Weekend Update 3/1/26

[Maletrain]

I am wondering how handling those 1:25 models compares to docking a 40' sailboat.  (Something I did quite often, without any bow thruster - sometimes in a lot of wind.)  Watching the real 1:1 ships that size maneuver at docks seems extremely slow to me - even the wind drift effects.  But, when something goes wrong, the resulting impact is much worse than with a 40' sailboat!

[John]

I think the best part of the class was reinforcing fast "thought-to-speech" orders because you have to be quick to think about what you need to do and then quickly telling the helmsman to do..

When I was qualifying as Officer of the Deck Under way, learning how to react properly and timely was a skill to constantly work on .. 50,000 tons doesn't turn like a car .. it took me some time to get the hang of it ..

[Pizzaparty]

@apudelek - what color is your base color? It seems like high gloss black is the preferred choice when getting the stainless steel effect

[apudelek]

@apudelek - what color is your base color? It seems like high gloss black is the preferred choice when getting the stainless steel effect

I used the Tamiya gray surface primer.  Hindsight is telling me that a black base, perhaps over the primer, might have been a better decision.  Oh well; I'm still learning a lot about paint and painting in general.  Now I am vaguely recalling a thread on this subject actually involving painting SOU passenger cars...

[apudelek]

I am wondering how handling those 1:25 models compares to docking a 40' sailboat.  (Something I did quite often, without any bow thruster - sometimes in a lot of wind.)  Watching the real 1:1 ships that size maneuver at docks seems extremely slow to me - even the wind drift effects.  But, when something goes wrong, the resulting impact is much worse than with a 40' sailboat!

Fundamentals are all still there... But the main thing is there isn't the thrust-to-weight ratio that you might have on a sailboat:  the engines are scaled down to mimic the horsepower of the 1:1 ships.  So you don't have that power in your back pocket.  But docking small craft is where everyone started and is still very applicable.  I'm in a sailing club here in Minneapolis where their keelboats (engine-less) are kept out on moorings.  You have to be able to make those moorings in a controlled manner completely under sail... I try to treat it as professional development!

And you're right, it is extremely slow when you're looking at it from the pier.  I was telling an airline pilot once that "You wouldn't believe how fast 2 Knots looks when you're on the bridge wing!"  But the profession is fully based in speed control, as many of you are aware.  You probably don't have great steering unless you have that propeller turning, but then your speed gradually (or sometimes rapidly) increases with those ahead bells and then you have to slow down...  That's when issues can arise.  There are breakwalls and port entrances where 2 or 3 Knots might be the max speed you want to enter at (usually because you have to turn immediately inside and the ship's inertia keeps her moving ahead toward something problematic) and some of these saltwater ships have a minimum ahead bell of over 6 Knots when in ballast.  Which is substantial.  So you end up giving "kicks" with the engine and rudder to keep your positioning while slowing or maintaining a certain speed.  But oftentimes with these ships with 6 Knot minimums, they only have so many consecutive air "starts" for their massive slow-speed diesel engine (these engines are direct drive to the shaft and are completely stopped when at a Stop bell) and you have to make sure that you aren't using too many kicks and depleting their available engine start air.  Hopefully the weather is good and wind/current isn't factoring against you.  Tugs can help to some extent, but only so much in our circumstances and available tug equipment on the Lakes.  It's an interesting and very satisfying business.