$150k should buy her another few months.

https://www.wearetheunitedstates.org/si ... cebook.com

Time to put it out of its misery, and reef it, or cut the stacks off, and scrap it.

All all the money wasted on this would have saved multiple smaller ships lost in the last 20 years, e.g. NYC Tug 16.

...or to ones that have been open to the public for decades and need major work before they are lost to the elements, ie: the Olympia.

I love the S.S. United States, along with all its history and character. Fact is, somebody is going to have to come up with millions of bucks to maintain her annually as a static attraction. I think many of us dream the age of trans-Atlantic liners will come back, departing from New York and turning around in Southampton. Three days of luxury relaxation at sea, with a good book. Three days over and three on return, out of a ten day vacation.

The ship has no interior. No fittings, no bed rooms, no theater, nothing. Unless deep pockets, like the Intrepid Museum come forward, she has no viable use as a static exhibit and will require millions to refit her for a thread of clients in Atlantic service. As architecture, she's unrivaled. This is one sad conundrum.

Transatlantic trips are still being made by Cunard's Queen Mary II, although not in just 3 days.

http://www.cunard.com/cruise-search/boo ... &rt=&sort=

The ship has been retired since 1969. I think it's safe to say that every avenue of saving the ship has been explored. There comes a time when you have to say enough is enough. It's sad, but you have to bid goodbye to the ship and let her die with some shred of dignity left. Only then can you move on and invest your resources into fighting the battles that can be won. Forgive me for stating the obvious but I just wanted to get in my two cents.

Seems like a logical idea might be to remove and preserve the unique funnels much the way some submarine sails have been preserved. One could be displayed in Philadelphia and one in New York. Then they could sink it as an artificial reef & diving attraction.

Perhaps the Chinese would like to buy it.........

http://www.imaginechina.com/showStoryDe ... 0509_09439

Hadn't realised that they were building a full sized (non floating) replica of the Titanic at a theme park in that Country!

The floating/operational replica of the Titanic that was supposed to be being built in China for a wealthy Australian businessman appears to be dead in the water though (if you pardon the pun..).

Two or three cruise lines have toyed with the idea of a restore, about a billion to refit for duty. It just aint gonna happen. You could split just the monthly storage bill between a dozen of even some of the larger rail museums, and they would all think they hit the lotto.

Much as I hate to say it, the conservancy does not have the resources necessary to maintain the ship and it appears that they now realize it. The most respectful end for the ship would be to reef her intact-minus any items of historic significance that may remain on board. Ultimately, all ships meet their end-the only question is whether they'll end up on the sea floor or at the breakers. It would be much more fitting to see the United States reefed than sold to the Indians to be broken up at Alang.

I understand that they have stated they would not send the ship out of the country for breaking.
The cost for making the ship environmentally safe for sinking would be extreme, while the conservancy would at least get some finances back from scrapping the ship.

Alan

I've heard that reefing will not work for the SS United States. The aluminum superstructure will quickly disolve in the salt water especially where it contacts dissimular materials. in the long run it will collapse like how the Andria Dorias superstructure has collapsed.

You know, it is pathetic when lots of money is being poured into a replica of a ship that, while historic, took over 1,000 people with it when it was lost and is therefore a "ship of death" rather than the "ship of dreams" it is much ballyhooed as. Meanwhile, a ship that knew nothing but life and success languishes.

If the United States is not to be scrapped and cannot be reefed, there is only one option: save the ship!

Probably correct. At any rate, without substantial income to maintain the ship, the only question is where she'll sink-not if she'll sink. Plenty of historic ships have sunk at their moorings/at the pier due to the owner's inability to finance the necessary maintenance.