December 04, 2006
Mary Whalen museum setback as repairs delayed
 The Intrepid isn't the only New York City museum in need of tugboat help this week. The Mary A. Whalen, a 1930s-era oil tanker that will one day serve as the PortSide New York museum, has hit another bump in its repair schedule.
Just last week, a tugboat guided the 172-foot long Mary Whalen from American Stevedoring's container port in Brooklyn over to Staten Island for long-awaited hull repairs. (NewYorkology was on board for the trip. See more pictures here.) She was supposed to be there two weeks.
But Carolina Salguero, the director of PortSide New York, sent around the bad news by e-mail on Sunday:
Well folks, the week took a weird turn. The Whalen arrived at May's Ship Repair Tuesday midday, and Thursday afternoon before touching her, they said they couldn't lift her. Too big. Conclusions:
1. They should have ascertained that months ago.
2. size does matter. Salguero, who had been waiting months for a repair slot at May's is now talking to two other shipyards but in the meantime will return the Mary Whalen to Red Hook, Brooklyn on Tuesday or Wednesday, depending on "tug availability and weather."
On Tuesday, the USS Intrepid, which has served as the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum since 1982, will hopefully be pulled from thick Hudson River mud and towed to New Jersey shipyard, facing two years of repairs.
Earlier: Pre-museum Mary Whalen towed to ship repair yard
OpenHouse report card: 80,000-plus, but some snafus
On board the Mary A. Whalen for Open House NY
December 4, 2006 07:39 AM in Museums, Out of Manhattan, Sightsology
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