US Navy Destroyer Involved in Collision

[kham]

From gCaptain

Well, this won't end well...

Collision on your starboard side abeam the wheelhouse windows? Expect some berths opening up in assorted positions aboard from the CO and working down from there on the watch bill

*For the record , by rules of the road, Porter is screwed; they were the give way vessel. And they broke the #1 rule - never hit anything

[BSink42]

Nope, not well at all. *where's a facepalm emoticon when you need one?*

[Mynock]

Oil tankers are the 18 wheelers of the sea. You cut them off at your own risk. I remember watching some show on the history channel that said the largest ones, if running at full speed, take 10 MILES to come to a stop even with the engines reversed.

[duuudeization]

oops...well, the bright side is, no matter how bad of a day you're having, its probably better than theirs!

[dlodoski]

Well, this won't end well...

Collision on your starboard side abeam the wheelhouse windows? ....

Ken, do you suppose there's damage below the waterline as well (from a presumed bulbous bow)?

[kham]

Unlikely, since it was just a minor impact, not to mention the VLCC was loaded and likely drawing more water than the DD; there would be a good chance the bow proj was way below the draft of the Porter. A more direct impact would have been far greater damage.

Some of the posted comments over at gCaptain are telling; in the sense that a lot of the viewing public are imbeciles who seem to think a warship has the right to do anything it wants. Big fracking sitrep : They follow the same rules the rest of us poor dumbass civilians have to. Failing to give way to a contact on your starboard side is a colossal flag. Not to mention, that whole, constant bearing thing. A few years ago, when USS Hartford collided submerged with USS New Orleans, the first thing that jumped out at me was the testimony of more than one watchstander that constant bearing wasnt a big deal; rapidly changing is far more exciting.....
WHAT THE FU** was my initial reaction, and so was the reaction of the guys running the investigation. All other handwavium bullshit aside, a constant bearing is the FIRST thing you are taught about relative motion and plotting, as signifying a RISK OF COLLISION. Now, there are other factors, but that one is a gigantic red flag. The skimmer community at that time smirked a bit and snarked that THEY would never make that kind of a mistake...
Think maybe snark too much? These boneheads (and there had to more than one) had to completely ignore not only the rules, but plotting, and common sense. Not to mention the CIC squirrels had to be plotting everything as well, I would pay money to see that on tactical with the time-to-die meter being plotted nicely....

[dlodoski]

Hmm. One of the few things my Dad ever taught me was the concept of constant bearing. It applies to Hobie Cats as well anything else.

In fact, it became such a sixth sense that I'm aware of it while driving, when somebody comes zipping up to a stop sign or light before hitting their brakes. That second or two of constant bearing never fails to catch my attention.

How can anybody driving anything significant on the water not have that same feeling?

[Lomax]

Ref the Rules of the Sea.

One of them says "Steam gives way to sail." (For steam, read any sort of engine).

As one who has sailed accross the English Channel, I know that a very important rule is NEVER to assume that the other guy has read the rules.

[kham]

The rules also say that nothing in these rules exempts you from complying with the above rules;

Which is legalese for saying, don't !@#$% hit anything!
The rules are a guideline. And, will be used to hang you. Beyond that, the rules cannot be considered a huge amount of help. That's why you are supposed to spend a lot of time practicing and in sims, so you don't make such a colossal balls-up that you wind up on the internet

All collisions start off 50/50. Then the lawyers get involved and go from there.

[nachtjaeger]

Rules is Rules- but pity the poor Sunfish sailor who tries to assert ROW over a hydrofoil. . .

Ref the Rules of the Sea.

One of them says "Steam gives way to sail." (For steam, read any sort of engine).

As one who has sailed accross the English Channel, I know that a very important rule is NEVER to assume that the other guy has read the rules.