Soviet Museum submarine to be scrapped

[tom dougherty]

The Juliett class K-77 in Providence, RI was sunk in a storm in 2007. Although raised by Army & Navy divers, the submarine is beyond reasonable repair after being flooded for many months.

http://www.wtop.com/?nid=456&sid=1558763

This submarine was used for the surface shots in the movie "K-19]Press Release[/b]
December 24, 2008
Agreement Reached on Disposition of Russian Submarine

PROVIDENCE, RI]

[u-5075]

http://blog.wired.com/cars/2008/12/save-a-sunken-s.html

Save a Sunken Soviet Sub

http://blog.wired.com/cars/2008/12/save-a-sunken-s.html

Save a Sunken Soviet Sub from the Scrapyard
By Keith Barry

From Rhode Island comes news that a sunken Soviet submarine also suffered from lackluster seasonal sales. If no buyer comes forward with the funds to restore the vessel -- formerly the prime attraction at the Russian Sub Museum in Providence, RI -- this after-Christmas sale will truly be final.

After a disastrous April 2007 storm sank the Juliett-class sub known alternately as Juliett 484 and K-77, it sat at the bottom of Providence Harbor until military dive and salvage teams used pumps and inflatable pontoons to rise it above sea level in June of 2008. Back then the sub's owners were hopeful that a buyer would restore the vessel and use it as a museum, or at least re-submerge it for a dignified use as a reef.

"Based on the input we received from experts, the cost of restoring it was beyond our capabilities," Museum director Frank Lennon told the AP. "We remain hopeful that someone will step forward who might be interested in taking over the stewardship of this very interesting Cold War relic." Unfortunately, if no such buyer is apparent by the end of January, the sub will be sold for scrap.

It would be a shame to see K-77 recycled into cans of dog food in light of its terrifying and varied history. In its prime, it was a ballistic missile submarine intended to launch nuclear attacks on the United States. After some years of tracking US aircraft carriers, the sub was decommissioned in 1994 and turned into a floating restaurant and bar by investors in Finland. After that venture sank, it became the set for the film K-19, The Widowmaker. The sub was towed to Rhode Island in 2002 for use as a "floating classroom" in Providence. Unfortunately, the no-longer watertight sub sank in April of 2007.

Should buyers balk at paying to fix a 43-year-old sub, they could always get a brand new Seattle 1000. More than a historical curiosity, the Seattle is an actual working luxury submarine with 5 staterooms and an interior that is "very luxurious with rich fabrics, beautiful woods and replete with the finest leathers," according to manufacturer U.S. Subs. Each sub is custom made with a build time of 24 months at a cost of $19.7 million. According to Bloomberg.com, some luxury subs include wine cellars and as many as five bathrooms. Owners include Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen and Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich.

We tried to get a comment and some pictures from Jean-Claude Carme, U.S. Subs' VP of Marketing, but it seems that his phone wouldn't work 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. Check out their website for floorplans.