BOOTHBAY HARBOR, Maine — A day before USS Niagara is scheduled to go back into the water — after a nearly year-long refit and restoration — shipyard workers are still, quite literally, plugging holes.
Ross Branch, the lead shipwright at Bristol Marine, is installing a valved water intake in Niagara’s underside, using a marine sealant called Sikiflex.
“The launch is tomorrow, and Sikiflex can cure underwater. So, it’s a good choice in this instance,” he says, holding the fitting from the bottom while another worker cinches it down flush and watertight…