USS JFK CVA 67 in Movie 2012

[Steamforger]

The worst I ever saw was in a portion of the outer banks we called "The North Wall." 2/3 of the crew were secured into racks while the rest of us carried on. I remember being at the helm one afternoon and easily getting 60-70 degrees of swing to either side of our course. A wall of floor wax cans (5 gal.) in gear issue that was stacked too high collapsed on some poor deck ape working down there, breaking his leg. A CIWS on the foks'l fell over. Yep, I typed that right. In a heavy roll, it broke it's corroded mounts and fell right to the deck. For the nautically inclined, we blew the snowshoes off the hawsepipes that afternoon as well. Each was secured with a dozen or so large wingnuts about 1/2" dia. The wingnut portion was about 4 inches long and brass. The threads were stripped right out of them. Some of us got off watch and went up to the signals bridge and "rode the roller coaster" until we got too cold. After a winter in the Adriatic repeating much of these events, I struck my way into the pit.

Great times.

[Aglifter]

12' from trough to peak, or 12' above the midline? 12' trough to peak (sorry, forgotten the proper terms) aren't too bad, in a sailboat, can be difficult, and I imagine it'd be hell for a long period. My brother and I's 10M boat used to have to go some regularly, but only for a brief period -- there's a funky stretch going from MB to the ocean where the waves always build, and has heavy traffic -- got easier once we realized the stinkboats will get out of the way, and it's easier to sail in, then switch to motor.

[442nd Dinochrome]

Two tours on the USS Quapaw ATF-110, the second tour as Ops Officer. This little
ship rolled like a sewer pipe. One of the underway check-list items was, "One hour to casting
off, give ETC his Dramamine." I used to get seasick before we cleared the breakwater.

[blackeagle603]

Dad was a plankowner on YMS-315 during WWII. Sailed from San Pedro to patrol between around New Guinea and east coast of Australia. Said it was just the right length in heavy seas so that the deck would hit you in the face on the way up and in the back of the head on the way down. /heh

late and having trouble resizing scanned images for loading here but here's blog pix of YMS 315. You might be able to read his hand written margin notes.

My Uncle Tommy had an even rougher ride in a subchaser. Narrow in the beam and rolled terribly. Even so they were blue water most of the time. Link
Wooden ships and iron men both of them.

[Aegis]

On the South Carolina, we were nuke, so we unrep'ed every now and again just to keep up the qualification, but I can't think of any time we did it because we needed fuel (we did carry fuel for helo's, boats, backup DG's, etc.)

On the Briscoe it was at least once a week while underway (could go longer, but they never like to drop below 85% fuel and never below 80%). Thankfully I didn't have Deck Div, so my main involvement was normally driving if I happened to be the guy on watch. The whole op is a pain in the rear (necessary, but still a pain).

You were on the South Carolina? I thought you were substantially younger than that... Don't know WHY I thought that, but I did.

[D5CAV]

All those sea stories remind me of why I'm glad I was US Army and not US Navy. I asked a swabbie friend once why they didn't just route around storms -- they obviously knew where they were. He said "Storms are great -- the BGs can't find you, so you can magically appear somewhere else -- we look for storms."

I thank all you swabbies for faithfully keeping our supply lines running, regardless of the weather. Our stuff doesn't transport well by air. We call, you haul!

Of course, one man's pleasure is another man's poison. One swabbie friend gave me a 'Cook's Tour' of his boat. Officers' mess was linen tablecloths, fine china and Tiffany sterling flatware. I mentioned that our officers' mess was "Hey LT, meet me and Top at that log over there when you pick up your chow!" He said he couldn't imaging living like we did. I told him you better like camping if you are in the Army, because you get to do a lot of camping. Fortunately, I like camping (and still do!).

[blackeagle603]

Enlisted berthing is great. Gets you ready for prison life after the Nav. Makes those overcrowded prisons look like the Hilton.

Speaking of logistics it's apropos to remind everyone what Marine stands for.

My
Arse
Rides
In
Navy
Equipment