The Bilge

[Sailor Steve]

Originally Posted by Jimbuna

I seem to have mislaid the fuse....you got a spare Steve?

Me? I wouldn't know where to look for a thing like that.

[Jimbuna]

Originally Posted by Sailor Steve

Me? I wouldn't know where to look for a thing like that.

Have you tried looking under Wolferz dentures glass?

[Aktungbby]

[QUOTE=Sailor Steve;2389698]Me? I wouldn't know where to look for a thing like that. [/QUOTE
Hell's Belles YES U DO ! If yer down there cranking along with me; its right on the front end and will get the job done! Moreover: Those nasty REBELs may not have had a lanyard-detonated torpedo after all!

Now scientists are learning the Hunley not only changed naval warfare by the way she traveled, but possibly also by the use of electrically detonated explosive technology. The Hunley may have employed one of the earliest, if not the first, electrically detonated explosives being launched by a ship. Electric detonation of a spar torpedo was not perfected by the British until the 1870’s. Senator Glenn McConnell, Chairman of the Hunley Commission, said, “The Hunley continues to prove that she was a high-tech machine that was generations ahead of her time.”
Over the course of the submarine’s excavation, scientists have found a number of tantalizing clues that point to a battery being aboard the Hunley. A metal plate was recovered near Hunley commander Lt. George Dixon’s station. The plate is approximately 4 inches wide, 16 inches long, 1/8 of an inch thick, and has a series of holes running along its perimeter, meaning it was most likely mounted to something or one component of a much larger device.
Preliminary surface analysis of the plate shows it has zinc and copper elements, the two main ingredients needed for a 19th century battery.
For a battery to be used to send an electric charge to detonate the torpedo, wire connecting the energy source to the torpedo would have been needed, and there is no shortage of wire on the sub. Near the plate, scientists found a copper wire with a looped end and there is a large spool of deteriorated wire hanging from the upper bulkhead in the forward ballast tank. If the plate proves to be part of a battery, the wire remnants recovered may have been part of the overall construction of an electric detonation system for the torpedo. Possibly it was a back-up incase the lanyard detonator fouled; or the lanyard was the back-up if the battery failed! It would not be the first time Hunley designers attempted to use high tech technology to maximize the sub’s effectiveness as an underwater weapon. One of the Hunley’s predecessors, the American Diver, had originally been engineered to use an electromagnetic engine to propel the vessel. The Hunley’s builders returned to the hand-cranked design when they were unable to generate enough horsepower to achieve speed levels that were needed for a stealth attack.

In any case, After signaling to shore the mission had been accomplished, the submarine and her crew of eight vanished. The torpedo was designed by the Singer Company. It had 135 pounds of black powder, with three spring-loaded triggers in the center, according to the drawing.
Jacobsen said the torpedo was detonated by a lanyard probably pulled somehow from inside the submarine.
New Details

Mardikian gave Civil War News many new details about the spar itself.
The spar is 16 feet long and hollow, made from a metal sheet about 3 or 4 millimeters thick folded into a tube shape. Its outside diameter is about 2.5 inches. A seam down its length is visible now that the concretion has been removed.
The spar was made from two tubes joined by a coupling on the outside. Additionally, a chunk of steel was riveted inside at the joint to strengthen it.
The sleeve of the torpedo cylinder was secured with a vertical nut and bolt at one end of the spar. not only was part of the torpedo casing on the spar, but it was attached with a nut and bolt.
This demonstrates that the torpedo was never meant to come off the spar, contrary to the conventional understanding of how it worked.
Mardikian said he learned something was on the end of the spar when he X-rayed it about 10 years ago. He originally thought the sleeve was made of lead until he removed the concretion from the spar last summer and discovered it was copper and was part of the torpedo itself.
“The new findings on the spar change the entire configuration,” said Maria Jacobsen, chief archeologist for the Hunley project. She recently presented the new data to the Hunley’s owners, the U.S. Navy.
“The conventional wisdom [about how the spar torpedo worked] seemed very suspicious and very unlikely to most of us,” she said. “It seemed like an unlikely way of implanting a torpedo,” especially if the target is a ship’s hull sheathed in metal to prevent barnacles, as was a common practice.

