
06/10/2022
Photos from Northeast Public Safety Divers's post
America's oldest Lighthouse Tender, LILAC is a museum ship open to the public on weekends from May t
Operating as usual
Photos from Northeast Public Safety Divers's post
Classic Harbor Line is again including Lilac in a Day of Giving, this time celebrating World Environment Day. On Sunday, June 5, if you buy a gift certificate for an excursion on a Classic Harbor Line vessel, they will donate 100 percent of the purchase to us. On the purchase form you will have an option to choose Lilac Preservation Project as the non-profit to benefit from your purchase. This expires tonight at midnight!
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LILAC had only one known casualty during her 40 years of active duty. We knew that one of the crew had died trying to save another. Thanks to John Thoma, we learned his name: Howard Anton Jensen. Bill Thiesen at the Coast Guard Historian's office told us that the Military Times recently added non-combat recipients of the Coast Guard Medal to its "Hall of Valor." Howard Jensen's citation may be read there:
Reading "The Coast Guard: Small Service With A Big Mission" in the July, 1974 National Geographic sent to us by Orlando Gallardo Jr. It ends with this quote: "The rules say we have to go. But there's no rule that says we have to come back." On this Memorial Day, we wish peace to those who have not come back; to those who are out there today, be well and stay safe. Thank you. Semper paratus.
Thank you to the Wisconsin Maritime Museum for donating this surplus steam whistle to LILAC and to their volunteer Walt Randolph for overseeing the shipment. LILAC's whistle is long gone. This one will go up on the stack to replace it one day soon.
Although we're looking forward to welding in a new fitting for our sewer line to replace the one we broke at the shipyard and getting our sinks and heads back into operation, we are getting along fine with the composting toilets that served us all winter, thanks to Toilets for People. They were still something of a start-up when they dropped components off to us over a year ago.
Great coverage of LILAC's return to Hudson River Park's Pier 25 from the Tribeca Trib!
Jerry Weinstein, with the Lilac Preservation Project, ties up the Lilac following its return to Pier 25 in Tribeca. Photo: Carl Glassman/Tribeca Trib
LILAC is returning to Hudson River Park's Pier 25 tomorrow (Wed, April 27, 2022). ETA is 0930. Welcome her back!
Last Sunday, we fitted new plate in the bulkhead between the Crew Head and Buoy Deck. The new low-profile magnetic drill got a workout.
Lilac's mare's nest of wiring is being detangled as part of our work at the shipyard. That has left a snarl of wires on the pier. The wiring was clearly a long-term problem as a CG veteran told us that when he was a 2d class Electronics Technician, he was called in to solve a serious radio problem on Lilac that required consulting with the Chief ET from New York. A letter his wife found recently said, "Warren is quite disgusted with the whole mess because it's apparently a problem with the ship's wiring. They worked until 11 pm last night, will be working all day today and possibly tomorrow as well." That was in 1962!
A fountain erupted when our gangway knocked a valve off the pier waterline on Sunday. We put the new damage control kit to good use, although this is not how we envisioned first using it. David released pressure by opening another valve further out and then Luke pounded in a wooden plug to stop the leak.
Focsle repairs continue. Here we're removing rivets and cutting out corroded steel plate from the aft bulkhead in the Crew Head. The new metal saw from worked great. (Luke was cackling while using it.) Rivets were flying across the Buoy Deck as they were popped out. We picked them up and are saving them for souvenirs to give and sell. Several volunteers have already taken one home--a small reward for their work.
Admiral Karl Schultz says, "Our history shapes our trajectory--the Coast Guard's rich history is a story that must be told!" Amen. Watch more of his message in the video posted at National Coast Guard Museum Association
Focsle restoration work included demolition in the Crew Washroom on the port side and steel work in the Paint Locker and Crew Head on the starboard side.
Our college women did a great job replacing treads on the Engine Room ladder.
Volunteers showed a lot of love to LILAC this Valentine's week. Portside fuel tanks were declared gas free so the shipyard welders could come in and work on the Mess deck, electrical wiring was repaired, new stair treads were bolted into the Engine Room ladder (no more warnings about that wonky step near the bottom), and a heap of tile (below) was removed from Forward Berthing. The pneumatic chisel has proven invaluable for this project. Under the tile, we are finding the deck in remarkably good shape. The one area that is holed is where crew lockers once stood against the aft bulkhead.
One of the tasks during last Sunday's work session was assembling a plugging kit, including damage control plugs and wedges from Pajono Woodworks, a veteran-owned company. We re-purposed a donated tool bag and added a mallet and saw. Feeling more prepared for times like when rubbing against the pier broke the fitting off our sewer line a few weeks ago.
Tour LILAC's triple-expansion steam engine with Ryan Szimanski of the Battleship New Jersey Museum and Memorial and Historic Naval Ships Association. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dR8Efh22QBk
In this episode we're on board the Coast Guard Cutter Lilac, a lighthouse tender, looking at her reciprocating steam engines.To support Lilac, go to:http://w...
