you'de think a ship like that can turn circles around a tanker all day and night long

Apparently someone DID think that and missed by that much.

Well you'de think they have people in control of those ships, who know what they can and can't do.

Big E at 32 knots! Man, that would be something to see.

My understanding is the hit was in the birthing area. I pray that all 10 missing are not dead.

All the ships I was on never hit another ship although the Big E did bottom out once entering the channel in Hawaii!!! Seems we moved over as a commercial ship was drifting to port somewhat when it should have been going straight. I was the 1JV phone talker on the bridge and the capt. (Peterson) really got made and called the CO of the Coast Guard in Hawaii ship to shore to have the commercial ship stopped and fined for not proceeding in the way it should have been. We learned later that the master of that ship was passed out in his cabin and the 3rd mate was "driving"! They got a big fine.

I have had several of my students tell me that the bridge has 50% of the manning as it they used to have due to automation! I imagine that will finally change now! Another thing that could be a factor is the suction created when two ships on a parallel path go past each other. If the navy ship was going faster and passing, the suction created by the water passing between them can easily suck them right together! As an example when two ships such as an oiler and cruiser are running together for a refueling operation there is about 100 foot separation and the course has to be perfect otherwise they can close at over 20 feet a minute! I was in after steering on the CGN 25 during a couple refueling ops and the rudder had about 2 degrees angle to keep the ship away from the larger oiler.

Once is unacceptable but twice is just proof of a real problem in the navy.

We had a knot meter in my system space on the E and usually they'd turn off the signals during high speed drills. Let's just say I once saw us exceed the "official" top speed when they had forgotten to turn them off.

High speed full turns at 30 knots were a blast but, were tough on the kidneys. You found out really quickly how well your tie down efforts performed.

As always, JR is spot on. It is amazing how quickly the course can go south and the most trivial of mistakes can be devastating. My thoughts go out to the families of my mates. It's a rough reminder of how dangerous serving on the water can be even during routine peacetime OP's.

The sea always takes her due.

For the last decade at least much of our military is forced to spend more of it's training time doing "sensitivity" training instead of job training. This is the result.

I heard that from a Machinist Mate that served on a nuke carrier, USS Carl Vinson maybe. The official word was greater than 30 knots. They can do turns on those props that work out to a fair bit more than 30.

Sea water pouring in through the bulkhead would be a heck of a wakeup. Liable to be dead about the time you figured out what was happening.

For decades merchant marine officers have had a motto: If its grey, Stay Away!

Four incidents (three collisions and a grounding) in the Pacific fleet in 8 months would seem to indicate there is a need to revisit basic training in seamanship and ship handling.
Prayers to the families of the missing and lost crewmen.

Best
Les

"fair bit" is a good characterization.;)

Agreed on the wake up call.:(. We lost one mate up in the Alutians that still affects me to this day. Maintenance captain went over the side in a plane that they were backing up to park on the starboard elevator. Large seas, at night, canopy down because of rain. He had a lot of time knowing he was screwed till the pressure got him while the plane sank. No chance of recovering him.

Another victory for China in the battle for influence in Southeast Asia.

Ouch! What a way to go. RIP.

... and its operator is Stealth Maritime Corporation

That's funny I don't care who ya are, but the ship is actually named after his father and grandfather.
I don't know which of their legs were shorter ;)

rip.

RIP warriors....

Official: US Navy ship lost steering control before collision - CNNPolitics

Here are several thoughts to ponder while we worry about the lost sailors. A large ship such as a carrier has 4 void spaces between the ocean and the machinery/living spaces. They are about 8 feet wide if I remember as we inspected ALL of them before the Big E went into dry dock in 1973 for propeller and shaft work.

On initial sea trials the Enterprise went 44 1/2 knots and was going this fast went she went past the bridge - tunnel that crossed the inlet to the Chesapeake bay. The speed was slowed to max of 30 knots so the shafts would last, something like 6.5 million pound feet of torque!

Here is the scary item, most destroyer and cruisers have a sheet (1/2 to 3/4 inch) of mild steel between the ocean and whatever is inside. My desk area in the #2 engine room of the CGN25 had a large dent in the hull where we were banged by Mike boat!

Assuming that SSD (special sea dutymen) were close-up, the Steering Gear compartment should have been manned and ready to take over.

Maybe someone was adrift? The investigation will tell.

Wow that is a terrifying way to go.


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