refueling at sea - the most dangerous maneuver the navy performs

Refueling at Sea: The Most Dangerous Maneuver the Navy Performs I recently invited an old buddy of mine, ex-navy, to dinner. I call him "Squid" and he's as old and crusty a salt as you will ever find, but a delightful guy. Conversations with Squid tend to gravitate toward some perilous Navy experience of his and that night it was how dangerous refueling US Navy ships at sea are. Squid should know. He steered his ship during refueling. When two ships moving at 15 knots run 30 yards parallel to one another, there is zero tolerance for error. Add the hydrodynamic vacuum force phenomenon created by two ships that close and the potential for disaster is enormous. Veer off one degree during refueling and your ship gets sucked in a vacuum toward the other. Veer off two degrees and you have irreversibly placed both ships on an imminent collision course. Refueling at Sea Components Guide Ship - The responsibility of the guide ship (Replenishment Oiler) is to select a refueling course depending on sea state conditions, then, establish a steady course and speed (12-14 knots). Refueling "Approach" Ship - The goal of the approach ship is to come alongside the guide and align and maintain the sending/receiving stations at a lateral separation of about 160 feet. Squid said, "Once our ship went alongside, a gunners mate from the guide shoots a "bolo" line over to us. It is imperative that our boatswain's mates grab and secure the bolo before it slips overboard. It is a huge embarrassment to our captain if the guide ship has to re-shoot a second bolo." The phone and distance line come over next followed by the fuel nozzle. "The most delicate part of the refueling begins when 100,000 gallons of fuel start pumping aboard our ship. Squid said that when the refueling is going down, the OD (Officer of the Deck) and the helmsman rule the bridge. “I take great pride in promptly executing the OD's commands. If the OD says, "Come right to 184 degrees." I get there fast. I say, 'Steady on course, sir.' If I stay there, I get, 'Very well' If I veer off one degree to 183 or 185, the ship begins sucking into the vacuum force of the waters between the ships. If I veer o ff two degrees, I have irreversibly placed both ships on an imminent collision course.

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Refueling at Sea: The Most Dangerous Maneuver the Navy Performs

I recently invited an old buddy of mine, ex-navy, to dinner. I call him "Squid" and he's

as old and crusty a salt as you will ever find, but a delightful guy. Conversations with Squid tend to gravitate toward some perilous Navy experience of his and that night it

was how dangerous refueling US Navy ships at sea are.

Squid should know. He steered his ship during refueling. When two ships moving at 15 knots run 30 yards parallel to one another, there is zero tolerance for error. Add the

hydrodynamic vacuum force phenomenon created by two ships that close and the potential for disaster is enormous. Veer off one degree during refueling and your ship gets sucked in a vacuum toward the other. Veer off two degrees and you have

irreversibly placed both ships on an imminent collision course.

Refueling at Sea Components

Guide Ship - The responsibility of the guide ship (Replenishment Oiler) is to select a refueling course depending on sea state conditions, then, establish a steady course and

speed (12-14 knots).

Refueling "Approach" Ship - The goal of the approach ship is to come alongside the

guide and align and maintain the sending/receiving stations at a lateral separation of about 160 feet.

Squid said, "Once our ship went alongside, a gunners mate from the guide shoots a

"bolo" line over to us. It is imperative that our boatswain's mates grab and secure the bolo before it slips overboard. It is a huge embarrassment to our captain if the guide ship

has to re-shoot a second bolo."

The phone and distance line come over next followed by the fuel nozzle. "The most

delicate part of the refueling begins when 100,000 gallons of fuel start pumping aboard our ship.

Squid said that when the refueling is going down, the OD (Officer of the Deck) and the

helmsman rule the bridge. “I take great pride in promptly executing the OD's commands. If the OD says, "Come right to 184 degrees." I get there fast. I say, 'Steady on course,

sir.' If I stay there, I get, 'Very well' If I veer off one degree to 183 or 185, the ship begins sucking into the vacuum force of the waters between the ships. If I veer off two

degrees, I have irreversibly placed both ships on an imminent collision course.