mikerider Posted December 7, 2015 Report Share Posted December 7, 2015 This sailed thru town this morning. Or actually out of town. Just built and first voyage. It couldn't make the first curve in the river and a tug had to pull the stern sideways to get thru the curve. Gazillions over budget and way past estimated completion date. It is supposed to be less able to be picked up on radar. It is supposed to look like a fishing trawler from afar. And only takes a small crew to run it. I can't for the life of me figure out how the captain can see his surroundings. And, proudly made in Maine. Not sure if true, but I have heard the billions to build this is nothing compared to the cost of weapons and electronics. It must be stealth, camera wouldn't allow a clear shot of the ship, really bizarre. Seriously, photos are all washed out. It was pretty comical, as for the past year anyone seen taking a picture of this ship, which could be seen from Maine's busiest highway, were reported to the police, who had to tell the people they could not photograph this ship and were asked to delete the picture (with a pretty please and you don't really have to delete it, the police can't force you). Today there were thousands of photos taken! mike But still my favorite way to travel on open waters: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vt_bluyamaha54 Posted December 7, 2015 Report Share Posted December 7, 2015 There was an AP story here in Vermont about this new class of ships being built up there at BIW. There are many naval architects that say it won't prove to be seaworthy so many are holding their breath while it undergoes its sea trials. Like anything, you get to a point where there is so much technology that failures are inevitable and expensive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikerider Posted December 8, 2015 Author Report Share Posted December 8, 2015 The ship made it to its first stop about 50 miles away. Supposedly went awesome. It was carrying a couple hundred dignitaries. There were however, several people wounded when the plastic chairs they were sitting on gave way and collapsed. I ran into an 'official' in town late last night looking for 250 steel folding chairs to deliver to the ship. Helped set him up with contacts to various people with big halls and lots of chairs. Shows what can go wrong when you build something so hi tech. mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikerider Posted December 8, 2015 Author Report Share Posted December 8, 2015 As for the seaworthiness, when going sideways to the waves it is supposed to stay level instead of rolling, not sure by computer or design. But they are worried it might jerk left and right from the wave motions instead of rolling like a regular boat. Gotta love engineers and scientists, and how they figure this stuff out. mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
schooter Posted December 8, 2015 Report Share Posted December 8, 2015 Can everyone say Titanic? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Florida Snowman Posted December 8, 2015 Report Share Posted December 8, 2015 (edited) Here is a better pic. http://www.foxnews.com/us/2015/12/08/largest-destroyer-built-for-navy-heads-out-to-sea/ Edited December 8, 2015 by Florida Snowman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smclelan Posted December 8, 2015 Report Share Posted December 8, 2015 Looks sleek, fast, powerful....reminds me of my 1200 Renegade!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Florida Snowman Posted December 8, 2015 Report Share Posted December 8, 2015 Send it to Syria & do some serious field testing on ISIS! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Florida Snowman Posted November 22, 2016 Report Share Posted November 22, 2016 https://news.usni.org/2016/11/22/uss-zumwalt-sidelined-panama Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trailblazer Posted November 22, 2016 Report Share Posted November 22, 2016 I wonder where those bearings and seals were made. I smell a lawsuit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saguenay Bill Posted November 23, 2016 Report Share Posted November 23, 2016 Will have to get the Bath, ME policeman, Mikerider to investigate this and report back to us here on QR. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikerider Posted November 23, 2016 Author Report Share Posted November 23, 2016 This ship just keeps getting better, wayyyy over budget. Believe this is the third breakdown. And the latest is the ammo cost around $1,000,000 a round. They can only afford ten percent of the rounds they need for the ship. mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SnomoGary Posted November 23, 2016 Report Share Posted November 23, 2016 This ship just keeps getting better, wayyyy over budget. Believe this is the third breakdown. And the latest is the ammo cost around $1,000,000 a round. They can only afford ten percent of the rounds they need for the ship. mike you guy's arn't the only one's with problems. the Royal Navy has major problems with it's stelth type 45 destroyer's. They keep having total propulsion and electrical failure, the 2 turbine generators arn't big enough to power all the electronics on bord The answer is to put them in dry dock cut a masive hole in the hull and fit a 3rd generator , as that's the only way to get the unit in the ship. I'm not sure how many they have built yet but at least 3 or 4.... more public money down the drain ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikerider Posted November 23, 2016 Author Report Share Posted November 23, 2016 Perhaps the biggest laugh was the contract to another local company to build jet ski type boats for the Navy Seals. Today's modern watercraft available to the public are pretty cool. What I found was not cool. After the contract was awarded ($millions), for some reason it was scuttled. By chance I found the door unlocked one night to the (top Secret) building that was manufacturing these special watercraft. I don't know why the contract was ended before delivery, but I almost pissed myself laughing. The huge building was filled with primitive looking watercraft /jetski type boats in all stages of production. If you can imagine a shop building the first fiberglass boats in the late 1950's, this is what I found. And get this! The engine was the same engine used in the Polaris Turbo sleds several years ago, the Weber 4 stroke Turbo 140 HP. Our imfamous Republican senator did a photo shoot on one of these. Wide open looked to be about 30 mph. The Navy could have bought the Supercharged SeaDoos for pennies on the dollar and gone well over twice the speed. It has been a few years or more since I stumbled into that building. If I think of it tonight I'll check the doors, which I haven't done sine that fateful day. I might add the styling looked that of a 1967 Motoski. Sometimes I think only the stockholders make out with increased military spending. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saguenay Bill Posted November 23, 2016 Report Share Posted November 23, 2016 Your infamous Republican senator is a RINO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jak Posted November 23, 2016 Report Share Posted November 23, 2016 Our new president will take care of all this nonsense, hopefully. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikerider Posted November 24, 2016 Author Report Share Posted November 24, 2016 Building locked up tight. The building hasn't been used since the jet ski project and I am betting the water craft are still inside. Was hoping to get a picture, oh well. mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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