Notes From my Guest

This Guestbook is monitored with Spam Prevention. Any URL entered in text field will cause the entry to not record.

Submitted by
Name: Greenman
From: Australia
E-mail: Contact

Comments:
Stumbled upon your site looking for a copy of the Snipes Lament - great site! I've clocked a few watches below in the Australian Navy, initially on steamers then gas turbine frigates, a CODOG frigate and now an old ex-USN LST with all her ALCOs. She's a lot of work and requires plenty of TLC. Cheers for the experience ...

Admin reply: Welcome to the snipe site and thanks for the comments. Aw yes, the Newport class LST with 6 Alco 251 C 2750 HP engines. I was Chief Engineer on one, Peoria LST 1183. My last ship before retirement in 1975. It had more bugs in the design then you could count. I sure hope some of them have been solved.
TT

Added: November 8, 2008

Submitted by
Name: MM2 Atwood
From: USS Nashville (LPD-13)
E-mail: Contact

Comments:
I stumbled upon your site while trying to figure out where the "snipes lament" came from. In one of the plants on my ship there is an old placard that has it on it. Probably a good 20 years old, it was my favorite part of whenever I got sent back aft to stand watch in aft plant. I would read it each time.

With the imminent converging of engineering rates and the slow death to steam ships, it makes me feel a little proud to know that I was part of the old steam world. One more deployment on my ship and we decomission...looks like it will be on to a nuke carrier for me as an A-ganger.

Anyways just thought that I would post and say hi. I enjoyed reading your site!

Admin reply: awww yes,
I'd love to stand another watch on a steaming boiler or at the throttle of a main engine! I guess we now know how them sail nd spar sailors felt when they saw those steam plants taking over their world! It's now been 33+ years since I've been in the "hole of a ship. The bod is wearing out. I suffer from asbestos's from all that lagging. I'd do it again in a heartbeat.

Added: October 23, 2008

Submitted by
Name: Augustlouise
From: Augustlouise
E-mail: Contact

Comments:
Nice security code. Does it work?

Admin reply: It's works pretty well, not impenetrable but good. It's a free download from PHPJunkyard.com Look at the bottom of the screen for a link.

Added: August 26, 2008

Submitted by
Name: Jimmymathilda
From: Jimmymathilda
E-mail: Contact

Comments:
This is the coolest web site I have seen for ages, excellent work and content.

Admin reply: And yet another blogspot.com entry. Oddly, when I look at your blogs there is no name and the English is all fractured?

Added: August 26, 2008

Submitted by
Name: Glennrita
From: Glennrita
E-mail: Contact

Comments:
Very good site, well done. I especially like the ease of use and navigation

Admin reply: Thank you,

Odd, I notice the last 4 folk to sign my guest book have all listed xxx.Blogspot as their web address's. What's the deal here?

Added: August 25, 2008

Submitted by
Name: Vemundruna
From: Vemundruna
E-mail: Contact

Comments:
Very interesting and informative site! I am looking for information on the history of textile and resilient floor coverings. If anybody can help, please let me know. Thanks!

Admin reply: Sorry mate,
The only floor covering Snipes know about is diamond tread plate.

Added: August 22, 2008

Submitted by
Name: Mattiasalva
E-mail: Contact

Comments:
Keep up this great resource. I bookmark your site, best greetings

Admin reply: Well Matt... Don't know it to be exactly a great resource but this site has not changed much since 1998 when I first put it on line.

Old Snipe

Added: August 20, 2008

Submitted by
Name: john Tata
From: Leominster, MA
E-mail: Contact

Comments:
Reading this website was a fun mission. I had an XO tour on Chowanoc (ATF 100) 68-69, then in 75 went on a 4 day rescue mission on Moctobi in Puget Sound. I also noted someone from Edson. I was her first reserve XO in 78 and we went thru the Panama Canal and on to Newport RI. The NAFTS web site is a real walk thru the past.

Just to keep things in perspective, I was a Chief Snope on PCR 857, and FF1054. Steam was much more exciting than diesel propulsion. Last fall I rode the newest Arliegh Burke Class (at that time), Uss Sampson(DDG 102), from Newport to Boston. Gas Turbine beats steam big time. Just to keep the older snipe in the loop, last month I was on Bataan (LHD-5), built in 97, her steam plant did not look any more advance than my Knos class FF.

Keep up the good work

Admin reply: I had only one steam plant. That was USS Virgo in 1968-1970. An old merchant C2 converted to an ammunition ship. 470# and very tender to operate due to all the alterations and conversions. Lots of diesels though. Most of them built in the 40's and plum worn out. ALCO's GM's, Cooper Bessemer, Fairbanks, Superior and some I don't remember what they were. No jets! Hell, they hadn't even put them on airplanes when I joined the Navy

Added: August 16, 2008

Submitted by
Name: EN Rogers aka BIG TUNA
From: Cleveland, oh
E-mail: Contact

Comments:
Bilge Rat just showing respect to those who came before him i would like to hear some stories my e-mail is crogers44054@yahoo.com

Admin reply: Thanks for the signing Bilge Rat. E-mail me your postal address and I'll send you an issue of Towline with some sea stories.

Added: July 23, 2008

Submitted by
Name: Doug Nelson
From: Haverhill, Massachusetts
E-mail: Contact

Comments:

Private post. Click to view.

Admin reply: Thanks for that, I'll post it as an alternative answer in the Birth of Snipes.

TT

Added: The reciprocating engine was also incredibly messy. “When steaming a full speed in a man-of-war fitted with reciprocating engines,” remembered Sir Reginald H. Bacon, then a Royal Navy Captain, “the engine room was always a glorified snipe marsh; water lay on the floor plates and was splashed about everywhere; the officers often were clad in oilskins to avoid being wetted to the skin. The water was necessary to keep the bearings cool. Further, the noise was deafening; so much so that telephones were useless and even voice pipes of doubtful value.” An answer to its problems was available: an eccentric tinkerer named Charles Parsons had already invented the turbine engine, which provided direct rotary power from fanlike vanes turned by steam, had fewer parts and was therefore more dependable. It was also quiet and dry.
(Sir Reginald Bacon ,1863 – 1947, British Royal Navy officer and historian)

Regards & Respects, Doug Nelson, OSC, USNR-Ret.