EXISTING OBSERVATORY

Primland Resort Observatory

Inspected.

Repaired.

Maintained.

Sea West provided dome maintenance and servicing at the Primland Resort Observatory in Virginia.

About the observatory

Located in the Blue Ridge Mountains of southern Virginia on a parcel of 12,000-acres, Primland Resort is a secluded location to relax and enjoy the great outdoors. Their lodge hosts nightly stargazing tours for guests inside their observatory, which is equipped with a 28’-6″ Ash Dome and Celestron CGE Pro 1400 that was installed in 2010. The observatory provides educational astronomy programs to the resort guests on clear nights.

Project Scope

Primland Observatory staff noticed an ongoing issue with water entering their dome after rainstorms. Looking for a solution to their leaking dome, Primland contacted Sea West to inspect the dome that had gone over a decade without servicing. In 2023, Sea West conducted an inspection of the 28’-6” Ash Dome and provided preventative maintenance by replacing the weather sealing gaskets, cleaning and regreasing of the motor tracks, and removal and replacement of the original caulking.

In 2024, Sea West conducted annual maintenance on the dome and replaced both lower-shutter hydraulic rams and hoses.