Challenge-priced aircraft carrier

kazoospec wrote: The somewhat ironic thing is this lump of "scrap" is still more capable than any other aircraft carrier that doesn't say "U S NAVY" on the fantail.

Yep, I've been saying that for awhile, but not many nations can do what we do.......granted, we probably can't really afford to do it either, but berkeley yeah!

And to be honest, paying a penny is probably a bargain to make it disappear......as that company probably won't make much off of it by the time they account for all expenses.

That could have been my island. Turn the flight deck into a solar array/wind farm/ field for growing crops/produce/animals. Put some form of propulsion in it to keep it from running aground someplace E36 M3ty like... say....North Korea.

Gearheadotaku wrote: Permanently moor offshore someplace and make a house out of it?

I support this idea and would like to subscribe to your newsletter.

hmmm a penny? whats the scrap value?

foxtrapper wrote:

wearymicrobe wrote:

foxtrapper wrote:

JG Pasterjak wrote: I'd have totally given them $.50 http://www.defensemedianetwork.com/stories/not-a-floating-museum-but-razor-blades-forrestal-the-navys-first-supercarrier-goes-to-the-breakers-for-a-penny/ jg

Yea, but that towing, dismantling and recycling requirement is a bugger. In all sincerity, I've seen companies driven into bankruptcy for making the mistake of dragging a carrier to their pier. Honestly, I wouldn't take it even if it came with a million dollar check.

Its not like they left any propulsion systems intact. 40K a day easy, just in fuel, to tug that thing to a yard where it can be broken down. The British spent something crazy advertizing the sale of the Invincible, for which they wanted the great sum of 200K. They ended up paying in the long run to drag it away.

Actually, they tend to leave the boilers and engines in place. No reason to pull them. They are very unlikely operable of course. The bigger bugago is things like the asbesos lagging on the pipes throughout the ship, the PCB hydraulic oil used in the elevators, etc. They used to let some of the US yards scrap them, but EPA regulations made it all but impossible, or bankrupted the few that tried it. Then they were sending them off to India and the like. But global regulations have made that a no-go for US and most European ships now. So, they sit somewhere and rust.

If its old enoguh to have boilers then yeas they will still be in place. Rendered inoperable for sure though.

India will still take the bigger ships for breakdown but they have to get there under there own power for them to accept as the steel is not as profitable to break down as it used to be.

You should see some of the military stuff that passes through my auction hot-lists sometimes. Its bloody hilarious.

So much cool stuff gets sold for scrap only (must destroy) through the military. I understand their reasoning, but it's hard to see, for example, C-141 Starlifters cut up into tiny pieces. I would love to use parts from one of those as decorative bits but it's scrap only!

Same deal with the aircraft carrier. It must be scrapped, and doing anything other than processing the components for their recycling value is breaking the law. They routinely catch contractors trying to do otherwise.

Part of the problem with turning it into cheap housing, is how it's built! It an absolute maze inside, there are no stairs between levels, only ladders that need constant maintenance to keep them from being complete death traps. Knee knockers, head smashers, exposed pipes, wire bundles and tons of asbestos abound. Hatch covers and water tight doors that will sever fingers. voids that can hide enough bodies to make a chicago mobster blush. They really are a rather inhospitable place to live...unless you have the training and physical ability to deal with it. Once retired, they are best suited to be museums, artificial reefs or turned into new Chevy's. Even museum ships, once modified for human consumption can be a pain in the posterior to navigate around in without a guide and well calloused shins. I have a paltry 6 years experiance living aboard these things (Forrestal, Saratoga, Kitty Hawk, Carl Vinson). Each is different. Each will bite you if given the chance.

As for scrapping, the US government has a policy prohibiting the scrapping of former military ships by foreign countries. Doing it here in the US is fraught with environmental laws and regulations. Even cleaning it for reef use can be incredibly expensive. I doubt the scrapper that bought it for a penny will make much in the end.

Any word yet if the clam chowder eaters have raised enough to keep the ex-JFK in Boston as a museum ship?

wearymicrobe wrote: If its old enoguh to have boilers then yeas they will still be in place. Rendered inoperable for sure though.

I believe it would have eight oil fired boilers, four primary steam turbine engines, and various reduction gear and reversing transmissions. It may well have the preheaters as well, since it was designed for #6 oil. Though most of those were being removed by the time this one was taken out of service as the ships were being converted to DFM as fuel.

The Navy does not render the boilers or turbines inoperable to mothball ships. For scrapping they are picked up pretty much as is, from the ghost fleet (mothballed ships). No reason or need to render the boilers inoperable. There is nothing military special about them. Weapons systems and such are a different story.

So, ran when parked you say...

foxtrapper wrote:

wearymicrobe wrote: If its old enoguh to have boilers then yeas they will still be in place. Rendered inoperable for sure though.

I believe it would have eight oil fired boilers, four primary steam turbine engines, and various reduction gear and reversing transmissions. It may well have the preheaters as well, since it was designed for #6 oil. Though most of those were being removed by the time this one was taken out of service as the ships were being converted to DFM as fuel. The Navy does not render the boilers or turbines inoperable to mothball ships. For scrapping they are picked up pretty much as is, from the ghost fleet (mothballed ships). No reason or need to render the boilers inoperable. There is nothing military special about them. Weapons systems and such are a different story.

Everything that come across my desk from the Navy, in the past 10 years or so, almost always is non-op or to be melted down. Nothing leaves with a functional component if they can find way to do it safely.

During prohibition didn't some Mafia type folks keep a ship outside the 3 mile limit for behavior not allowed in the US? Mostly bootlegging.

Bordello Boat?

Casino Canoe?

Port-O-Party?

I always thought it took a dollar to be legal tender. Guess not.

oldeskewltoy wrote: hmmm a penny? whats the scrap value?

About $5 after the government hired/trained people to do all the work.....This makes a lot more sense than paying people to cleanse it so they can sink it.

wouldn't it be easier to just park it off the coast of some run down city where people steal scrap metal? maybe drag it thru the great lakes to Detroit and sort of look the other way while the lowlifes that steal copper pipes out of new houses and cut catalytic converters off cars parked in driveways chop it into little pieces...

Re-commission the catapults. Hilarity ensues.

In reply to novaderrik:

Advertise a "Come and get it" event in the local paper.........then scuttle the ship with them all on board. Problem solved 10 fold.