HMCS SACKVILLE has been inside the Submarine Maintenance Shed at HMC Dockyard for most of the last 8 month, undergoing a refit to reclad the hull below the waterline in new steel plating. This work is intended to extend the life of the hull for another 10 years to allow the Canadian Naval Memorial Trust to raise enough money to completely replate the ship's hull (i.e. remove all existing plate, and replace with new 1/2 steel plate) in order to ensure the long term viability of the ship. With the refit mostly complete, the ship was relaunched on June 2nd.
The operation started several days prior in order to fill various ballast tanks within the ship.
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| The shed doors open on Wednesday morning. |
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| The shed doors are open, and the ship is ready to roll out. |
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| The ship is mounted on bogeys which in turn rest on the rails in the photo, and a diesel-powered mule at the bow of the ship pulls itself along the chain to push the ship onto the lift. |
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| The diesel mule pushing the ship out. |
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| The ship viewed from further out on the Syncrolift. |
The ship was pushed out onto the Syncrolift platform - the rails are supported by steel beams that are slung between winches on each side of the platform (seen here under the blue covers).
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| From left to right: Past CNMT Chair Wendell Brown, Bob Naugler of FMFCS, CPO1 Tom Lizotte, Capt (N) Michel Thibault, Rear Admiral Brian Santarpia, and CNMT Chair Bill Woodburn. |
Once in position on the lift, lines were rigged, and more water was pumped into the ship's ballast tanks, and the lift was prepared to be lowered into the water.
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| Some of the ship's many zinc anodes can be seen on either side of the stern tube (where the propeller shaft emerges from the hull). |
The lift began to drop the ship into the harbour after 12:30pm.
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| Water has just emerged from the gaps between the planks on the lift platform around the ship. |
The ship was then pushed to the side of the camber, and two tugs arrived to perform the cold move of the ship to her Dockyard berth.
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| Tugs are alongside the ship. |
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| Cold move of the ship. |
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| SACKVILLE approaching her berth in Dockyard. |
Some work remains before the ship is completely ready for the summer - the mast needs to be re-stepped, and various fittings and equipment need to be brought back onboard. It is hoped that the ship can return to the Halifax Waterfront before the end of June. If the restrictions around COVID-19 allow, the ship will be open to the public.
She’s a beauty. It’s on my bucket list to visit HMCS SACKVILLE someday.
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