USS Cobia, a Gato class WW2 submarine, is on display at the maritime museum. 28 boats like this were built in Manitowoc during the war. They conducted shake downs in Lake Michigan, then sailed to Chicago. From there, they were placed on special barges and taken down the Illinois and Mississippi rivers to New Orleans. After final fitting out, they sailed through the Panama Canal, to Hawaii, and on to the front. The boat is in pristine condition, and looks like it could set sail today. Members of the crew gather here every August for a reunion, and to help work on the boat.
The Cobia made 6 war patrols, and only lost one man during a surface engagement
On of 4 1600 horsepower diesel engines on board. Their only purpose was to drive generators to make electricity to charge the batteries. The two propellors were driven by electric motors.
Main engine control room. Neat as a pin.
Engineering Log Room. Looks more like a closet to me, but everything is cramped on a submarine.
A replica of construction details for a center board schooner typical on the Great Lakes.
More examples of Wisconsin built boats from days gone by.
The centerpiece of the museum was this triple expansion steam engine It was motorized and was extremely impressive to watch all the pieces working together. It had to be over twenty feet tall.
The museum had a nice display about America's great loop, which we're undertaking.
In honor of a local vintage motorcycle meet, on display was a 1913 Henderson. The owner had a picture of his 12 year old grand mother riding on the back of this bike.
From the roof of the museum, I got a nice view of the ferry Badger getting underway. She carries people and cars from Manitowoc Wisconsin to Luddington, Michigan. It is the last coal fired steam driven vessel on the Great Lakes, if not in the US. Because of concerns about pollution from coal ash, the ship will have to be converted to oil fired in 2017.
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