The inescapable fact is that the outer hull plating is now so thin that there is real danger that the Texas could suffer a hull breach, take on water and sink if she had to be towed. She has several active “seepage”-type leaks that are kept in check by monitored submersible pumps. As recently as May 2008, she suffered a significant hull breach that placed her in jeopardy of sinking. Trim Tank D-12 is a compartment directly below the After Steering space and there is an active 4-5 gallon per hour “seepage”-type leak in that compartment. Without warning, the leak rate increased to over 40 gallons per minute, in excess of the capacity of the pump in the space. Fortunately, a team of divers were at the ship that day conducting training. A diver was sent down, in scuba gear, to locate the breach by feeling along the hull for the suction that identified the hole. As the diver was feeling for the hole, her hand pushed through the paper-thin hull plating causing the water influx to increase to an estimated 200 gallons per minute. Fortunately, the dive team placed a temporary patch on the breach and additional portable pumps were brought in to pump the water out.
from link above on dry berth
Put her hand through the shell plating? NOT GOOD! Drydocking her is going to be tricky! Hope the keel, framing and the rest of the shell plating can support her.
I thought she was berthed in concrete, long ago. Maybe that was just talk some time back. Would make more sense than towing to drydock and re-plating, she ain’t going anywhere anyway.