Threading a Needle in the Dark:

[Harritwo]

We are looking at bringing a boat into our facility. Boat is 79 feet wide. Locks we have to go through are 80 feet wide. I told the Ops Boss that I would need a Captain with legs and Nerves of Steel, but since we did not have any Navy Captains, I would use a Coast Guard Captain. He is a retired Coast Guard Captain.

When the boat comes through the locks, I intend to be onboard and watch this evolution. With 6" clearance, it is going to be tight but I can only imagine it is a sight I will never see again in my career bringing something in like this.

If we are successful in our bid, I will get to ride the ship both ways through the locks. What makes this unique to me, Is we will come in under Tug and exit under Tug. Ship will be Dead Stick.

The intent is to use a Tractor Tug made up tight in the lead and a conventional tug on the stern for brakes and control. If/When we get this project, i will post lots of pictures for all to see.

 

[Grub54891]

Interesting, I'm sure there will be some touching the sides of the boat at the locks, but it should go well. Looking forward to the pics!

 

[alldodge]

Not slighting the Navy but I would take a Coasty before the regular Navy. The Coasty is use to smaller ships, and has a better chance of navigating inland water ways and locks. Since the boat will be tugged in, either would work, and for the main purpose you don't need a Captain. Once dead stick, he/she is no longer in charge

 

[Harritwo]

AllDodge, The Coastie reference was for my Ops Boss. He is retired Coastie along with the Assistant Ops Boss. Both Coasties, I am retired Navy. We will have the Tug Captain (Ops Boss) making this maneuver, the Ships Captain is at the Tugs mercy since it will be a dead stick. We will have a 1 hour transit, 2 hours through the locks, 1 hour transit to the facility. Promises to be tense for a while. These locks require us to come in under tug or under our own power, they do not have mules or anything. When we come into the lock, the gates are closed, the lines are tossed to the handlers and as the locks are flooded, you have to slack off or tighten your lines. The locks are requiring us to have the Tractor Tug in lead since it can walk sideways as well as forward or aft to maintain maneurvability.

 

[alldodge]

Been thru many locks over the years on the Ohio, Barkley and Kentucky river along with Kentucky lake. Spent time on the Tom Bixby water way. As an old Coasty, would love to see the pics of your travels

 

[wrvond]

Not slighting the Navy but I would take a Coasty before the regular Navy. The Coasty is use to smaller ships, and has a better chance of navigating inland water ways and locks. Since the boat will be tugged in, either would work, and for the main purpose you don't need a Captain. Once dead stick, he/she is no longer in charge

​You've obviously never gone through the Suez Canal on an aircraft carrier!
​At the other end of the scale, my last ship was a mine counter measures ship (Avenger class) - the hull is constructed of three different kinds of wood with GRP on the exterior. Only 224 feet long with a 39 foot beam.

 

[alldodge]

Getting a bit off topic but cannot help my self.
No, never did a carrier but was involved in the DDG1000 Zumwalt when it was the DD21, now its broke down in the canal, never thought it would actually work. I fell for the crew of the ship, they never did much of the logistics work to support the ship prior to setting sail

Was on the WAGB283 for the North and South pole trip, along with river tender in the Missouri river

 

[wrvond]

I mentioned the bird farm because it hangs over on each side of the canal. Apparently I didn't do a very good job of relating that to the original post.

 

[Harritwo]

WRVOND, been through the panama and suez ditches. In the suez, went through on a CG Aegis Class and in the Panama went through twice on a DDG Spriance Class. My last Sea Tour was MCM-3 USS Sentry. We were homeported in Ingleside with the Inchon as our Mother Ship. What MCM were you on and where were you homeported?

AllDodge, Just rode WLM588 for Sea Trials last year, Was an interesting ride.

 

[Scott Danforth]

With 6" on each side, it's going to be bouncing off the sides of the locks

 

[wrvond]

WRVOND, been through the panama and suez ditches. In the suez, went through on a CG Aegis Class and in the Panama went through twice on a DDG Spriance Class. My last Sea Tour was MCM-3 USS Sentry. We were homeported in Ingleside with the Inchon as our Mother Ship. What MCM were you on and where were you homeported?

AllDodge, Just rode WLM588 for Sea Trials last year, Was an interesting ride.

Well how about that! I lived in Ingleside on LaQuinta Drive, within walking distance of the What-a-burger!
My first ship there was USS Champion (MCM 4) in 1994. When they came up with the rotational crew concept we became ROTCREW Echo. So I did time on the Guardian (MCM 5) and Patriot (MCM 7). At some point we became USS Scout (MCM 8). I left Texas in February 2001 to work at the Pentagon until 2005 when I moved here to West Virginia.
As a wooden ship sailor you might be interested in this article I just came across: I had no idea she had been run hard aground. I wonder if the C.O. et al were reinstated after it was revealed the charts were so grossly incorrect. I wonder if they had Nav Detail set at the time since they thought they were over seven miles away.

 

[wrvond]

I remember transiting the North Atlantic on the Scout during a pretty good storm. We were in company with two other MCM's and the Inchon. The Inchon went off and left us on our own. In the troughs we would lose all communications and navigation. We'd have to wait until we were on a crest to get a posit and communicate with the other ships. Good times! :lol:

 

[southkogs]

Jump to about 1:!0 ... couldn't resist.