noone/

 

[tommys2patrick]

I would have the time of my life working on this. Most Excellente' Premium fun. Great pictures!! I wish I was somewhere closer to this to make it practical. Best of luck with getting assistance. Certainly a worthy project!!!

 

[zguinness]

As a former sub guy, I would LOVE to do this. I wish there was something like this closer to me.

I do appreciate all the work you and others do to keep these historical boats afloat.

 

[Flyingvan911]

I wish I was closer. I would absolutely help. It the whole Eastwind group was closer we'd all be there.

 

[dk8019]

I'm close, I'm putting it on my calendar, and hope to be there, likely on Saturday, what time in the morning does it kick off? My wife will likely be game as well, and we love painting!

 

[dk8019]

My wife and I will be there for sure. See you on the 5th. We have no military experience, but like I said, we can clean and paint with the best of them! I've done two 5-ton trucks and our last two houses entirely! Looking forward to it!

 

[maddawg308]

Great dk8019! Glad to hear you can help out! If you have any questions about the event and times, parking, what to bring/wear, etc. Please feel free to PM me, I can answer your questions or pass you on to the event organizer.

 

[maddawg308]

Two more weeks until the work weekend, any more interested in attending?

 

[ecostruction]

I'll check. I had no idea they did this. We just went on the tour this summer with the kids and we all loved it. I'll check to see what's planned and if I can come down, I will. I hate to paint though. But will do whatever....

 

[maddawg308]

You don't have to paint, there is a list hundreds of items long, some important, some not, that are listed to get done this work weekend. Cleaning and polishing, welding, fixing general items, wiring and electrical, woodworking, even just running back and forth (sorry, fore and aft) from the storeroom finding little items that are missing on the boat that need to be replaced - you have no idea the number of fuzes, switch covers, gauges, brass doo-dads and other minor items that either get swiped by people on the tour, or just end up missing, that need to be located in the spare parts stash and replaced.

 

[moving chicane]

Can you shoot me some info maddawg? I like old boats, and might be able to spare some time.

 

[SteveKuhn]

Hope you get a good turnout. A few of us try to do something similar for the diesel/electric boat USS Ling here in Hackensack. Sandy damage, building a parade float to advertise the museum, repair on other exhibits like the PBR and the like. It's an ongoing need for a very good cause. These boats are just wonderful and everyone who tours them comes away with nothing but praise and wonder.

I'm watching this thread to see if anybody up in our area posts, "...wish I was closer..." so I can try to shag 'em.

See you in Gilbert tomorrow, I hope.

Steve

 

[Amer-team]

If you could pull it out to Bremerton Naval Shipyard, I am sure we could turn a pretty good crew loose on it out this way.
Sorry it is out of my normal commuting range. I got to tour that boat a few years ago and was fortunate enough to follow along with father, son, and grandson. Grandfather had served on that boat and gave quite a tour. One of his insights was how spacious it now is, with things removed for accessibility.

good luck on this project.

 

[maddawg308]

Amer-team: I think towing it to Bremerton is out. Good idea, but no. Lotsa aircraft carriers stored in Bremerton to play around, but I think the tow there would be very expensive.

Last time it was towed, was to a local shipyard a couple years back, to repair and repaint the hull.

One week to go, checking for last minute recruits who want to help out....

 

[dk8019]

Quick report. My wife and I had a great time work on the USS Torsk with the great team working there today. Great weather, and a great group of people.

My wife and I started the day scraping the pressure hull and ballast tanks, removing rust scale and other general corrosion removal duties with hammer and other tools. I will never, ever complain about rust on one of my trucks ever again!

After doing that for around 4 hours, we were recruited to polish the aft torpedo area, which was a good bit of fun, so many levers and the like, and tons of grease zerks, rewarding work though in making some cool stuff shine!

After a few hours of that I was recruited to do a bit of light bulb replacing in the lower engine area, which was very tight, and pretty oily. All the lights were dead, and it was great to squeeze around inside of the area, and replace the lights so that it was possible to see the gear below the deck.

A great time all and all, good food and some great stories from guys that had been there and done that.

 

[Amer-team]

Way to go team, but I am thinking she didn't look quite as ecstatic as you. but what a sport.

 

[moving chicane]

I had a great time as well. It was really nice meeting everyone! DK's wife might not of been so excited about chipping rust, but she did an outstanding job on the dribble pans for the engine room. They looked better than new!

 

[maddawg308]

Many thanks to moving chicane, and dk8019 and his wife, for coming out for the Torsk work weekend, you all did a heckuva job and from what Mike E. the chief of the boat told me, this was one of the most successful work weekends yet. A record number of participants, and a record amount of tasks on the work schedule completed this go-around. The provided lunch and dinner was great as always, as well as the after-dinner deck party with the free adult beverages.

I spent half the day on Saturday with a power washer hosing down several of the heavy mooring lines, pounding off the accumulated dirt and green sea life that had attached itself to them over the last 8-10 years. They looked a lot better, somewhat white in color again. After lunch I went down to control room, where I usually hang out, and started going through the always-present list of restoration jobs that needed to be done there - paint this, replace that, chip the paint OFF of this, install this new thing. You be amazed how much running around looking for small parts in storage happens for little fuzes, knobs, gauges, and screws.

Once again, thanks to you for coming out, and hope to have more Steel Soldiers volunteer next time!