Group to study fate of Argus

The Friends of Argus plan to meet tonight to discuss the future of the 101-year-old vessel, which was deemed by the U.S. Coast Guard to be unfit for carrying passengers.

The Newport Sea Base, the Boy Scouts facility where Argus is docked, has voluntarily taken the boat out of service after learning that most of the boat’s wooden frame is rotted.

It could cost anywhere from $600,000 to $1 million to repair the 92-foot Argus and make it sea worthy again, said sea base director Charlie Abbot.

“It’s tied up here at the sea base, and it will not move until a decision is made on whether to repair it or not,” Abbot said.

Since the sea base acquired Argus more than 30 years ago, it’s been used for sailing trips and education for numerous Boy Scouts.

Argus was dry-docked and inspected by the Coast Guard in January. The Coast Guard requires annual inspections of vessels that are chartered for hire, said Coast Guard Lt. Tony Migliorini.

Depending on inspection results, the boat can be completely taken out of service, or the regulations for its use can be modified, Migliorini said.

During the inspection of Argus, planks were pulled from the side of the vessel to allow a closer look at its wooden hull, Abbot said. More than one-third of the frame was completely rotted.

The vessel is sound enough to sail around Newport Harbor, but is not fit to make the trip to Catalina Island, a voyage that is the sea base’s “bread and butter,” Abbot said.

“At this point if the boat were to hit a very large wave ? because the frames are rotted, there are questions about how the boat would survive such an impact,” he said.

Now the Friends of Argus must decide whether the boat should be repaired. The mast and deck are in good shape, having been repaired recently, but the hull needs a complete structural rebuild, Abbot said.

In the meantime, the boat won’t sink just sitting at the dock ? but no one’s taking any chances.

“We’ve just chosen to be extremely safe on this one,” Abbot said.

If the Friends of Argus decide to pursue repairs, the sea base will have to launch a massive fundraising campaign, he said.