What Happens…
when you let the King of NASCAR, Richard Petty, drive a 90,000 ton warship?
Answer after the jump
Â
Seasick
Ok, he’s not really driving, but these 2 pictures were next to each other on the Navy.mil site today.
Posted by Jeopardy
On November 2nd, 2007 under Humor, Military.
Comments: 8
Comments
Comment from Steeljaw Scribe
Time: November 2, 2007, 5:54 am
This is one of those required evolutions coming out of an extended period in the shipyard/drydock. You basically go max speed for x-number of miles, then throw the rudder hard over, and hang on for dear life as 90K + tons literally turn on a nautical dime.
When we did it on IKE, I was the ‘gator and from my chair on the starboard side of the bridge, I was looking down to the CO’s chair on the portside and at blue water beyond… Also a good way to find out if you were really ready to go to sea as it shakes all the FOD out of the overheads…cruise boxes, TVs, etc. 
- SJS
Comment from FbL
Time: November 2, 2007, 7:54 am
Very cool pic! I actually saw her docking when she got back the other day. Amazing to think of all that mass maneuvering like that, and yet able to slide so smoothly and slowly into port…
Comment from P-3W
Time: November 2, 2007, 8:45 am
Yeah, and what happens when you find out you weren’t really ready to go to sea?
It hard to think of all that mass moving that violently. Carriers aren’t supposed to look like that except in really big storms, it seems to me. Would it be fully loaded with people and whatnot for this or just minimal crew and “stuff”? The deck looks clear of anything loose.
Sheesh.
Comment from JAS
Time: November 2, 2007, 9:18 am
Oh. My. God. Amazing. But shouldn’t the caption say, “And here’s what happens when the Captain wants to water ski….”
Comment from Steeljaw Scribe
Time: November 2, 2007, 9:42 am
P-3W:
Yeah, and what happens when you find out you weren’t really ready to go to sea?
You usually get a call to the bridge along these lines:
“medical emergency – compartment 03-120-15-L, away the medical response team…”
Or you hear something akin to a symphony of metal and glass, but not sung by The Supremes…followed by a raised eyebrow to your Division Chief…
- SJS
Comment from MaxDamage
Time: November 2, 2007, 3:12 pm
Ummm… Isn’t that ship turning to the starboard, as in to the right? Does Richard Petty know how to do that?
– Max
Comment from Bruce Jones
Time: November 2, 2007, 3:16 pm
Reminds me of the Rhythms episode where the OOD ordered a turn to avoid a dhow while the squadron skipper taxiing to the cat suddenly found himself sliding backwards towards the deck edge . . .
Comment from Michelle
Time: November 2, 2007, 6:29 pm
A scene like that is mighty hard to forget…
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