Things to talk about while we're not panicking

While on the panic thread, and talking Sub construction with 11GTCS, I realized we needed another place for positive vibes... I would insert a gif of "Oddball" here if I knew how! Some may remember Donald Sutherland in Kelly's Hero's telling his engine man about "NO negative vibes, Man..." Bonus points if ya remember who the engine man was later in his career.

Anyway we were discussing the two yard that built Nuclear Subs...

I've visited the museum at EB while working in Waterford (Millstone). After being in NN so many years, taking up two miles of waterfront... more now!   its amazing to see how much EB had going on packed in such a tight area. Ive also done some repairs on "regular navy" stuff at Norfolk Navy Yard, and Portsmouth VA, during a 6 month stint at a little private owned mom and pop yard. Mostly I tried to avoid that side of the river... I'm too much of a backwoods guy to want to be around that many people. Although Hampton/Newport News is even worse these days!

I spent 16 months working out of a boat in that EB yard, and they were building 2 other boats ag the same time. I didn't even know they had a museum. 

Awesome, separate thread is the right thing for sure.

I'm not sure about an EB museum, they had a model room from my memory and that's not saying much.   The Navy has a terrific museum just a couple of miles up the river at the entrance to the New London sub base.   The Nautilus is on display and you can tour the forward end of the boat.  There's also a building with the history of the submarine service that's very interesting and all free.

I misread the title and thought to myself "I could really go for some pancakes right now"

The USS Alabama is a great Naval museum as well if you ever find yourself traveling on I-10 through Mobile. In January I recently stayed at The Higgins Hotel (yes named after the man who invented the Higgins boat) next to The National WWII museum, what an excellent experience and display from both the hotel and the museum. I felt like I was staying in a hotel straight out of the 40s. Again right off of I-10 in the deep south. 

One positive thing about all of this is I'm feeling lucky that I still get to come into work and have a normal routine (outside of not being able to utilize the gym or pool). I also never realize how much I went out to eat before and have been saving a significant amount of money meal prepping. 

In reply to oldopelguy (Forum Supporter) :

Plankowner?  What years?  I worked on SSN 688 class new construction ship yard support (propulsion systems engineer) from SSN 710 to SSN 751, June 1984 to May of 1987. There are gaps in numbers as EB and NNS both built 688 class, most of my work was on Providence (719) and Pittsburgh (720).   Rode Bravo sea trials on Pittsburgh from the Bahamas back to Groton a very memorable 6 days indeed!  Also got to do work on Scamp (SSN 588), Gato (SSN 615), City of Corpus Christi (SSN 705), Albuquerque (SSN 706) up at the sub base in New London, there may have been some others as well.

In reply to 03Panther :

Hey, y’all have heard some of my sea stories...let’s go sailor.  Dish!  Lol. 

My Dad had taught for the NNS Apprentice School while I was growing up, but left to teach Vo-Tech out in the country (S. of Richmond VA; ain't country no more!)

I ended up in the yard in 82 - first boat they put me on was NNS hull number 619: SSN-714 Norfolk, as a Outside Machinist in the engine room, Aux equipment crew. First job as helper installing Main Engine Stand (Steam Turbine Throttle Controls) Later worked on SSN-713, turnover inspection grooming. Did optical alignment on the very first hull to have Vertical Launch System, and also worked on the conversion to Forward Bow Planes. From 88-94 I was in QC for the Nuclear Mechanical Systems. In some form or another I've touched every mechanical system from bow to stern on 688's. Even did a salt water megger test on the outboard motor on a sub (nobody laugh, they actually have one!!!)

So, every NNS hull from SSN- 713 Houston to SSN-773 Cheyenne when I left in mid 94. Also 2 EB boats, when they were in NNS (maybe for PSA? Not sure why.)

Worked on several boomers in for overhaul... spent most time on George C. Marshall. Prolly 83-84. One Ohio Class (HUGE boat!) One Nimitz Carrier. And my coolest thing - I was posted in the Control Room of the Enterprise during reactor startup after an overhaul.

