news: Day Peckinpaugh Rescued from Sinking
3/10/10- A quick response by Day Peckinpaugh crew members prevented the historic canal motorship from sinking on March 8, after a former employee sabotaged the vessel. Guy Pucci, who was terminated from employment from the NYS Museum on March 5, 2010, confessed to the incident, and has been arraigned in Waterford Town Court.

The following is a statement released by John Callaghan, who is overseeing Day Peckinpaugh restoration efforts for the NYS Museum:

“Sometime during the evening of Sunday, March 7, 2010, Mr. Pucci accessed the engine room of the Day Peckinpaugh, which was moored at Lock E-2 in Waterford, opening all the "sea chest" valves – six-inch valves which emit cooling water for the main and auxiliary engines into the ship - in an attempt to sink the boat. Additional valves were opened in the valve control room in an apparent attempt to maximize the damage. Mr. Pucci engaged in some other minor vandalism elsewhere on the boat, and stole a state vehicle assigned to the project which was parked in the Lock E-2 parking lot.

The crew reported to work at 7 AM on Monday, March 8th to find water well above the deck plates in the engine room, and the main hold partially flooded as well. An initial assessment and the rate of water ingress, as well as the fact that the door to the crew's mess was unlocked and open, suggested an act of sabotage. The water level in the engine room was such that the valves could not be immediately located and shut.

State Police were notified and efforts to pump out the water began immediately with help from the New York State Canal Corporation and NYS Marine Highway Transportation Company. Concurrent with initial damage control efforts, a protective containment boom was placed around the stern of the ship out of an abundance of caution. 

The situation was quickly stabilized. The ship has been de-watered to the extent possible. Some contaminated water remains in the bilge and main hold. This water will be removed by an environmental response company after a thorough cleaning of all spaces. The environmental response company has made an initial assessment of the situation and determined that there is no persistent environmental threat and zero environmental impact as a result of the incident. Out of an abundance of caution, the containment boom will remain in place until the contaminated liquids have been removed from the ship.

The Day Peckinpaugh is not taking on any water, the ingress of water was 100% a result of the opened valves. There appears to be extensive damage to the electrical generating equipment attendant to the auxiliary engines, control panels, transfer pumps, and other electrical equipment in the engine room. There is no apparent damage to the main engines.

While some cleanup and repair of equipment will be necessary, the incident is not expected to adversely impact the schedule for the ARRA-funded rehabilitation and restoration of the Day Peckinpaugh.”