Nonprofit works to preserve historic Falls of Clyde

The Friends of Falls of Clyde, a new 501(c)(3) nonprofit, is working to ensure a historic ship will be towed to the deep-water harbor at Kalaeloa, near the Campbell Industrial Park, by the end of the month. "There's a lot of kokua going on," said Capt. Gary "Skip" Naftel, the organization’s vice president of external affairs. "The entire maritime industry is supporting the project."

The vessel was scheduled to be towed to a dry dock in Kalaeloa on Dec. 29, the deadline set under a 90-day agreement between the Bishop Museum and the Friends of Falls of Clyde to remove the vessel from Honolulu Harbor's Pier 7. The community-based organization purchased the vessel, saving it from being scuttled in deep water.

Towing costs are estimated at $62,000. As of early December when the IRS approved the group's tax-exempt status, it had raised $3,200, but members were optimistic that they will raise enough funds to reimburse towing costs.

If the group fails to tow the ship by Dec. 29, it will be in violation of the terms of the agreement. It was closed to the public in January 2007 due to unsafe conditions. In September the ship was sold to the Friends of Falls of Clyde after the museum said it lacked the funding to preserve and restore the ship.

Members of the Friends are looking for missing items that were removed from the ship. "We're trying to get back as much of the original equipment on the ship," said Bruce McEwan, president of the Friends. The missing pieces include stained-glass panels, tools and portholes. Other artifacts from the ship – the vessel's figurehead, steering wheel and bowsprit – are now stored at the Hawaii Maritime Center at Pier 7. The museum will turn them over to the Friends when the organization obtains storage space.