"Scott Vernon" wrote in message ...
You could mount a couple of these on.
http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/land/m2-50cal.htm

The kids would love it.

Look at the picture I e-mailed to you. You will see that on each side
of the wheelhose are round gun decks that had ma duces. On the stern
was a double 20mm anti aircraft PON PON gun for blasting jap suicide
planes. The ship entered the war during the thick of the
kamakazies(sp).


Joe
MSV RedCloud




Scotty



"Simple Simon" wrote in message
...
I like the sailing ship idea. I think it gives kids
more to do and more imagination that they are
like the buccaneers of old. Real salty dogs.

A motor vessel may impart more of a military
flavor to the kids. I guess that's not bad either
as we need a new generation willing to fight
for this country as many of the 'boomers' seem
to have gotten stuck with a stupid anti-war,
blame America first attitude.

Maybe you should think of a fleet. Get both
a motor vessel and a sailing vessel and train
the kids on both. Wouldn't you like to be
one of the kids with an summer to spend
on the high seas working on a 'real' ship?

There are many retired and nearly retired
captains around like otnmbrd, Shen44, Rick,
myself etc. who would probably enjoy working
with a group of nautical kids and would probably
be willing to do so for room and board and
a small stipend for expenses. Some of the
giving back that you talk about.

Good luck with your venture.

S.Simon


"Joe" wrote in message
om...
"Simple Simon" wrote in message
...
Forty-five grand for that sounds like the bargain of
the century even if it takes fifty or so more to get
it inspected. Good luck finding something similar.

S.Simon


The gsa sites great to pick up large vessels. And with the moderation
of the USCG fleet you will see quite a few amazing bargians. Used to
be allot of drug seized boats as well, not so many these days. We are
in no big hurry just sort of a dream several friends and I have had
for a while.

The betsy ross was a good deal, excellent if you did not have to
deliver her and do a major inspection. last major inspection was in
1999 and I guess the govt felt it was not worth the money to go thru
this years(but you know how the govt pays 5-6 times the going rate)
Plus no one here had the time to fly out and inspect her. A five year
inspection would require tons of work. Ive done several on 220 foot
oilfied supply boats and they can be quite stressful. All the crane
booms would have to be taken apart, all thru hulls removed,all valves
taken apart, chain flaked, hull ultrasounded, all ballast tanks
inspected and sounded, and we knew there was a aft ballest tank that
would need a new top, all hatches and dogs taken apart, firefighting
equipment, pumps, lifeboats, rafts inflated repacked or replaced ect..
this list is a mile long and the risk of failing was not an option. If
you were to use it as a private vessel or uninspected vessel it would
of been the buy of the year. It was a really cool ship but none of us
can afford a 176 foot yacht and docking fees. Plus if I deliver it and
bring her thru the inspection process I would have to give up my
business for 6 months. We are still approching several companys to
find a corporate sponser to buy us a sailing ship. We all feel kids
could benifit allot from a rigid sailing program. Just a wild dream we
would like to come true. As a kid I learned alot from Junior
achivement and the C.A.P. and would like to give something back to
todays kids.

Joe
MSV RedCloud


"Joe" wrote in message
om...
"Simple Simon" wrote in message
...
No Betsy Ross at those links. . . Some sucker must have
bought it already.

Yeah went for 45,500.00 It was a 1944 176 foot cargo vessel used in
the S.pacific during WWII. Super clean, you could eat off the
bilges.
4 gen sets, 2 GM 550hp mains, sperry gyros, radars,ssb,ect..ect...
22,000 Square feet of cargo space 4 cargo boom cranes, and berthing
for 28 crew, 4 officers and a decked out captian quarters, military
spec all the way. It was used for Job corps training for the last 40
years and was maintained by the US govt WITH NO EXPENCE SPARED
Needed
it's 5 year inspection so we figured gettin it here and shipyard
cost
would of been another 60K . Oh well we will keep our eyes open for
something in our budget. As a summercamp type project we cound make
2.5K per kid per month. Or 280K per summer w 2 trips. Enough to make
a
modest profit after upkeep and insurance. Would rather have sail
but
felt it would of been a great start. If your curious and would like
a
picture I would be happy to email you 1.

Joe






"Joe" wrote in message
om...
"Simple Simon" wrote in message
...
That's rust. The storm went right over Joe Butchers steel
boat.

S.Simon

Jeliousy is rearing it's ugly head again.

Check out this steel boat. A group of us are going to bid up to
37K on
it today. If we get it we will start a maritime summer camp with
it.

http://gsaauctions.gov/gsaauctions/aucitsrh/

If the link does not work, go to the gsa site
http://www.gsaauctions.gov and check on boats section. Its the
Bettsy
Ross.

Joe

Better hurry if you want to see it, sells today at 1400 CST.




"katysails" wrote in message
...
We had a weird phenomenon this afternoon. The rainstorm that
is preceding the cold front into MI from the SW seems to
have
swept up
red dust along the way through Oklahoma and Texas...and it
rained red dirt today. Looks like rust spots on the cars.
They
did
tests on the stuff and it was pH neutral (thank
goodness....not Gary IN effluvia). Now we're all wondering if we're
going
to
get
red snow tonight. Winter weather advisory says 5 inches
(ha...will probably be 2...)