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American Lighthouse Foundation, Inc.
P.O. Box 565
Rockland,
Maine 04841
Phone: 207-594-4174
Fax: 207-596-1091
info@lighthousefoundation.org
The American Lighthouse Foundation is a
Non-Profit 501(c)(3) Organization dedicated to the
preservation of America's historic
lighthouses & lightships and
their heritage.
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Restoring a Lightship
Lightship Overfalls Nearing Completion
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For the last
eight years a band of crazies has invested 12,000 hours of volunteer
labor in restoring the Lightship Overfalls (LV-118) in Lewes, Delaware.
This effort has turned an old rust bucket into a shipshape lightship
looking like it is ready to serve on station. She is clean, freshly
painted, the bunks are made up and it |
Photo Courtesy David Bernheisel
The Lightship Overfalls (LV-118) in her
current slip in Lewes, Delaware
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looks like the
crew is still aboard.
The ship, built in
1938, last served on the Boston station until 1972. In 1973, the U.S. Coast
Guard declared her surplus and donated her to the Lewes Historical Society.
Upon arrival in Lewes, the Historical Society rechristened her Overfalls in
honor of the town’s nearest station where lightship’s marked the entrance to
Delaware Bay from 1898 until 1960.
The ship’s first
25 years in Lewes were difficult despite being listed on the National
Register of Historic places in 1988. Maintenance resources were scarce
while time and the elements took a toll on her. By 1999, the ship had
reached derelict status. That was the year that a small group formed what
was to become the Overfalls Maritime Museum Foundation with a mission to
save and restore the ship. They felt that this national treasure had to be
saved to enhance the maritime understanding of future generations.
The new group’s
first task was to develop a comprehensive plan for saving the ship, an
expensive proposition. But, maintenance resources |
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Photo Courtesy David Bernheisel
Jack Lesher, a member of the Dirty Hands
Gang, works
over the fuel oil fill.
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were scarce
for the new group also, so the plan was front loaded with work that
could be done with volunteer labor and limited supplies. While the
volunteer work crew (named the Dirty Hands Gang) went to work, others in
the group set about building a strong organizational structure that
could support the restoration. One of the key support tasks was fund
raising, an activity that initially had to concentrate on modest sums
from local sources. As the Dirty Hands Gang’s work became evident and
the Foundation grew in strength, fund raising was more robust resulting
in a couple of six figure grants.
The phase of
the restoration left is the most complex and costly. The ship has
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been sitting in saltwater with no
maintenance to the hull below the waterline since 1973, and there are places
that she is completely rusted through. Fortunately the leaks are contained
and efforts to patch her are moving forward. The big effort is to get the
ship out of her current slip and tow her to a shipyard across Delaware Bay
where she will get the corroded hull plates replaced, some interior
structural repairs and a fresh coat of bottom paint. While the ship is gone
the slip will be bulkheaded, dredged and land side improvements made to
properly moor her and set her off in the town’s new Canalfront Park.
The Foundation has
been aided in the restoration by many interested individuals near and far
who, when hearing of the need, have contributed to the effort both with
funds and materials. As examples, the Foundation has received gracious
gifts of an engine order telegraph unit and a set of running lights in this
manner. The need goes on. If anyone knows of a source for a set of eight
either bollards (or large dock cleats) and/or several hundred feet of two
inch line, they would serve to moor the ship in her new slip and add to the
aesthetics of her nautical setting.
This last phase of
the restoration will cost $1.2 million. With funds collected over the
years, the Foundation has half of that amount in hand. |
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To generate
the remaining $600,000, the Foundation has launched a major capital
campaign that will run through the remainder of 2007. The resultant
funds will put the ship in her new slip in sustainable condition and
looking good for the 2008 season.
The Overfalls
Foundation is proud of its accomplishments to date, plans for the future
and is |
Photo Courtesy David Bernheisel
The Dirty Hands Gang preps the hull
for a new coat of paint
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anxious to tell its story.
Regular ship tours run from May through October and special tours are
possible any time by prior request. The Foundation is also prepared to take
the Overfalls story on the road with a PowerPoint presentation to groups.
To respond to this article or for more information on the ship or any part
of the Foundation’s program, visit the web site at
www.Overfalls.org or e-Mail
Bernheisel@Juno.com. |
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Posted: 8/2/2007 |
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