M/S Mount Washington going to drydock

Bizer · 09-29-2009, 08:02 AM

Fans of the Mount? you may or may not know this ...

I was talking with a Winnipesaukee Flagship employee last week. Apparently, someone has tentatively scheduled a charter of the Mount for Saturday, 31-Oct-09. Weather permitting, the Mount is scheduled to go into drydock on November 1st or 2nd. She is having her engines replaced over the winter and they want to get her in drydock ASAP so they can cut a hole in her side to start work. I may go to Center Harbor to watch the dry-docking.

See www.bizer.com/bztmount.htm for some photos of the 1999 drydocking.

Lakesrider · 09-29-2009, 11:18 AM

Wow. Will it be in the same position as the last pic? That should put the bow pretty close to the road.

Or is it going into dry dock somewhere else?

Pineedles · 09-29-2009, 11:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lakesrider

Wow. Will it be in the same position as the last pic? That should put the bow pretty close to the road.

Or is it going into dry dock somewhere else?

There is a dirt road near the bow, but Rt. 25 is still about 200 yds from there.

Lakesrider · 09-29-2009, 03:31 PM

Yeah sorry I looked at it again and thought that was Heaths hardware in the picture but it is not.....

Pineedles · 09-29-2009, 04:40 PM

No problem. I only know because we used to climb all over the cradle when we were kids. Good fishing for perch there. I am guessing they don't allow kids there anymore. Not safe. Rightttttttt. We used to lose a kid every summer. Righttttttttt.

jst_4_kiks · 09-29-2009, 11:11 PM

i always enjoy watching the mount getting pulled out of the lake. havn't seen it since 2004 i believe was last taken out. like in the link, it takes several hours to properly support the large ship.

i wonder what they are going to do with the old engine? put on display somewhere for the public to observe? they are pretty cool to see. huge cylinders. if they have an issue with them, can shut down one cylinder and have the rest of the engine still run.

Rattlesnake Gal · 09-30-2009, 03:59 PM

My contact tells me that they do not know what the schedule is yet, but they should have a good idea by mid-October. I sure hope to be there!

Earlier this summer I was told that the two diesel engines will have to be rendered unusable to get the grant for the new engines. The hope was to put part of them on display somehow.

The Citizen article from July 16th stated:

"Starting in August, the Mount also plans to have tours of the engine room to allow visitors a last look at the 63-year-old engines before their replacement. A film of the engine's history is also in the works for showing to Mount guests."

Did anyone notice if this was happening during FF?

Cool pictures Bizer, thanks for sharing them with us!

IslandRadio · 10-01-2009, 06:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rattlesnake Gal

Earlier this summer I was told that the two diesel engines will have to be rendered unusable to get the grant for the new engines.

Yikes, that's practially a desecration

Probably some federal requirement like "cash for clunkers", where the engine has to be destroyed - or something similar. There's a lot of history there. One would think some "antiquity group" could preserve the engines with the promise to never use them except for demonstration purposes.....but of course I forget - common sense in government (the grant suggests the government is involved) is an oxymoron

VitaBene · 10-01-2009, 07:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IslandRadio

Yikes, that's practially a desecration

Probably some federal requirement like "cash for clunkers", where the engine has to be destroyed - or something similar. There's a lot of history there. One would think some "antiquity group" could preserve the engines with the promise to never use them except for demonstration purposes.....but of course I forget - common sense in government (the grant suggests the government is involved) is an oxymoron

It sounds like they just have to be inoperable so some of that magic goop for the clunkers should work fine- then they coule be displayed I would think.

Who knows with the Feds though.

WeirsBeachBoater · 10-01-2009, 03:58 PM

If you all want to pitch in I will start a Save the Engines Campaign. Maybe we can convince Uncle Sam to let us keep one in running condition if we promise that it will be a static display and not for profit?

samosetguy · 10-02-2009, 04:36 PM

Kids definitely still fish off the dry dock frame in the summer. I remember noticing that this summer as I was pulling out of Center Harbor. Looks like a good spot to fish.

NoBozo · 10-03-2009, 04:28 PM

I would think Mystic Seaport Museum might be interested, and would qualify as a "Custodian" for one of the engines. They have quite a few large and small marine engines that are kept in running condition and are run One Weekend a year for demonstration. The rest of the year they remain as static displays. NB

CL 240 LS · 10-03-2009, 05:00 PM

Lets keep it local!
http://www.nhbm.org/

Resident 2B · 10-03-2009, 05:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CL 240 LS

Lets keep it local!
http://www.nhbm.org/

I agree. Keep it in New Hampshire!

R2B

NoBozo · 10-03-2009, 07:45 PM

I guess I missed something along the way.....the engines will be DESTROYED if they stay local. Destroyed means they will No Longer be able to RUN.....is that what you want..?? The NH Antique Boat Museum "Theme" is not geared to BIG marine engines. I am interested in the engines surviving in running condition.......................

NB

PS: An Alternative: Keep one engine in NH as a static display and send the other one to Mystic where many more people can see it actually RUN.

