Keel Laying Watch Party for WISCONSIN (SSBN 827) - Oshkosh

Join us for the Keel Laying Watch Party for WISCONSIN (SSBN 827) in Oshkosh!

Wisconsinites and all who love the Navy and the submarine force are invited to experience this unique naval tradition as the Ship’s Sponsor, Dr. Kelly Geurts, proclaims WISCONSIN's keel to be “truly and fairly laid," by attending a Watch Party.

Keel Laying Watch Parties will be hosted by our partner organizations across Wisconsin when the ceremony takes place at 7am PDT / 9am CDT / 10am EDT in Quonset Point, Rhode Island.

The Keel Laying Ceremony symbolizes when the ship begins to transition from design to reality by marking the formal recognition of the start of a ship's construction.

In earlier times, the Keel Laying was the "laying down" of the central or main timber making up the backbone of a vessel. Today, fabrication of the ship may begin months before some of the ship's bottom may actually be joined. However, the Keel Laying Ceremony (also referred to as the Keel Authentication Ceremony) symbolically recognizes the joining of modular components and the ceremonial beginning of construction of a ship.

During the Keel Laying ceremony, the Ship’s Sponsor, Dr. Kelly Geurts, will authenticate the keel by welding her initials onto a metal plate. The plate with her initials will then be permanently affixed to the ship and Dr. Geurts will proclaim the keel to be “truly and fairly laid."

More info available at https://www.usswisconsinsub.org/keel-laying