Lower Alabama-Gulf Maritime Consultants, LLC

03/13/2026

Wanted to let y'all know I am officially retired (semi), but if anyone has projects- New Construction, Repair, Conversions, Inspections, Surveys, Drawing Reviews - I can assist with short term, part time, or on contract please let me know. Please keep in touch my email is [email protected] and my cell is (251) 490-5512. I am also on Linked In. Hope everyone is having a good 2026.

02/05/2026

Well, I have decided to distance myself from FB. I am just going to scroll occasionally and read stuff I like and not post or repost anything.
I know some of you are saying "t'ank de Load" and I understand.
To much of same posts, AI, scammers, click bait, stupid games, false advertising, false posts, fake news, crap stirring, lies, just crap ... (and yes, I have contributed, I am aware - no need for you to point this out).
Just gonna stop. I will see your pictures and read your posts and LIKE (but not push button) to see what you are doing, your family, your kids, your cats and dogs, great food you are eating or cooking, music, tour dates for musicians, festivals, and even your views (I may disagree but I do enjoy different perspectives).
(well, but maybe a pic or good song every now and then?)
SO, I wish all of y'all Happy Birthdays with many more to come, Congratulations on getting married or staying married or births of children or grandchildren and for new cars or homes or new jobs or retirement.
I also offer Condolences for any losses you may experience and if you are injured or sick I wish for your full and rapid recovery.
Also Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, Happy Mardi Gras, .... etc.
Not posting or LIKING OR LOVING. But I will be thinking of you and hoping everything goes well. And I do care.
I will still check messenger and email ([email protected]) and you can always call or text me (251-490-5512) if you want to talk or get in touch or send something.
Same applies to my groups and other pages (Lower Alabama-Gulf Maritime, 3 THE WHITE RAMBLINGS, KEEPERS OF ODD KNOWLEDGE- do hope you add to those if you feel like it)
Anyway, taking a break, things to do, places to see, people to actually see, time to waste well.
All the best to all of you and keep in touch. You may, over time, hear from my on FB, but much less, I promise!
Thanks and take care!
DO let me know if I can ever be of assistance.

01/25/2026

Hope everyone is doing OK dealing with this Artic blast. All is fine in Lower Alabama, temps in 70s today, but severe cool off to teens this PM.
I am officially retired (semi), but if anyone has projects I can assist with short term, part time, or on contract please let me know. All the best to all of you in 2026. Please stay warm and safe.

12/30/2025

https://www.facebook.com/share/1WSm2xPzdL/

12/20/2025

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to All and hope You and Yours have a Great Holiday Season and a Very Safe, Fun, and Productive 2026! All the best to All Y'all! Be careful out there!

12/13/2025

Goodbye 825. One of the Range Support Boats, Torpedo Retriever, we had at AUTEC.
https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1D9HGkdUzs/

12/05/2025

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1CegxTpVpm/

Master Boat Builders is moving forward with a major investment in coastal Alabama, announcing plans to construct a $60 million defense-focused shipbuilding facility in Coden that will significantly expand the company’s ability to support U.S. military maritime programs.

WorkBoat reported on the project details.

The new 150,000-square-foot manufacturing center will sit on a 20-acre site across Bayou Coden from the company’s existing yard.

By creating a standalone location dedicated entirely to government and defense contracts, the Alabama shipbuilder will increase production capacity for Navy and Coast Guard vessels and strengthen the Gulf Coast’s role in the nation’s maritime industrial base, the company says.

Garrett Rice, president of Master Boat Builders, said the expansion is driven by a need to meet growing federal shipbuilding demands.

Link in comments to read full story

12/02/2025

Well. First time in many years I will not be attending.The Workboat Show in NOLA. Kinda nice, but hate not seeing old friends.
Anyway you know how to contact me if you want to catch up or if I can be of assistance.
Have fun and stay safe!

11/27/2025

11/25/2025

USS UNITED STATES launch. A magnificent ship she was! Making her a reef seems such a waste.

11/17/2025

STATEMENT REGARDING THE REMOVAL OF THE AFT STACK, PROPELLER, AND FUTURE COMPONENTS FROM THE SS UNITED STATES, AND ADDRESSING ONGOING MISINFORMATION

August 8, 2025

Today, the final major components of the SS United States—the aft stack and last remaining onboard propeller—were removed from the vessel. Earlier this week, the forward stack and the ship’s mast were also removed. Other items and features slated for removal will follow in the coming days and weeks. Together, these represent the final chapter in the physical deconstruction of a ship that once embodied the pinnacle of American maritime achievement.

These elements—along with other historically significant parts also being removed—will be stored at a facility near Mobile, Alabama. They will later be transported to their future home in Destin, Florida, where they will serve as the centerpiece of a land-based museum and maritime education center dedicated to preserving the SS United States’ legacy.

Seeing the ship now without her signature features is deeply painful. For those of us who have dedicated years—if not decades—to her preservation, it is not just the loss of the vessel or her iconic features—it is the loss of a symbol we fought to protect. This vessel has shaped lives, inspired generations, and stood as a monument to American ingenuity. Her current appearance is a gut-wrenching and sobering reminder of how difficult it is to preserve a ship of this magnitude.

Following the removal of the forward stack and mast, and now the aft stack and last propeller aboard the superliner, a wave of misinformation has erupted across liner forums, social media, and online message boards. Assertions that the ship is being illegally dismantled, that preservation options still exist, or that federal laws are being violated are false. Let me be crystal clear: the SS United States is legally owned by Okaloosa County, Florida. The County is the sole lawful steward of the vessel and is carrying out a carefully planned and environmentally compliant remediation in preparation for her deployment as an artificial reef.

