And Now For Something Completely Different. But Related-ish.

mmm Waiter can you wipe our table off?

Last week my buddy Wayne said, hey, WW2 Victory Ship Hatch Covers down the street for sale. Well!!!! Oh Yeah! I have been looking for something interesting and different for a table top on the back deck. Could this be it? I know these were a trend a bit back. But could be cool.

Okay, how to safe it while cleaning it.

So crammed in a small garage, about 20 hatches. These suckers are heavy. Very heavy. And these had been cleared out of some inventory up in Baltimore, all stripped and dirty but not bad. But in a corner I saw one that was not stripped. That I had not seen before. We had to dig, lift and move to find it. WOW, if there is another one with paint, I am in like Flint.

You can over clean! Its a slow process with a tooth brush, while trying to avoid removing any original detail

Of course there was one buried even deeper. But we pulled it out, and BAM, a match hatch! Same number. Which I have no idea what it seems to reference. Anyone a Victory or Liberty Ship expert here? I have googled some of it, but this number is not even close to the numbers on the boats.

COCK’S – Yes I am snickering. I am still 12.

This has been a perfect project between Zoom meetings and conference calls. A little here, a little there, wait for stuff to dry.

Match set.

I used clear West System to fill in some of the cracks and dents, chips so the top would be smooth. And then coated the top with around 10 coats of Satin Urethane. The Battle ship grey warms up with some clear. A perfect color for the deck.

One coat

As to her base, I am currently using two boat cradles. But plan on a more user friendly, for chairs. Design.

I need to adjust the cradles with some new metal tubes.

10 coats of urethane, sanded and filled between coats. BTW, the wood is heavy and we think Pine. But a very heavy strong pine

But here we are. All set up, and ready for a post pandemic crab feast. Seats 10 very comfortably.

Jimmy and Boatress enjoy a drink

She is happy, so I am happy.

Ruby stayed inside. Its very humid outside. JEEEZ!

If you want to dive into Victory and Liberty Ships. HERE YA GO!

 

10 replies
  1. Ralph Cattaneo
    Ralph Cattaneo says:

    Between 1941 and 1945 a total of 2,710 Liberty Ships were built in Baltimore for WW II. In the summer of ’85 I attended an auction held by Mr. German (owner of a ship salvage yard off Key Highway in Baltimore). I came away with a truckload of stuff including such treasures as two brass signal cannons, two 12″ portlights. a ships clock, binoculars, and hatch covers, to name just a few of the items purchased that day. I still have about 90%, the rest I gave away to friends. One cannon sits outside the front door to help deter unwanted solicitors away (doesn’t work but looks cool). I was like a kid in a candy store that day.

  2. Darthtrader
    Darthtrader says:

    Perhaps the 89.10 refers to the location of the hatch. Frame 89 and longitudinal 10. The hatch covers were typically made from heart pine which was very strong and durable since it is much harder than white or “soft” pine.

  3. m-fine
    m-fine says:

    I was just looking through my emails and did not see the invitation for the post Covid crab fest. Can you please resend it? Thanks! 😀

  4. Craig A. McIntosh
    Craig A. McIntosh says:

    …anxious to see what kind of ‘base(s)’ you perch the hatch covers on top of – shall be interesting.

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