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Photos: USS Constitution Makes Late Night Move To Dry Dock

The USS Constitution arrives in place in dry dock where it will remain for over two years for repairs. (Robin Lubbock/WBUR)
The USS Constitution arrives in place in dry dock where it will remain for over two years for repairs. (Robin Lubbock/WBUR)

For planned repairs, the USS Constitution rode the late evening tide to a dry dock Monday night at the Charlestown Navy Yard.

With the high tide filling Dry Dock 1 next to the USS Constitution Museum, teams of Navy and civilian engineers gently slid Old Ironsides from the wharf into the dry dock.

Restoration to the Navy’s oldest commissioned warship will take two-and-a-half years, says U.S. Navy historian Margherita Desy.

"We're going to replace the copper sheeting, which is the 3,400 sheets of copper that cover her bottom and protect her, and we're going to replace some hull planking and some deck beams," Desy said. "So it's a pretty typical, every-20-year restoration work that we're going to be doing."

According to Desy, the restoration will cost between $12 million and $15 million.

The ship's top deck will open again to visitors on June 9.

The USS Constitution moves slowly towards the entrance of Dry Dock 1 at the Charlestown Navy Yard. (Robin Lubbock/WBUR)
The USS Constitution moves slowly towards the entrance of Dry Dock 1 at the Charlestown Navy Yard. (Robin Lubbock/WBUR)
Detail from the bow of the USS Constitution. (Robin Lubbock/WBUR)
Detail from the bow of the USS Constitution. (Robin Lubbock/WBUR)
USS Constitution enters Dry Dock 1 at the Charlestown Navy Yard. (Robin Lubbock/WBUR)
The USS Constitution enters Dry Dock 1 at the Charlestown Navy Yard. (Robin Lubbock/WBUR)
Engineers pull on ropes to steady the USS Constitution as it advances along Dry Dock 1. (Robin Lubbock/WBUR)
Engineers pull on ropes to steady the USS Constitution as it advances along Dry Dock 1. (Robin Lubbock/WBUR)
USS Constitution inches towards its destination in Dry Dock 1. (Robin Lubbock/WBUR)
USS Constitution inches towards its destination. (Robin Lubbock/WBUR)
Engineers operate the winch that draws Old Ironsides into dry dock. (Robin Lubbock/WBUR)
Engineers operate the winch that draws Old Ironsides into the dry dock. (Robin Lubbock/WBUR)
The USS Constitution arrives in place in dry dock where it will remain for over two years for repairs. (Robin Lubbock/WBUR)
The USS Constitution arrives in Dry Dock 1, where it will remain for over two years for repairs. (Robin Lubbock/WBUR)
The USS Constitution floats in dry dock where it will remain for the next two year. Its top deck will open to visitors again in June. (Robin Lubbock/WBUR)
The USS Constitution floats in dry dock where it will remain for the next two years. Its top deck will open to visitors again in June. (Robin Lubbock/WBUR)
Headshot of Robin Lubbock

Robin Lubbock Videographer, Photographer
Robin Lubbock is a videographer and photographer for WBUR.

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