So what happens during the downtime? Hours of operation?

[Lance Dean]

I'm still not keen on standard operating hours with the various submarine museums.  I believe some are open year round (like Drum), while some are open only for spring/summer seasons (like Cod), and some are open only for certain days of the week with some type of mixed schedule (like Batfish).

I was wondering if not being open, whether for certain days of the week or certain seasons, is because of monetary reasons?  Or is it for maintenance reasons?  What are the positives and the negatives associated with your hours of operation?

[JohnG]

Well I'll let Rick talk about all the business reasons for being closed Mondays and Tuesdays but I will name one pro to it.

Me, Rick, Travis, Jospeph and all the Batfish volunteers get together and run through the sub in our boxers. Rick usually plays Commander Fife and we play different roles each time including Mark Wallen a down Jap pilot. (We make our own stories of course) Then we play some dominoes and call it a night/weekend.

  I couldn't pass it up. I just got this big metal picture playing in my mind when I read this and had to share it.


Oh and as far as our productions go, all rights reserved. lol

[MWALLEN]

The Batfish is closed on Mon-Tues as I think that is Rick's weekend.  Historically, business usually is slow on those 2 days.  Before Rick, the sub was only closed on Tuesday.  Rick can elaborate more on that.

As for running around in their boxers...that's another story that I want to distance myself from.  What the younger kids do when they are there is their business and I really don't want to know about it      

[emeacho]

Torsk is open 7 days a week from March until December.  During the summer months she is open 10am until 7 pm, other seasons she is open 10 am until 5pm.  From DEcember through March she is only open Friday, Saturday, and Sunday 10am until 5pm.  Closed Monday through Thursday because traffic during the winter is down to nothing.  In Spring and Fall, overnights begin at 7pm and end at 7am, when booked, usually only on Friday and Saturday evenings.  Other times, the boat is locked up unless of course, the volunteers decide to work.

[Darrin]

When our Vol's tend to show up during the week during the off season it is to repair the wiring on the boat or something that requires NO tourista's onboard..  Chief Mike has spent a few days onboard during that time to repair our electrical systems and also to repair the IC systems, hell of a volunteer there and I am proud to call him a shipmate and friend.

[JTheotonio]

I think both money and seasons factor into when some of these boats are open.  The Ling is open only on weekends (usually).  From the look and condition of the Ling I don't think down time is used for a lot of maintenance.

Local fire restrictions also factor into the Ling - sleep overs are limited due to fire regulations, so I wonder if they also limit the times of operation as well.

New Jersey gets cold in the north and touring in rain and snow is not fun.  for the volunteers it sure is not fun.

[Paul Farace]

COD is open from May 1 to Sept. 30 every day, 10 to 5 pm for the general public. We are always open for special visitation.

We're supposed to be doing maintenance anytime there are volunteers available, as long as they don't kill, or drip paint, on the paying customers.

The tourists drop off dramatically when school is in session.  But we do miss a sizeable portion of Rock Hall of Fame visitation by not responding to their traffic.

PF

[Rick]

As in any business money is an issue.  We are closed on Monday and Tuesday's to allow me some down time from the boat (not that I get thoes days off either).    I would love to stay open 7 days a week,  but we just do not have the resources to do that.   We chose monday and tuesday because these are the slowest days of the week and they are also the same days that the other museums are closed (for the same reasons).   We are open year arround now this is one good thing for the museum. 

I am still recovering from the last 2 weeks, so I will stop there as I realize that I am not making much sense right now.     

[Gunner]

Razorback's summer hours are June / July / August.  We are open five days a week (Wed - Sun).  We tried being open on Mondays last year (since many of the holidays fall on Monday throughout the year), but we were getting very little business.  Wednesdays have been VERY good for us, much better than Mondays.

We are about to transition back to "Winter" hours - Friday / Sat / Sun, because, as has already been noted, attendance falls of dramatically once school starts back (Monday, August 18th for us), and the school field trip season doesn't really kick off until March/April.

I foresee a time in the future when we will be open five days a week, all year 'round.  We started out three years ago with Sat/Sun only during the winter, but Fridays have been good for us.

Still lots of work to be done when we are "closed".  New exhibits to research and put together, chipping and painting and other maintenance.  We're still getting After Battery ready for our eventual overnight program, etc.  We'll load our three MK14s sometime in October, for example.

Oh, we also actually take some time "off".  Of course, my time "off" usually involves a trip to another museum...

[Tom Bowser]

I really envy all the museums that are not open 7 days a week all year. The Battleship Park Hours (Drum) are March thru October 080-1900, winter hours 0800 thru 1700. Closed Christmas day. Traffic has dropped off a bit during the week since school started here, down to about 500 visitors a day but week ends are still slamed. I don't know why visitors can't leave things alone when there isn't any staff on board.
Tom

[Rick]

Overhaul,  Overhaul,  Overhaul....

We will be continuing our porcess of overhauling and updating our existing museum.  I continue to work on the 5 yr plan and hope to have some good technical drawings soon.  We are also working ont getting the deck replaced and paint for the boat.   Much progress is coming here.   If time allows we just received our 2 new toys.... Torpedos that will need to be installed on the boat.   Not to mention the OK mast that we have been working on for the past year and a half.  Thank you to the guys at the NHC for all your help.   Judy really enjoyed talking to you.

Rick