Guess that mysterious item

[DavidFS]

It sooks like a surface ship to me, but I've never seen a modern sub out of the water, the main thing I was looking at was the fact that it's at a ~45 degree angle, when I first saw the picture I though "rudder!" but that's not right I don't think...

Abragus, purely out of curiosoty, what class of ship is this? What's your rating? (or are you an O?)

 

[abragus]

is it on a submarine? It looks more like an adjustable stabilizer to me, it's purpose would be to counter the ship's rolling especially in beam-to seas...

Abragus, purely out of curiosoty, what class of ship is this? What's your rating? (or are you an O?)

You are correct, sir!



This is the fin stabilizer for a 270' Coast Guard Cutter. This was fitted after they realized the hull shape rides very poorly through even calmer seas. It's an automated system but does have manual controls as backup.

270's are the Famous Class of cutters.

To answer your other question, I'm an O (hope that doesn't change my standing here at the forum!)
Thankfully I didn't go to the CG Academy, I went to school to get my license for driving ships and take care of a lot of the navigation and voyage planning on my boat.

Oh and you're up, sir!

 

[DavidFS]

Sweet, I'll post my pic in a couple hours after I'm off watch.

...and I hadn't even thought about there being other coasties on here, I'm just a BM3 currently at a surf station. I've heard about those stabilizers on 270s which is why I was able to guess it...

 

[DavidFS]

Sorry this took longer than expected...

This ia an example of a "tool" that has been made obsolete by modern technology... Although I'm sure Abragus knows exactly what it is...

 

[abragus]

Although I'm sure Abragus knows exactly what it is...

This has been a part of my life for the past 6 years.

 

[Stile442]

It looks like a paper radar plotting sheet

 

[DoctorShavegood]

US Naval Plotting Board

 

[DavidFS]

This one isn't navy specific, they sell them at west marine, you two are close but what specifically do you plot with it?

 

[DoctorShavegood]

Do you plot artillery round impacts?

 

[Fordfather]

A uni-rotational, Teflon coated, azimuth calculator. Obviously a cheap model without a cupholder or Bluetooth connection.

 

[DavidFS]

Nope, don't think it would be useful for that

 

[DavidFS]

Fordfather: No


...although there are often coffee mugs set on them.

 

[Fordfather]

I got it now!!!! A PLACEMAT without Bluetooth!


Yes, I am an idiot!

 

[DavidFS]

Haha, no stile442 is on the right track, it can be used with radar, though it have to be...

 

[dpm802]

Its like a beard map for plotting growth patterns, except its for those that shave their head.

 

[DoctorShavegood]

You put your pizza over the top so you know where to cut your slices. Some family members are just so OCD.

 

[DavidFS]

How long have people been leaving these going? I feel bad holding things up...

 

[econjoe]

Usually if guesses dwindle then a clue is given.

 

[abragus]

Or give it to who was closest

 

[Pkrankow]

Till the fun runs out...

I know where I grew up that the fire department used a similar paper to plot water pressure during the week. The paper went into a clockwork on a pressure gauge with a pen in it.

The lower the water pressure, the higher the collective blood pressure of the building! (I swear it was true, but I only was there once when there was very poor water pressure, and it was bad because the tap was slow at my house a block away.)

Phil