THERE MAY BE MORE THAN A DOZEN FORCES ACTING ABOUT THE VESSEL’S AXIS AT A GIVEN MOMENT, AND THE RESULTANT MAY NOT BE AS ANTICIPATED BUT DUE PARTIALLY TO A FORCE WHICH HAS ESCAPED DISCOVERY. THIS IS NOT ‘MYSTICISM’ AS MUCH AS LACK OF THE RESEARCH WHICH TAKES THE ART OF SHIPHANDLING INTO THE FINITE WORLD OF APPLIED SCIENCE.
THERE MAY BE MORE THAN A DOZEN FORCES ACTING ABOUT THE VESSEL’S AXIS AT A GIVEN MOMENT, AND THE RESULTANT MAY NOT BE AS ANTICIPATED BUT DUE PARTIALLY TO A FORCE WHICH HAS ESCAPED DISCOVERY. THIS IS NOT ‘MYSTICISM’ AS MUCH AS LACK OF THE RESEARCH WHICH TAKES THE ART OF SHIPHANDLING INTO THE FINITE WORLD OF APPLIED SCIENCE.
- P.F. WILLERTON, BASIC SHIPHANDLING
Notes:
AS SURFACE WARRIORS, YOU KNOW THAT NOTHING CAN REPLACE THE HANDS ON EXPERIENCE OF DRIVING A SHIP. HOWEVER, CERTAIN BASIC PRINCIPLES AND METHODS DO APPLY AND ARE WORTH REVIEWING. THIS PORTION OF THE SEAMANSHIP SEMINAR WILL CONCENTRATE ON REDUCING THE “MYSTICISM” INVOLVED IN SHIPHANDLING, BY REVIEWING SOME OF THE FORCES AFFECTING YOUR SHIP.
THROUGHOUT THE SEMINAR, I ENCOURAGE EACH OF YOU TO PARTICIPATE IN THE DISCUSSION, SHARE YOUR EXPERIENCES AND OFFER YOUR OPINIONS FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE ENTIRE CLASS. OTHERWISE YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE TO LISTEN TO SEA STORIES ABOUT OILERS.
LET’S REVIEW TWO BASIC CONCEPTS BEFORE WE LOOK AT THE FORCES INVOLVED.