On Tue, 25 Sep 2007 17:58:42 -0500, Vic Smith
wrote:

On Tue, 25 Sep 2007 18:25:54 -0400, "Eisboch" wrote:

That rooster tail looks weird. I spent many hours on the fantail of a
similar size/weight destroyer doing 27 knots. (John King DDG-3)
We had no rooster tail. We had more HP according to the specs - 70k
versus 50k, and probably better acceleration, as I recall our
strengths.
Their screws must be radically different to create that spray.
Guessing about that, of course.

--Vic


Check this out:

http://www.dt.navy.mil/pao/excerpts%...nFlap9_01.html

Thanks. Very cool. It's a wonder this is only a recent innovation,
but I guess the Navy is slow to come to such changes.
I read the entire article, and noted there are required changes to the
screws. I did a quick google to see if the RN is using the flaps, but
didn't find anything. I'll keep looking. That rooster tail really
spoils the view from the fantail, and the waterfall noise is
irritating to boot.
Some of my fondest Navy memories are of spending off watch hours on
the fantail when at flank speed. The screws beating the water - I
think about 60 turns at flank speed - created a deep thrumming that
went right through you. And it was my boilers producing the power.
Back in the fireroom the screaming auxiliaries, the burners roaring,
the sound of steam whistling through the generating tubes, into the
main, and the starboard shaft spinning in its alley all gave me an
additional vision of the end result - fantail screws beating the
water, pushing us on.
A ship is really a marvelous beast.
Unless the damn thing is sinking, of course.
Thanks again for stirring some memories.

--Vic


I sure envy you guys. One of my wildest dreams was to go for a destroyer
ride in the North Sea. I did get offered a ride while in San Diego, working
with an Army diving detachment, but I ended up having to change the plans
about a week before the scheduled ride. We would have been out for about a
week. One of the big regrets in life!