Coleen Marine, Inc., a veteran maritime remediation and salvage company with their employees combined having decades of experience, has approached this process with professionalism and care, doing their best to respect the ship and her legacy every step of the way.

Okaloosa County selected Coleen Marine specifically for their expertise and past work in sensitive maritime operations. They are executing the remediation in full compliance and coordination with all applicable federal and state authorities, including:
• The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
• The United States Coast Guard (USCG)
• The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
• The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
• And other agencies where applicable

This is not a demolition. It is a federally regulated, legally permitted, environmentally responsible operation, conducted with transparency and a clear commitment to honoring the ship’s historical significance.

Recent online claims suggesting that the SS United States should be required to undergo a “Section 106” review under the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) are incorrect. No Section 106 consultation was required or performed—because the legal conditions that trigger it do not exist in this case.

Under 54 U.S.C. § 306108, Section 106 applies only when a federal agency is directly involved in an undertaking—through the provision of federal funding, the issuance of a federal license, or the granting of a federal permit—that could affect a property listed on, or eligible for, the National Register of Historic Places. The SS United States project involves none of these factors.

This is a locally managed, locally funded operation undertaken solely by Okaloosa County, the lawful municipal owner of the vessel. The work does not rely on federal appropriations, requires no federal permits that directly impact the ship as a historic property, and has no federal agency oversight or jurisdiction. Without this federal nexus, Section 106 review is not triggered under the law.

While the SS United States has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1999, that designation is honorary in nature. National Register listing recognizes historical significance but does not, by itself, impose legal restrictions on private or municipal owners. Unless federal funds, permits, or actions are involved, such a listing does not prevent alteration, relocation, or disposal of the property—including lawful and environmentally permitted reefing.

In conclusion, the SS United States project is being carried out entirely within the bounds of applicable law. Because there is no federal undertaking as defined by statute and regulation, Section 106 of the NHPA simply does not apply.

There have also been repeated references to outdated legislation from the 1970s—individuals on various Social Media posts continue to incorrectly cite Public Laws 92‑296 and 94‑536, as though they provide legal protection or restriction over the vessel today. They do not.

-Public Law 92‑296 (1972) allowed for the vessel’s foreign sale.
-Public Law 94‑536 (1976) allowed for use as a hotel and federal requisition in wartime.

These laws were written during the Cold War for very specific commercial situations. They have no legal standing in 2025, and are completely superseded by modern law.

The real legal framework governing the ship’s current status includes:
-1. Title 46, U.S. Code – Shipping
Governs vessel ownership, registration, and disposal. There are no legal restrictions preventing reefing by a lawful owner.
-2. Clean Water Act (CWA), Section 404
Requires federal permitting for vessel sinking, regulated by the Army Corps of Engineers and the EPA.
-3. EPA Best Management Practices for Vessel Reefing
Requires full removal of hazardous substances, including PCBs, asbestos, oils, and fuel—work that is currently underway.
-4. National Artificial Reef Plan (1985)
Provides ecological and scientific guidance for reefing vessels in U.S. waters.
-5. Additional laws as applicable
Including the Marine Protection, Research and Sanctuaries Act and the Endangered Species Act, based on the reef site’s ecological profile.

Okaloosa County and Coleen Marine are fully compliant with every one of these statutes.

Unfortunately, in the wake of this process, several self-proclaimed “preservation” groups have emerged—almost all of which surfaced only after the ship’s legal sale. These groups now claim to speak for the vessel’s future, despite having had no involvement, funding, or authority when intervention could have made a difference.

Let’s be blunt: When it was publicly announced in 2024 that the SS United States would have to vacate Pier 82 in Philadelphia, it was made clear that the only two legal options were scrapping or reefing. No rescue plan was presented by any other credible organization, or individual. No serious funding was raised. No governmental support was secured.

Now, after ownership has transferred, they demand the process be halted—without a legal alternative, without jurisdiction, and without a credible and financially backed and secure plan. That is not preservation. That is reactive obstructionism. It is too late to demand control after the fact. There is no federal rescue coming. If there were, it would have arrived years ago—before the costs became unsustainable, before the vessel languished further, and before the last remaining solutions had narrowed to one.

If Okaloosa County were somehow stripped of ownership—which is not happening—the outcome would not be a miraculous revival. It would be scrapping. Period. Those fanning false hope are not saving the ship—they are threatening to erase her legacy entirely. And if that were to occur, her total loss would be on their shoulders.

The SS United States is not being scrapped. She is not being destroyed. She is being transformed—with care, compliance, and respect—into a living reef and public memorial. Her funnels, mast, propeller, anchor, and other features and items will live on as historic artifacts. Her hull will support marine ecosystems and scientific research. And her story will continue to inspire through exhibitions, education, and future design tributes.

We are not witnessing a disgrace—we are witnessing the final chapter of an American icon, honored through transition, not abandonment. Let us meet it with clarity, truth, and resolve.

Here is a link for the statement regarding the removal of the forward stack just a few days ago:

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/16mMdppDhk/?mibextid=wwXIfr

- Mike Strasbaugh
Chairman, Southeast Chapter

10/09/2025

After months of speculation about Finland constructing icebreakers for the U.S. Coast Guard a deal could come as early as today. Finland’s president Alexander Stubb said his country was poised to finalize an agreement during today’s meeting with President Trump at the White House.