#refloat

Battleship TEXAS at Pier F at Gulf Copper.

Photographed on March 10, 2024.

"This is a historic day with the 112 -year-old Battleship Texas making her way back in water after a major restoration at the Port of Galveston."

Photographed on March 6, 2024.

"Good Morning!

This morning Battleship Texas Foundation, Valkor Energy Services, and Gulf Copper plan to undock the Battleship Texas. This hours-long process will start at roughly 4 am. This operation is incredibly dependent on weather conditions -tide, current, and visibility. As of right now, there is very dense fog, if the Galveston Pilots do not have sufficient visibility, the discharge will be delayed until the next suitable tide and current window.

With over 700 tons of steel renewed on the ship and hundreds of thousands of man hours put into making the hull substantially watertight, we have great confidence that today will be successful. Once this 112 year old hull goes back into the water we will be subjecting her to an extended evaluation period while the ship remains in the shipyard.

I combined all three videos posted on their Facebook page.

Battleship TEXAS after her move from the dry dock.

Photographed on March 5, 2024.

"The ship changed drastically during its service time of thirty-four years. Now that the pine decking has been removed on the bow, we can see some of the features the ship used to have, but were removed over time. Check out the remnants of the ship's breakwater and deck lights!

Both of these features were removed during the ship’s service time and are not present come 1945.

The removal of the 1990 pine deck on Battleship Texas reveals remnants of a breakwater on the bow. Both of these features were removed during the ship’s service time and are not present come 1945.

Contract Plan No. 7 of US Battleships No. 34 and No. 35 shows plans for a breakwater on the bow.

Both of these features were removed during the ship’s service time and are not present come 1945."

"The ship’s portside 5”/51 cal. Guns are nearly ready to be placed back aboard! These guns have received another coat of Navy Blue 5-N following their restoration.

The remainder of the parts will be placed back once the guns have returned to their mounts on the ship.

Battleship Texas 5”/51 cal. Guns after being freshly painted. Grease protects the breeches and areas that are not meant to be painted.

The breech of a 5”/51 cal. Gun is coated in grease to protect it.

Battleship Texas 5”/51 cal. Guns after being freshly painted. Grease protects the breeches and areas that are not meant to be painted."