Help is on the way for 44066 TT4!

[bigmahi]

All:
As you know the 44066 deployment went very well.
Unfortunately the buoy has developed operational issues and stopped working.
We have contacted a local captain, thank you, who will work with NDBC to get a team of technicians out there promptly sometime next week.
Our "novel" idea is a reality.
This is an extraordinary arrangement for stakeholders like ourselves partnering with the government for mutual benefit.A blueprint like this can get buoys repaired more quickly aiding in everyone's safety.
The details are being worked out and we should have the buoy back up and running( except for major structural damage) by late next week.
Thanks to all that have participated.
a program to expedite repairs on offshore buoys that normally take months to repair.
Updates will be posted as we firm everything up.
Great news.
Jeff

[clt_capt]

An unfortunate sign of the times.

Last summer We were able to tour the Bouy tender when it was in Port at the Ft Macon USCG Station for repairs.

Our tour guide said that they were being retasked to do refugee interdiction - because of the big deck area and the crane... Oh yeah - and the ability to handle the .50 cal on the bow...

[bigmahi]

Unfortunately I don't know how to post an image but ...
Special thanks to Ray of FV Yolo for taking this shot of the buoy on Saturday.Luckily it looks pretty good and the fear of collision is not an issue.
I also want to thank Canyon Runner for passing by and providing a verbal report so that NDBC has a clue as to what might be wrong.

If you haven't been close to a NOAA buyoy before you can see all the "stuff" on top that senses and transmits data as well as the solar panels.
You can also see how a bad cast could take out any one of these delicate pieces of instrumentation.

NDBC plans to run out next week to fix her up!

This cooperation and support by all you guys is great.

You can go to the NDBC site and look at the 3 meter Discus buoy of details.