The Niña has been raised out of the water and proclaimed salvageable. Immediate needs include cleaning the hull and repairing leaks before she can be towed to Mile Marker 533 Marine Ways Inc. shipyard in Aransas Pass. Long term, she will require a new bottom and main deck, said Kim Mrazek, president of the Columbus Sailing Association, the group caring for the city-owned ship.
The Niña is the only survivor of three replicas given to the city by Spain in 2006. They were built in 1993 to commemorate the 500th anniversary of when Columbus landed in North America. The replica Niña, Pinta and Santa Maria were built using the same methods and materials used 500 years ago to construct the originals.
The Niña, which has been docked at the city marina on the Lawrence T-Head, partially sunk due to damage from Hurricane Harvey in late August. It took four hours and about $20,000 to raise her out of the water Dec. 4. The Columbus Sailing Association hopes to raise about $100,000 to repair the ship and eventually open it for touring.
Donations may be made through the association’s GoFundMe page or by mailing checks and money orders to Columbus Sailing Association, P.O. Box 60175, Corpus Christi, TX 78466.