In reply to 03Panther :

Hey, get it right. It’s not an outboard motor is the Secondary Propulsion Unit.  Lol.   Older boats did it better with the line shaft motor and clutch...

+10 for watching control room ops.  I observed a bit at sea on the Pittsburgh.   I was very impressed.   We must never meet for beers.  Lol. 

On VLS, I’m not sure if 719 or 720 was the first EB Boat.  I do know Pittsburgh (720) was the first US sub to fire a war shot (vertical Tomahawk land attack missile in this case) since WW2 during the first Gulf war.   

When I first started at EB I was in Design Engineering on Ohio Class, they’re massive, everything designed with a plan and space to work.  (Believe these were among the first CAD designed vessels).  Fast forward to the first time in the engine room on Scamp (Skipjack class from the late 50’s).  Turned to my co-worker and said “this looks like what happens when a high school kid stuffs a 460 in a 65 Mustang”.  If you ever went aft in one of those old boats, you know what I mean.  All engine, would have loved to take a ride on Scamp. 

In reply to 11GTCS :

Not a plankowner, reported aboard a couple months after commissioning. We did a year of trials and certifications then rolled back into the yard for a very long post shakedown availability. First of a new class had some growing pains, especially when they decided to only build 3.

Since I was rotated from crew to crew and so many different hulls, I don't remember what hull I did what on, for the most part. If i remember right the subs that had the Secondary Propulsion (a 600 hp electric motor on the end of a shaft - a section of hull plate dropped out of hull so it could run a small prop. For those following along) I thought they still had the aux motor for the shaft also. Not sure.

wiki has a nice list of hulls  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Los_Angeles-class_submarines   I had to look at dates based on your EB builds for the VLS; must have been either 718 or 721. prolly 718. I remember big wigs talking about the race to see who's way was better: we were line boring the tubes horizontal and precision welding here and there to not warp (checking optic alignment at same time each shift), and EB was welding them in and then boring them.

I have a good story about the rig they moved entire nose section over to the shipways to mount it... good one for over a beer!

In reply to oldopelguy (Forum Supporter) :

what class was that? I assume you are referring to EB for the PSA time?

oldopelguy (Forum Supporter) said:

I spent 16 months working out of a boat in that EB yard, and they were building 2 other boats ag the same time. I didn't even know they had a museum. 

Ah, I see it was EB. When I went to the museum, I hadn't remembered it was up river at New London

The Ohio boats were great. Mostly the same equipment as 688's, but with enough room to access everything. I was under 160 lbs the whole time I was pullin' wrenches on 688's, so I was a go to guy for every small hole on 'em. I LOVE the line 'bout the 460 in a 65!!!

My sister dated a guy that was cook on the SeaDevil... I think that was Skipjack class also. Cool guy.

I've been on several sub now used as museums. It def. takes a different mindset to want anything to do with 'em.

In reply to 03Panther :

I was on the 21 boat, and it was EB for PSA.

I could listen to you guys bullE36 M3 all day. Seriously,  don't stop.

In reply to 03Panther :

688 Class had a retractable SPU that was installed in the aft ballast tanks.  One of the guys in my group used to refer to it as being like strapping a blender to the boat for all the good it would do.   One of the potential issues was that the anchor was also in the aft ballast tank, opposite side of the SPU.  In theory the anchor line could foul on the SPU, we heard that sub skippers would have the anchor welded in place after commissioning to prevent rattling so probably not an issue.   Aft placement of the anchor made it essentially useless anyway.

In reply to oldopelguy (Forum Supporter) :

Ahh, so Seawolf / SSN 21 Class.   Those were in design when I was at EB, impressive boats from what I know of them.   Basically the same diameter as Ohio Class and similar propulsion package in a shorter boat.  Pittsburgh was the first boat to sea trial with the enhanced reactor plant when I rode her and she was pretty sporty. ( Pretty sure she was the fastest boat in the fleet for a while until the 688 I retractable bow plane boats came into service. ) SSN 21 should have been / was much sportier from what I know.   