LILAC was retired 50 years ago today! In honor of the anniversary, watch images of the ceremony on our YouTube channel https://youtu.be/WtgE8plSbkg and https://youtu.be/cAcqzicgFe8
The rooftop tank was welded in place last week. This will become the day tank for the back-up generator and heating boiler. Plumbing yet to be done will connect it to a large existing tank in the hold and will free us from getting fuel in 5-gallon jerricans at the gas station. It was a lovely evening to be working at the shipyard.
We recently removed the tables from the Crew Mess, part of the preparation to repair the deck which is also the top of one of the main fuel tanks. Years of a leak in the Pilothouse roof had water finding its way down through the bulkhead in the Gyro Room to the Mess deck. Additional damage was probably done by years of cleaning fluid finding its way in. (That's why we don't use bleach for cleaning--it's very corrosive and no one's going to eat off the floor.) Much of the damage was hidden under tile and concrete that we demolished a few years ago when we covered the holes temporarily with plywood. The tables were firmly bolted down so we had to cut the bolts, disassemble as much as we could in the tight confines, and then wiggle the heavy steel frames out to the deck for further disassembly. After the plywood was lifted, the crew went to work with grinders to remove remaining concrete and rust from the Mess deck.
A couple of weeks ago, we discovered daylight in the Crew Quarters where daylight should not be. It was peeking through where an old scupper met the hull and the end of the pipe had rotted. The hole had been hidden by fiberglass insulation installed circa 1950s. We've been on a multi-year campaign to tear that out so we can get a look behind to assess conditions. We immediately cut the scupper away and blanked off the hole. The elbow was completely filled with rust, but some of these heavy fittings can be re-used once we clean them up.
Photos from Lilac Preservation Project's post
A beautiful image for the shortest day of the year from the Delaware River & Bay Lighthouse Foundation. Harbor of Refuge light is one that was tended by LILAC in her active-duty days. DRBLF now owns and tends to it. Delaware River & Bay Lighthouse Foundation
We recently made contact with John C. "Jack" Midgett who was second last captain of the LILAC. He was also the first Midgett of the legendary family to attend the U.S. Coast Guard Academy. We are looking for a copy of the July 1974 National Geographic which contained a photo of members of the Midgett clan aboard CGC MIDGETT. Jack is in the foreground. Can anyone help us out with an original copy of that magazine? It would make a nice holiday gift to the LILAC archives.
Taking cover off Emergency Steering Gear
Give to LILAC This Holiday Season - https://mailchi.mp/lilacpreservationproject/give-to-lilac-this-holiday-season
Happy Veterans Day to all Coasties! We are grateful to all of you for your service, but we have special appreciation and affection for the ATON teams. Stay safe out there.
LILAC is at her work berth on Staten Island after a successful move on Tuesday.
Veteran fireman Albert Lester visited his old ship recently. He was assigned to LILAC right out of boot camp in 1965 and his first task on board was cleaning soot and klinker from the boiler tubes. He had lots of stories to share, all captured on video. Once edited, the video will join other "Tender Men's Tales" on our website
Our volunteers are getting around, sharing their skills at Robbins Reef lighthouse.
Artist Melissa Godoy-Nieto will be joining us for OHNY Weekend Oct 16 & 17. Meet her to discuss her work in the exhibition on board. No reservations required.
Lilac Preservation Project updated their business hours.
LILAC's original wheelstand and one of her telegraphs was found in Virginia by an employee of her previous owner. They are on their way here, thanks to Vicky & Steve Steiro who picked them up yesterday on their way to New York City from North Carolina. They are also bringing the original U.S. Lighthouse Service emblems that Vicky's grandfather, Captain Charles L. Lewis, saved from the bow. It is, as an old friend liked to say, "an avalanche of abundance."
Commemorate "The Great Boatlift" & Donate to LILAC
Lilac Preservation Project At Hudson River Park'S Pier 25, N Moore St And West S
New York, NY
10013
Saturday | 2pm - 6pm |
Sunday | 2pm - 6pm |
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One of the junction boxes for the degaussing system going up the ladder from the Petty Officers' Quarters.
Thursday, we said good-bye to the KATHERINE WALKER. She's back out there keeping watch on New York Harbor.
The old Hobart mixer is working, on DC current no less, thanks to Jon and Cindy. We still need a mixing bowl. One good thing is that these mixers never die and accessories are standardized so we've added a bowl to LILAC's Amazon wishlist.
To paraphrase Shakespeare, Aye, there's a winch! Now all we need is a bigger air compressor (the engine room compressor--salvaged from the TAMAROA--can only manage a couple of turns) and visitors could see some machinery going around when they step on board. We're looking for a used 185 cfm model. Let us know if you can help. (A boat would be nice too.)
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