Others.

[jmfryar]

They're smoking...drinking...dancing...listening to music...

working ....dreaming...loving...the typical stuff that humans do when they're not being repressed...

[Selma in Sandy Eggo]

Sort of on topic announcement:

The USS Constellation is being formally decommissioned tomorrow, (the 7th) at the old quay wall where she's been, on and off, for decades. NAS North Island has put up a grandstand, there are several thousand invited guests (and probably quite a few casual attendees).

Tomorrow, 10AM Pacific time, might be a good time to think of her and all the thousands of sailors and air wing folk who've been on her, over the decades.

If you were planning to go to Coronado for lunch tomorrow, I don't advise it. The bridge and the strand are likely to be rather busy.

I'm not sure what politicians we'll get, but I'm sure there are quite a few. Possibly secret service types, depending on which politicians, admirals and every other kind of officer the navy owns. Retired chiefs everywhere. Captains a dime a dozen.

I'm going to work very early.

<small>[ 08-06-2003, 10:21 AM: Message edited by: Selma in San Diego ]</small>

[jmfryar]

Hmmm...there was a story a bit ago about decommissioned war ships being sold to 3rd world countries after some electronics and weapons were stripped out of them...

apparently submarines are hot commodities...

[Shapley]

I subscribe to "Boats and Harbors", a classified ad paper for the shipping industry. They've had a couple of aircraft carriers for sale in past couple of months. One was Brazilian, ex Candadian, for USD 3,000,000. The latest issue had an ex British one for USD 4,500,000. Seems like a real bargain.

I've not seen a submarine for sale in some time, but there was one about a year or more ago for sale online. It was a diesel boat, '40s vintage, I think. I don't recall what nation it was manufactured in.

V/R
Shapley

[jmfryar]

all right...let's say I have a spare 4.5 million sitting around for a decommissioned british aircraft carrier...

and the million a year for maintenance...

what the hell would you do with it?

Create your own float around the world fortress?
private island?

I would think that most island nations that would be worth visiting would be a bit nervous about having that float up on them...

[Shapley]

Here's a link in case you're interested:

http://www.frenchcreekboatsales.com/details.asp?file_number=bop12

You could always go into piracy. Of course, you have to supply your own aircraft, and crew. Probably need to add the weaponry, too. I'll let you know if I find links for them.

V/R
Shapley

Could be a good promotion: Free macaw with every purchase.

<small>[ 08-12-2003, 01:46 PM: Message edited by: Shapley ]</small>

[jmfryar]

and every terrorism alert went off as they try and figure out if we're serious...

Homeland Security even now is reading this trying to figure out if there is a hidden message...

Glad to keep you employed guys!

[Shapley]

They must be kept busy checking out everybody who buys a copy of Jimmy Buffets "A pirate looks at forty"!


V/R
Shapley

[Angie Parkes]

From Shapley:
couple of aircraft carriers for sale in past couple of months. One was Brazilian, ex Canadian,

Good lord, I suspect she must be the former HMCS Warrior since she was sold to Argentina in 1958 -- but she was built in WWII! (The only other two carriers that sailed under a Canadian flag were scrapped.) Even at $3,000,000 she'd be no bargain for sailing. Maybe her scrap value was much more. How much money would a 60 year old warship bring in scrap? Any idea, Shapley?

Angie

[dai bread]

You could always do what we did when we wanted an airport for Wellington. We sank an aircraft carrier between 2 islands. j/k

[Shapley]

Angie,

No, I have no idea what the scrap value would be. The value of scrap iron is pretty low right now, so I doubt it would be $3,000,000.

The one available on the link, which sells for $4,500,000 was re-fitted in 1998, according to the description. I don't recall the specs for the previous one, but it's not listed any longer, so it must have sold.

If the hull and machinery are in good form, then the ship could be modified for other uses, such as an RO/RO (Roll on/roll off) vessel. I'm sure there are many uses for it after conversion. It's a large hull, lots of open space above the main deck. It could probably be converted to an RO/Ro vessel (Roll on/roll off) without much difficulty.

But for piracy, I think we still need the landing deck. Avast!

V/R
Shapley

[jmfryar]

Hmm...you know...having your own carrier is kinda cool...think of the parties...you could put an orchestra on deck...stop in at different ports...

[Selma in Sandy Eggo]

Yeah, Parties! With Fantail fishin', Steel Beach with a steel band, and eleven barbecues on the elevator.

The whole party could move into the hanger deck in case of foul weather.