NORFOLK, Va. — For the first time in nearly 26 years, the Battleship Wisconsin has moved — just a few feet — so crews can replace deteriorated marine fenders between the ship and the pier at Nauticus museum in downtown Norfolk.
The operation began around 7:30 a.m. Tuesday with the removal of the gangway that takes visitors on and off the ship. A few hours later, crews pulled out a fender with the help of Crofton Industries tugboats.
Stephen Kirkland, Executive Director of Nauticus, said the move required extensive preparation.
"It takes a lot of planning, it takes a lot of physics," he told News 3, adding that Nauticus spent roughly a year getting the Wisconsin ready for the move. "We've literally been planning this for a year. I know it sounds crazy, but we have. Everything from the IT lines that go onto the battleship and the phone lines and the electrical currents and the water hookups. All of that had to be thought through," Kirkland said.
The 82-year-old ship arrived at Nauticus on Dec. 7, 2000, marked by fireworks. Since then, it has become a centerpiece attraction at the museum and in downtown Norfolk. The Wisconsin served the Navy between World War II and Desert Storm before coming to Nauticus.
Tuesday's move drew a crowd of onlookers from nearby apartment buildings.
"I moved here, I wanted to have a view of the battleship and when they said they were gonna replace the fenders and move it. The whole operation is fun to watch," said Tom Fonner, who lives near the Battleship Wisconsin.
The ship is not expected to be returned to its permanent position until the work is completed, no later than Friday.
The closure drew significant interest from visitors. Nauticus said nearly 3,000 people visited over Labor Day weekend to see the ship before the move — nearly twice as many as the weekend before.
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