Iowans for Iowa

Protect the Enduring Legacy of Iowa's Namesake

Deck
Preservation

If you look at the history of battleships, you find photos of hundreds of sailors polishing the gleaming teak decks - an extraordinary image that stays with us always. Here aboard IOWA, with deck ranging in age from forty to nearly eighty years, we have a problem.

Sun and weather have taken their toll. Decaying wood allows water to become trapped against bulkheads and to pool underneath deck boards. That moisture is actually eroding the steel and allowing water to seep into the interior of the vessel.

Speaking of deck wood... We get questions all the time about repairing the ship's degraded decking with traditional teak. While emotionally we would love to do that, it isn't feasible.

In the first place, teak takes 80-100 years to mature and consequently has become much more expensive and difficult to obtain. Douglas fir, which we have used in recent years to restore portions of the deck, isn't as durable as teak and therefore requires more frequent replacement.

For long term sustainability (and to better steward our resources) we are exploring wood-look synthetics that have begun to see use and acceptance in the cruise ship and yachting industries.

How can you help? Anything you can contribute - be it financially or by spreading the word about the need - can make a huge difference.

A hand uses a tool to scrape rust and paint from the base of a metal post attached to a weathered wooden surface, with debris scattered around—preparing the area for potential relocation.

A damaged wall with peeling paint, mold, and water stains runs along the bottom edge above a stained concrete floor—much like one might find in a forgotten corner of an old museum. The corner and lower portion show signs of severe moisture damage.

Rust and water damage are visible at the base of a metal wall aboard the battleship IOWA, with water leaking through holes and pooling on a wooden floor, highlighting ongoing preservation challenges faced by the museum.

Yellow graphic with bold blue text reading DONATE above smaller text that says Ship Preservation & Maintenance..

Hull
Maintenance

We're fortunate. Battleship IOWA's hull is largely in great shape, but that doesn't mean we don't have a major challenge.

The hull is protected from the waterline down by an impressed current cathodic protection system that creates a small electric charge underwater and prevents corrosion from taking hold. We also have an internal version of it to protect the ship from the inside.

Our area of concern is the wind and water line where oxygen and wave action combine. These elements cause rust and decay. We have a method for dealing with this challenge: we deploy cofferdams so we can work in that region.

What's the problem? Finding the time and manpower to deal with 887 some odd feet of waterline. If we could dedicate two people to full time cofferdam work, it would go a long way toward keeping us ahead of the deterioration curve. What's stopping us from doing that? Funding.

What can you do? The same as for deck preservation: any way you can help us raise the funds to pay for materials and labor will make a significant difference.