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 Great Lakes Shipwreck Preservation Society

Dedicated to Preserving our Shipwrecks and Maritime History
"From Prevention to Preservation"

HomeRV Preservation Work Weekends 2022


2022 R/V Preservation Work Weekends




                          



The RV Preservation is waiting patiently to get back in the water for 2022. 

The summer project season is fast approaching!  Would you like to help in preparing the R/V PRESERVATION for an exciting season of fun and interesting projects. Please review the "To Do List" and "Dream List" see if there is anything that you could help with. 

To learn more about the RV Preservation Work Weekend and to view the "To-Do-List" please click on this link. 

   
R/V Preservation Work Weekends


RV Preservation Work Weekends 2022 Photos


We invite you to join with us and get to know the R/V PRESERVATION and more people in the GLSPS. We'd love to share a weekend of boat-work and camaraderie.  With the R/V PRESERVATION and Phil's camper, we can usually house up to six volunteers at a time!

Registration

This event is split into multipal days of the week or weekend.  Please register for each day you are able to attend so we can plan a headcount, tasks and sleeping arrangements.  We will also need to know your skill-sets, so we can assign a task to you. 

Please join us for the learning, rewarding and comradeship you can only receive from an event like this.

We hope you can join us.

GLSPS Board of Director, Project Leaders and Captains.

Closing Report:

As usual getting the RV Preservation Research Vessel ready for the season of projects become top priority for a few of us that do it every year.  We wished others for the membership would join us in volunteering to get it ready for the season as well.  We figure we must have more than a few core people that have some skills to help perform the needed tasks on the boat.  We could even use people that don't necessarily have mechanical skills but just be able to clean and organize the boat.  Please, if you have any interest in volunteering on the boat committee and getting it ready for the season and have at least one day or weekend of free time, please contact the boat committee chairperson or Phil Kerber the President, to let us know that you would like to help.  We are always looking for more help.  Especially in the cleaning, organizing and painting departments. 

This year started out slow.  The first two weekends of May we only had two people helping.  Jim Christenson and Dale Koziol both worked one day each weekend to get things started.  They both removed the tarp we had on it for the winter the first weekend of May.  Then opened the boat up, and started on the long check list we have every year to make sure all issues are taken care of for a safe, comfortable and dependable work and research vessel for the season of projects.

We then came to the last two weekends of May including "Memorial Weekend", which was a three day weekend.  The first weekend (weekend before Memorial Weekend) was maintenance weekend.  We changed all fluids and filters on both engines and transmissions (which we do every year).  Fix any leak and start engines to make sure they are starting and running properly before the boat is launched.  We also performed many other tasks on the checklist that weekend.  Please check the Calendar of Events and the Work Weekends Project Archive for details and the list we complete every year.

The next weekend was Memorial Weekend six of us gave up spending time with our families to work on the boat.  Although it was a great time spending it with fellow GLSPS friends as well.  Phil Kerber brought up his camper for people to stay in and cook food as well.  It was like having a camping outing!

We got started or attempted to start with painting that weekend.  Unfortunately, the weather was not cooperating.  The rain, wind and cold were preventing us from painting outside.  So we removed the tarp frame and brought it to the UMD Maintenance Building to paint it inside.  Thanks to Corey Daniel working there he was able to paint it inside.  (Thank you Corey).  Finally on Monday, Memorial Day, the weather cleared up, it got warmer and we all went to town on the outside painting and parts of the inside of the boat which is what we mainly concentrated on that day.

Because of the weather, the launch that was planned for June 4, 2022 was delayed.  We were also planning a Membership and BBQ that same weekend but, that had to be canceled as well.  We still had many other tasks to complete so the next weekend, June 4 - 5, when we were needing to launch the boat, (June 4) we finished the rest of the painting and the other tasks we had to complete.  They were stopped the weekend before on Monday Memorial Day to get the outside and inside painting done.  Finally on Sunday June 5, 2022.  The boat was launched and we performed a shake down cruise with all the Captains.  We all had a chance to familiarize ourselves with the running of the boat, all the technology on-board and docking procedures.  Hands on training.

After we returned to the dock, we completed a few more tasks including some touch up painting to officially launched the boat for the season!  The only thing left was loading the scuba compressor, making the canvas top mounts and the rechecking of all engines, transmissions and electronics onboard the vessel. 

All systems were checked and tested including the updating of the required flares, new First Aid Bag and an added first aid kit to grab right away if a minor cut occurred.  We also had all three of the fire extinguishers tested by a Fire Extinguisher Company to make sure they were up-to-date.

We then thoroughly cleaned the boat including the carpet.  We had other items to bring up to the boat such as the Oxygen bottle and breathing apparatus for the surface supplied O2 system we have onboard for the divers.

During the time we were getting the boat ready for the season we discovered that the life raft/dingy was in very rough condition.  We pumped it up and discovered that it doesn't hold air for a single day.  It has developed more leaks be cause it is rotten.  In other words, we need a new safety raft!  We are now on the hunt for a new or good used dingy!
If you or any one you know has a 10 to 12 foot life raft or dingy they would like to donate, please contact us ASAP.

Another thought is to raise money for a new raft.  We have a emergency blow up raft in mind for the boat.  it will cost about $2500.00 for the basic unit of six.  If you or anyone you know can offer a donation to purchase a new raft or have a raft to donate, please contact one of us.

The RV Preservation was scheduled to cruise to Silver Bay Marina June 11 - 12, 2022.   It has made the trip successfully.  It is now docked in Silver Bay and is ready for the season of projects.  We hope you can join us for a project onboard the RV Preservation this year.  Please check out the next project in the "2022 Project Schedule" or Calendar of Events.

Thank you to all that helped prepare the boat for the season.  The list of volunteers is below.  Thank you for all your hard work!

Jim Christensen
Corey Daniel
Dale Koziol
Tim Pranke
Ken Knutson
Phil Kerber

We hope in the future we can add to this list of volunteers that help get the GLSPS Research Vessel the RV Preservation ready each year for the season of projects.

Phil Kerber
President - Great Lakes Shipwreck Preservation Society
pkerber@glsps.org
612-720-2825