PHOTO: Courtesy of WLUK
MANITOWOC, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — The Wisconsin Maritime Museum announced Monday the date of the departure of the U.S.S. Cobia to Sturgeon Bay for restoration.
A provision in the latest state budget provided the final piece of funding for the Lakeshore landmark and historic World War II submarine to be preserved. The project’s price tag sits at approximately $1.5 million.
On Sept. 4, the Cobia is scheduled to be towed to Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding in Sturgeon Bay for dry docking. That means taking a vessel out of the water to clean, inspect and repair the underwater hull.
Free-flood areas, such as the spaces around the torpedo tubes, will be cleaned and any wasted metal, if any, will be repaired. Tanks (ballast, fuel, etc.) will be inspected to ensure not only water-tight integrity on the outside, but also on the inside. Vessels can also rust from the inside out, so it is critical to look in all areas that are not easily accessible while the sub is in the water.
The restoration process is expected to take 4-6 weeks. Such maintenance is critical to ensuring the longevity of historic vessels, officials say.
The planned departure date may change due to weather or other unavoidable factors.
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