Best and Worst Questions to the Captain

[chengkp75]

Got 1 more for ya.

 

Do ships react different in hot " Caribbean " VS cold water " Alaska "?

 

I know my harley feels stronger in cold weather.

 

Did hear sub's in WW2 had overheating problems.

 

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To some extent. The main cooling for the engines, and generally anything in the engine room that needs cooling is a closed loop fresh water system, kept at 30*C. This fresh cooling water is cooled by the sea water. Depending on how hot the water is, they may need to run an additional sea water cooling pump to keep the fresh water cool enough. The intake air for the diesels is likewise cooled after the turbocharger using the same fresh cooling water, so they don't see that much effect from cold air either, but there is a little.

 

The biggest difference between hot and cold seas are the evaporators. You can make a whole lot more water when the sea water is cold, than when it is hot. On the other hand, in hot weather, the A/C system creates tons and tons of condensate water from the air coolers, which is used in the laundry.

[John Bull]

 

I know my harley feels stronger in cold weather.

 

 

 

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Does your Harley have a carburettor?

They always work better with a little damp in the air.

Probably doesn't apply to cruise ships :D

 

JB :)

Edited May 17, 2016 by John Bull

[Vampire Parrot]

Do ships react different in hot " Caribbean " VS cold water " Alaska "?

 

If I remember correctly, some Russian nuclear-powered ice breakers cannot sail in warm water due to the cooling requirements of the reactors. So I guess a reactor scram due to overheating would count as reacting differently....

[Flatbush Flyer]

How far is it to the horizon ???

 

 

 

 

 

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This is a very legitimate question. Google for the answer.

[chengkp75]

If I remember correctly, some Russian nuclear-powered ice breakers cannot sail in warm water due to the cooling requirements of the reactors. So I guess a reactor scram due to overheating would count as reacting differently....

 

I'm not an expert on Russian reactor design, but a US sub uses a closed loop fresh water system to cool the reactor (this is the contaminated loop), and this is cooled by a further fresh water loop. This "clean" loop and the steam condenser are cooled by sea water. I'm sure an ex-Silent Service type will correct me if I'm wrong.

 

Now, if the heat exchanger surface area or heat transfer rate is not designed for warm water, then any ship can have a problem. Likewise, fouling of the fresh water/sea water coolers can cause problems, more so in warm water than in cold.

[navybankerteacher]

Got 1 more for ya.

 

Do ships react different in hot " Caribbean " VS cold water " Alaska "?

 

I know my harley feels stronger in cold weather.

 

Did hear sub's in WW2 had overheating problems.

 

.

 

The density of the water makes a significant difference in buoyancy. The Plimsoll marks on the side of the ship show the maximum depth (reflecting load) at which the particular ship can safely operate. The highest mark is "TF" - meaning tropical fresh and the lowest is "WNA" - meaning winter North Atlantic - probably a foot to 18 inches below "TF" . Because winter North Atlantic sea water is significantly denser, it gives more buoyancy - so while carrying the same load the ship will ride higher than it will in tropical fresh water. In between the two is fresh, then varying marks for sea water at different temperatures/ latitudes.

[chengkp75]

The density of the water makes a significant difference in buoyancy. The Plimsoll marks on the side of the ship show the maximum depth (reflecting load) at which the particular ship can safely operate. The highest mark is "TF" - meaning tropical fresh and the lowest is "WNA" - meaning winter North Atlantic - probably a foot to 18 inches below "TF" . Because winter North Atlantic sea water is significantly denser, it gives more buoyancy - so while carrying the same load the ship will ride higher than it will in tropical fresh water. In between the two is fresh, then varying marks for sea water at different temperatures/ latitudes.

 

Winter North Atlantic load lines have been given up for most ships. It now only applies to ships less than 100 meters in length, and only for certain areas of the North Atlantic. The "W" winter line is the lowest on most ships these days.

[Vampire Parrot]

I'm not an expert on Russian reactor design, but a US sub uses a closed loop fresh water system to cool the reactor (this is the contaminated loop), and this is cooled by a further fresh water loop. This "clean" loop and the steam condenser are cooled by sea water. I'm sure an ex-Silent Service type will correct me if I'm wrong.

 

The reactors on Russian icebreakers are very similar to those on nuclear submarines, they also have a pressurized (>2000 psi, non-boiling) fresh water loop which takes heat from the reactor and transfers it to a heat exchanger.

 

VP

[pris993]

First time he walked by and we said hello, he joined us, had Perrier. 2nd time he had cabernet, 3rd time it was stronger but don't know what it was called.

 

On another cruise, the captain said to us, "Let's go up to my cabin" and, we DID. How many crew, let alone passengers have been to the captain's cabin?

 

Same captain, different ship, had a lull on captain's night and came at sat with us. We all got up, a good song was playing, and I asked him if he wanted to dance. And, we did! We didn't step on any toes and the captain said he didn't remember the last time he danced!

 

He is no longer a captain. He is now Director of Damage Control & Stability for Carnival cruise lines and he evaluates captains!

 

We are in touch via his personal email.

 

WE have met other captains and they know us but we don't know them like this captain!

 

 

Once on a RCCL ship, many years ago, we had dinner with the Captain, along with a couple of other folks. After dinner the captain invited us all to his cabin for a drink. He was near retirement and just enjoying himself, we had a drink and toured his cabin and office area, he told many stories about his activities over the years. One that I will never forget involves the crew designing a costume for him to wear that was nothing but balloons in a crew show.... he obviously was a good sport and this was many years when ships were not so big. We had a good time and so did the Captian. coo

[notentirelynormal]

Once on a RCCL ship, many years ago, we had dinner with the Captain, along with a couple of other folks. After dinner the captain invited us all to his cabin for a drink. He was near retirement and just enjoying himself, we had a drink and toured his cabin and office area, he told many stories about his activities over the years. One that I will never forget involves the crew designing a costume for him to wear that was nothing but balloons in a crew show.... he obviously was a good sport and this was many years when ships were not so big. We had a good time and so did the Captian. coo

 

I wonder if he was doing that for the International Dateline ceremony.

[Magnum60]

During a World Cruise aboard QE2 I attended an 'Ask the Captain' talk during which a guest asked the captain (Captain Robin Woodall) if he ever had a passenger do a 'Lovers Leap' from his ship.

His response was brilliant and instantaneous. "If any of you plan to do a 'Lovers Leap' from my ship please make sure that you don't jump into the sea". It's imperative that you land on a deck because the paperwork is very time consuming should you make it into the sea". He then said, "About halfway through your decent you'll probably change your mind which sadly will be to late as QE2 we will not be stopping, - next question?".

I knew Captain Woodall fairly well and always loved his dry wit.