Seawolf was supposedly designed to include all the capability that was value engineered out of the Los Angeles class; bigger, faster, deeper diving, improved sensors, enhanced firepower and above all, quieter.  Too bad they were the budget busters they ended up being.   One got converted to be the super spook boat when they retired Parche so they definitely had something going.     At one time, EB had the following statement on their website:  USS Seawolf, quieter underway at 20 knots than a 688 class tied up to the pier.    That's impressive, I did some stuff with the sound guys a couple of times and the 688's were pretty sneaky boats themselves.

Current class (Virginia) is back to compromise between capabilities / cost from what I know of them.   Some of the propulsion innovations guys in my group were working on when I was there got incorporated from what I've seen.  It was a great place to work for a kid that loved ships, some really smart people there then and now I'm sure.

03Panther said:

 I LOVE the line 'bout the 460 in a 65!!!

 

Seriously, I wish I could be more specific.   I can say this, it was easy to get aft of the mains on the 688s to do stuff.  Just walk on by.    On Scamp it was a squeeze between the mains and the frames, it was almost cartoonish. All Engine...  Skipjack class had the fastest in the fleet honors for a long time and they were also supposed to be ridiculously maneuverable.  They were 30+ years old by the time I was working on them and three generations out of date design wise.  It was cool to see.

In reply to 03Panther :

Wow, I just spent some time looking at the wiki link you listed.   Now I have a sads...   My baby (Pittsburgh) was decommissioned in January.  34 plus years, she did well.  She'll always be brand shiny new in my mind.  (God I'm old.)

That was a trip down memory lane as well, a bunch of boats that used to be up at New London that I had some involvement with : Groton (694), Dallas (700) as featured in the Hunt for Red October, Boston (703), Rickover (709), Augusta (710).  All gone now.  

I looked up Sea Devil as well. (SSN 664) She was a Sturgeon class boat, I never got on one of those as by that point they didn't have any in New London.   Baton Rouge (689) was the one I worked on at Norfolk Naval Shipyard.    

In reply to Appleseed :

Sorry man, 03panther has gone deep.  Found the thermocline and may be sneaking around to get in my baffles.  Of course I’ve gone all passive and have surprise waiting for him...

LOL.    I’m glad someone’s entertained by my lame tales from the “day”.   I’m going to leave a super geeky present from my childhood for you in the “berkeley you corona, post something ridiculous” thread.   I think I’ve got enough of a snapshot from reading your posts to know you’ll be onboard.  Enjoy!

Hopefully 03panther will be back so we can bullE36 M3 some more.  I really do think he’s my brother from another mother.   Seems we’ve walked a lot of the same paths. 

11GTCS said:

In reply to 03Panther :

688 Class had a retractable SPU that was installed in the aft ballast tanks.  One of the guys in my group used to refer to it as being like strapping a blender to the boat for all the good it would do.   One of the potential issues was that the anchor was also in the aft ballast tank, opposite side of the SPU.  In theory the anchor line could foul on the SPU, we heard that sub skippers would have the anchor welded in place after commissioning to prevent rattling so probably not an issue.   Aft placement of the anchor made it essentially useless anyway.

I totally forgot I had gotten busy and gone silent on this one!

Resurecting a fwd thread is ok if my own? 

Never did work on the anchor on 688s. Definitely one of the few bolts I never touched. 
Loved the new info you were presenting. Wish I hadn't lost track!

Maybe we can share some more!

In reply to 03Panther :

I'm good if you're good. We'll probably both get banned for swapping boring old sea stories though.  LOL.

Edited to add: Maybe Preach will join the chat, he's a current outside machinist supervisor at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard and is somewhat recently back from little jaunt to Guam to work on something submersible.   I too have been to Guam but it was coming up on 41 years ago (Yikes!) when I was a cadet engineer on a container ship.

I never did any work on subs except at NN ship. There were teams that traveled, but I was not related to anybody important, and don't play golf. 
Been gone from NN since '94, so lots has changed. Did do a short summer contract for a subsidiary that had some bow plane refers work, but even that has been over 20 years ago. 
There seemed to be a number of folks not bored last time, so I think all is good.