Resident 2B · 10-03-2009, 10:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NoBozo

I guess I missed something along the way.....the engines will be DESTROYED if they stay local. Destroyed means they will No Longer be able to RUN.....is that what you want..?? The NH Antique Boat Museum "Theme" is not geared to BIG marine engines. I am interested in the engines surviving in running condition.......................

NB

PS: An Alternative: Keep one engine in NH as a static display and send the other one to Mystic where many more people can see it actually RUN.

Good points!

R2B

no-engine · 10-04-2009, 06:41 PM

Make an above board discussion with officers of the corporation which owns the Ship...............
I'm sure they are just as concerned with historic education...

StephenB · 10-04-2009, 11:05 PM

I was on tonight's Sunday sunset cruise. I've been visiting the Mount since I was a kid in the 1970s as well as having lived on the lake for a bit and I think I'm going to miss that very distinct exhaust note that used to wake me up on summer mornings years ago as the Mount made its way out of Weirs Beach. (Don't all teenagers sleep in?) On a calm day, with my window open, I could hear it a mile away. Tonight I noticed that the engines shake the ship pretty good at cruise. I suppose the new engines will be higher RPM machines and will be quite different.

It'll be fun to see the change.

But gosh, cutting the hull open? How can you folks at WFC bear to watch? I don't know how they ever got up the courage to cut her open back in 1982 either.

jmen24 · 10-05-2009, 09:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NoBozo

I guess I missed something along the way.....the engines will be DESTROYED if they stay local. Destroyed means they will No Longer be able to RUN.....is that what you want..?? The NH Antique Boat Museum "Theme" is not geared to BIG marine engines. I am interested in the engines surviving in running condition.......................

NB

PS: An Alternative: Keep one engine in NH as a static display and send the other one to Mystic where many more people can see it actually RUN.

The idea is to ABIDE by the conditions of the grant.

Why do they need to be in running condition to be on static display?

The engines will be rendered to a non-running state. How many people have never seen an engine run? "Hey mom look at that large metal block making noise with a spinning shaft out the back".

These belong in NH and who cares if they still operate. Put one on display in the Weirs or Meredith or Center Harbor or where ever the mount will continue to travel so that future patrons waiting for the ship to arrive can go in and observe a piece of the mounts history. One could build a large glass display case to house the engine, with one side in normal condition and the other in cut away view to see the inner workings of the power plant (something not everyone has had the ability to see). Followed along with a number of writings posted within regarding the history of the engines and the vessel. This could even be displayed outdoors with this case.

Do not get me wrong, Mystic is cool and all, but Conneticut??? with a piece of NH tradition and scenery, get the h**l out of here!

Rattlesnake Gal · 10-06-2009, 04:26 PM

Does anyone have the ability to get a recording of her before it's too late?

CanisLupusArctos - where are you? Can you get a recording or tell us what we need? Thanks!

RG

RumGuy · 11-03-2009, 11:40 PM

About a year ago, I was working in Burlington VT, with another Winnipesaukee prodigy (weekends and vacations). As we sat having breakfast in a local diner, I looked up only to see an old photo of the Chateaugay, the steam ferry whose hull became the M.S. Mount Washington. It was strange enough that my work mate and I had Winni roots, but having the Mount show up....

09-29-2009, 08:02 AM	#1
Bizer Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 336 Thanks: 0 Thanked 243 Times in 82 Posts	M/S Mount Washington going to drydock Fans of the Mount? you may or may not know this ... I was talking with a Winnipesaukee Flagship employee last week. Apparently, someone has tentatively scheduled a charter of the Mount for Saturday, 31-Oct-09. Weather permitting, the Mount is scheduled to go into drydock on November 1st or 2nd. She is having her engines replaced over the winter and they want to get her in drydock ASAP so they can cut a hole in her side to start work. I may go to Center Harbor to watch the dry-docking. See www.bizer.com/bztmount.htm for some photos of the 1999 drydocking.

09-29-2009, 11:11 PM	#6
jst_4_kiks Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Laconia NH Posts: 130 Thanks: 25 Thanked 15 Times in 11 Posts	i always enjoy watching the mount getting pulled out of the lake. havn't seen it since 2004 i believe was last taken out. like in the link, it takes several hours to properly support the large ship. i wonder what they are going to do with the old engine? put on display somewhere for the public to observe? they are pretty cool to see. huge cylinders. if they have an issue with them, can shut down one cylinder and have the rest of the engine still run. __________________ Marine Technician - Learning Something New Every Day PM with any questions about marine repair

09-30-2009, 03:59 PM	#7
Rattlesnake Gal Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Central NH Posts: 5,253 Blog Entries: 1 Thanks: 1,455 Thanked 1,357 Times in 476 Posts	Mount at Drydock My contact tells me that they do not know what the schedule is yet, but they should have a good idea by mid-October. I sure hope to be there! Earlier this summer I was told that the two diesel engines will have to be rendered unusable to get the grant for the new engines. The hope was to put part of them on display somehow. The Citizen article from July 16th stated: "Starting in August, the Mount also plans to have tours of the engine room to allow visitors a last look at the 63-year-old engines before their replacement. A film of the engine's history is also in the works for showing to Mount guests." Did anyone notice if this was happening during FF? Cool pictures Bizer, thanks for sharing them with us!