http://hunley.org/main_index.asp?CONTENT=press&ID=128 http://futureforce.navylive.dodlive.mil/2014/10/how-did-hunleys-crew-die/

[Wolferz]

Originally Posted by Aktungbby

Matter resolved and reminder duly noted-always room for a on the 'nasty ol' cranks' While our venerated King Rat Emeritus 'cranks out' our next course of action.. from the Motel 666 conning station!
Fearless! how dare u mention all four of those things (my particular viCes) in a single sentence!!!! I mean really; the 4 C's: Camembert Cashews, Chardonnay & Catalinas..........! C.O.B Aktung Wait a sec...!!! its 3/15/16...The Ides of March and I'm in a forum today!!!!

I can't stop laughing or believe how cleverly I set that up I guess I covered all the bases... Who's on first
Ya wanna go sailing Bob? I brought some rope and we can tie you to the mast.
I have but one thing to say about all of this scallywaggery....
Put Ze candle baack!

[Wolferz]

Originally Posted by Jimbuna

Have you tried looking under Wolferz dentures glass?

These are not my dentures.
Mine are firmly fix-o-dented in my face. See?

[Wolferz]

To the good ship Lollipop?
You'll be under the command of Captain Hasselhoff and will join his crew...



I hope those uniforms fit you.
Maybe you'll get lucky and become his first mate.

He really likes to mate.

[fireftr18]

Wolferz, just when I had successfully suppressed the awful memory of that night you, Armistead, and Wernher dressed up all alike and attacked Hasselhoff on stage. I was at a back table drinking and I still got thrown out and in jail with the rest of you. I'm just glad the judge believed my story.

[Wolferz]

Originally Posted by fireftr18

Wolferz, just when I had successfully suppressed the awful memory of that night you, Armistead, and Wernher dressed up all alike and attacked Hasselhoff on stage. I was at a back table drinking and I still got thrown out and in jail with the rest of you. I'm just glad the judge believed my story.

Judges can be pliable and understanding when you cross their palm with silver

[Wolferz]

The reason we attacked the 'Hoff was to get him to STOP singing!!!!

It wasn't our fault that all those women went berserk! FF, all you had to do was clam up and those ladies wouldn't have attacked you.
But, you just had to give us a standing O didn't you?
All that clapping, whistling and shouting BRAVO! sealed your fate buddy.

[fireftr18]

Originally Posted by Wolferz

But, you just had to give us a standing O didn't you?
All that clapping, whistling and shouting BRAVO! sealed your fate buddy.

So that's what it was. Everyone misunderstood. I was cheering for the bouncers that were throwing all of you out.


At least I thought I was anyway.

[cdrsubron7]

Originally Posted by Wolferz

The reason we attacked the 'Hoff was to get him to STOP singing!!!!

It wasn't our fault that all those women went berserk! FF, all you had to do was clam up and those ladies wouldn't have attacked you.
But, you just had to give us a standing O didn't you?
All that clapping, whistling and shouting BRAVO! sealed your fate buddy.

Hey, Wolferz. I see you haven't changed at all. Nice to see ya around again, buddy.

[Wolferz]

Originally Posted by fireftr18

So that's what it was. Everyone misunderstood. I was cheering for the bouncers that were throwing all of you out.


At least I thought I was anyway.

Nothing is more complicated than perception.

Originally Posted by cdrsubron7

Hey, Wolferz. I see you haven't changed at all. Nice to see ya around again, buddy.

Thanks Subron.
The only change I know is in my pocket. Got a dollar I can bum? I need folding money.

[Aktungbby]

Originally Posted by Wolferz

Nothing is more complicated than perception.



Thanks Subron.
The only change I know is in my pocket. Got a dollar I can bum? I need folding money.

NEW lady friends are expen$ive! Good to see you arisen...who rolled the rock away from the head?!

[Wolferz]

Originally Posted by Aktungbby

NEW lady friends are expen$ive! Good to see you arisen...who rolled the rock away from the head?!

The rock was on an automatic timer and it rolled itself.
I thank whom ever removed the rock stop Armistead put under it.

I'm up

[Aktungbby]

Well, with your new teeth, appears you're 'up for anything'! <Thnx Jimbuna!