Thread: She wanted out!
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Old 03-30-08, 09:58 PM   #26
Rip
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I can only echo the fine line between training and disaster when performing emergency maneuvers. I have seen on modern nuclear boats emergency blows that resulted in dives much deeper than anticipated to emergency rudder failure drills at high speed that also had wen dangerously close to resulting in disaster. Submarine commanders undertake such drills with intense preparation and only perform them enough to be sure that the first time their crew sees the boat react in this manner isn't when they really do have an emergency with potential major equipment failure.

I spent several years manning the sternplanes during battle stations when many of these "angles and dangles" were performed. While I took great pride in the trust placed in asking me to sit there, I dreaded those events. It was my time to shine but I always knew in the back of my mind that all I could do is react to what the boat was doing. There was always a probability that that simply wasn't good enough. You don't drive a 7000 ton hunk of steel at 40mph. You just nudge it.
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