10-02-2009, 04:36 PM	#11
samosetguy Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 61 Thanks: 42 Thanked 35 Times in 14 Posts	kids fishing at dry dock Kids definitely still fish off the dry dock frame in the summer. I remember noticing that this summer as I was pulling out of Center Harbor. Looks like a good spot to fish.

10-03-2009, 05:00 PM	#13
CL 240 LS Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 98 Thanks: 25 Thanked 16 Times in 12 Posts	NH Antique Boat Museum Lets keep it local! http://www.nhbm.org/

09-29-2009, 11:18 AM	#2
Lakesrider Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 2,129 Thanks: 380 Thanked 1,016 Times in 345 Posts	Wow. Will it be in the same position as the last pic? That should put the bow pretty close to the road. Or is it going into dry dock somewhere else?

09-29-2009, 03:31 PM	#4
Lakesrider Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 2,129 Thanks: 380 Thanked 1,016 Times in 345 Posts	Yeah sorry I looked at it again and thought that was Heaths hardware in the picture but it is not.....

09-29-2009, 04:40 PM	#5
Pineedles Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Moultonborough & CT Posts: 2,549 Thanks: 1,074 Thanked 671 Times in 369 Posts	No problem. I only know because we used to climb all over the cradle when we were kids. Good fishing for perch there. I am guessing they don't allow kids there anymore. Not safe. Rightttttttt. We used to lose a kid every summer. Righttttttttt.

10-01-2009, 03:58 PM	#10
WeirsBeachBoater Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 709 Blog Entries: 9 Thanks: 39 Thanked 148 Times in 65 Posts	If you all want to pitch in I will start a Save the Engines Campaign. Maybe we can convince Uncle Sam to let us keep one in running condition if we promise that it will be a static display and not for profit?

10-03-2009, 04:28 PM	#12
NoBozo Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Portsmouth. RI Posts: 2,231 Thanks: 400 Thanked 460 Times in 308 Posts	I would think Mystic Seaport Museum might be interested, and would qualify as a "Custodian" for one of the engines. They have quite a few large and small marine engines that are kept in running condition and are run One Weekend a year for demonstration. The rest of the year they remain as static displays. NB

10-03-2009, 07:45 PM	#15
NoBozo Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Portsmouth. RI Posts: 2,231 Thanks: 400 Thanked 460 Times in 308 Posts	I guess I missed something along the way.....the engines will be DESTROYED if they stay local. Destroyed means they will No Longer be able to RUN.....is that what you want..?? The NH Antique Boat Museum "Theme" is not geared to BIG marine engines. I am interested in the engines surviving in running condition....................... NB PS: An Alternative: Keep one engine in NH as a static display and send the other one to Mystic where many more people can see it actually RUN.

10-04-2009, 06:41 PM	#17
no-engine Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: West side Winnipesaukee, Lakes Region Posts: 516 Thanks: 20 Thanked 52 Times in 40 Posts	Make an above board discussion with officers of the corporation which owns the Ship............... I'm sure they are just as concerned with historic education...

10-04-2009, 11:05 PM	#18
StephenB Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 33 Thanks: 9 Thanked 3 Times in 2 Posts	Last trip I was on tonight's Sunday sunset cruise. I've been visiting the Mount since I was a kid in the 1970s as well as having lived on the lake for a bit and I think I'm going to miss that very distinct exhaust note that used to wake me up on summer mornings years ago as the Mount made its way out of Weirs Beach. (Don't all teenagers sleep in?) On a calm day, with my window open, I could hear it a mile away. Tonight I noticed that the engines shake the ship pretty good at cruise. I suppose the new engines will be higher RPM machines and will be quite different. It'll be fun to see the change. But gosh, cutting the hull open? How can you folks at WFC bear to watch? I don't know how they ever got up the courage to cut her open back in 1982 either.

10-06-2009, 04:26 PM	#20
Rattlesnake Gal Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Central NH Posts: 5,253 Blog Entries: 1 Thanks: 1,455 Thanked 1,357 Times in 476 Posts	Record the Mount! Does anyone have the ability to get a recording of her before it's too late? CanisLupusArctos - where are you? Can you get a recording or tell us what we need? Thanks! RG

11-03-2009, 11:40 PM	#21
RumGuy Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Cape Cod / W.Alton Posts: 76 Thanks: 4 Thanked 9 Times in 5 Posts	Mount's Former life About a year ago, I was working in Burlington VT, with another Winnipesaukee prodigy (weekends and vacations). As we sat having breakfast in a local diner, I looked up only to see an old photo of the Chateaugay, the steam ferry whose hull became the M.S. Mount Washington. It was strange enough that my work mate and I had Winni roots, but having the Mount show up....