[Gunnair]

Freakinoldguy Freakinoldguy:

Gunnair Gunnair:

Freakinoldguy Freakinoldguy:

Due to the manning constraints we were pretty much a 1 in 3 system and the only time we ever got to a 1 in 4 was when we went on an extended deployment and the Mars II's got trained up. 2 Squadron when they went to sea, sailed 1 in 2 system which had it's own drawbacks.

The worst thing about a 1 in 3 system in 4 Squadron was the Man Overboards, you had to pull people from everywhere just to fill the positions so you got a lot of Stewards, cooks, and even engineers in some cases. Having trained Mars II's though it settled itself out because you could use them and they were actually quite proficient at boatwork especially after doing it twice a day for weeks on end.

The most ships company I ever sailed with on a Training Squadron Ship was 120 which was a pain in the ass especially making out the watch and station bill, because of those 120 at least 20% of them were transients from the refit ships or ashore. So having Mars II's was a bonus, Mars IV's not so much.

Man, you'd hate it now. Most ships crews are made up of probably 30% or more transient. Up to 50% on the smaller ships. ORCAS are scratch crews brought together for a MARS IV then dispersed when done.

Dumb.

I'd heard something about that from a few friends that that are still in. They claim that some people especially in some of the Tech Trades are being sent from ship to ship and deployment to deployment because of the lack of personnel.


And yeah you're right I would hate it now. Before I got out it was starting to change for the worse, not enough people, to much sea time. I used to dread coming alongside after a deployment because the second you did the matey's were all over the ship. The reality has been since the late 80's is that there just aren't enough people to man all the ships and keep a normal sea shore roster and the only solution for that is hire more sailors or tie up ships, neither of which seems to be an option for Ottawa or NDHQ.

So they continue burning out their best resource and wondering why nobody reup;s or stays past the first day of pensionable time.

Pier head jumps are the norm it seems and that concept of the crew as a family is long gone. It's one of the things that has changed the RCN from a profession with its own culture to little more than a job.

[Gunnair]

Freakinoldguy Freakinoldguy:

Gunnair Gunnair:

Freakinoldguy Freakinoldguy:

Are the MCDV's still 1 in 3? Seems to me they'd be better off doing 1 in 2 with the exception of cleaning stations which always suffered in that watch system

Still.

I've always pushed for 1 in 2 but for some reason it never seems to fly.

Probably because it would make sense.

We did it a few times - mostly when we sailed without enough for 1 in 3. Problem always was command wanted to run a 1 in 3 schedule during a 1 in 2 watch system. Once I talked them out of that it worked fine and the crew preferred it.

[Nuggie77]

fifeboy fifeboy:

Jonny_C Jonny_C:

I'd like to see new ships built in Canada, if that's at all possible.

Look up the NSPS program. These contracts were signed to have the ships built in Canada.

[bootlegga]

Nuggie77 Nuggie77:

fifeboy fifeboy:

Jonny_C Jonny_C:

I'd like to see new ships built in Canada, if that's at all possible.

Look up the NSPS program. These contracts were signed to have the ships built in Canada.

Look at the recent budget - there is no money to build them anywhere!

[Gunnair]

Thumbs up to the US fish factory ship that piled into the WINNIPEG this morning in Esquimalt Harbour. Like we didn't need that headache.....

[ShepherdsDog]

Heard there were some injuries. Hope it's nothing too serious

[BartSimpson]

Jonny_C Jonny_C:

I'd like to see new ships built in Canada, if that's at all possible.

Ditto. That would do all sorts of good for Canada and the RCN.

[Gunnair]

ShepherdsDog ShepherdsDog:

Heard there were some injuries. Hope it's nothing too serious

Six sent to hospital with minor injuries.

[Jonny_C]

Nuggie77 Nuggie77:

fifeboy fifeboy:

Jonny_C Jonny_C:

I'd like to see new ships built in Canada, if that's at all possible.

Look up the NSPS program. These contracts were signed to have the ships built in Canada.

Will they stick to that is what I'm wondering. If the French are showing off a warship for sale, are they doing it with no hope of Canada buying?

[Gunnair]

Jonny_C Jonny_C:

Nuggie77 Nuggie77:

Look up the NSPS program. These contracts were signed to have the ships built in Canada.

Will they stick to that is what I'm wondering. If the French are showing off a warship for sale, are they doing it with no hope of Canada buying?

Canada has yet to show any interest in building under licence or buying foreign.

Judging by the hellcat screeching when they bought the C class ferries from Germany for BC ferries, the unions would go ape shit.......literally.

[Jonny_C]

Gunnair Gunnair:

Judging by the hellcat screeching when they bought the C class ferries from Germany for BC ferries, the unions would go ape shit.......literally.

They (and others) might have a point. Is there any reason why Canada can't build frigates as good as anyone else's?

[martin14]

Jonny_C Jonny_C:

Gunnair Gunnair:

Judging by the hellcat screeching when they bought the C class ferries from Germany for BC ferries, the unions would go ape shit.......literally.

They (and others) might have a point. Is there any reason why Canada can't build frigates as good as anyone else's?

40 years of cuts to the RCN =


No facilities.

No designers.

No skilled labour in the yards anymore.


I guess that about covers it.

[Jonny_C]

martin14 martin14:

40 years of cuts to the RCN =
No facilities.
No designers.
No skilled labour in the yards anymore.
I guess that about covers it.

You paint a grim picture. I wonder if others see it as that bad.

[martin14]

Jonny_C Jonny_C:

martin14 martin14:

40 years of cuts to the RCN =
No facilities.
No designers.
No skilled labour in the yards anymore.
I guess that about covers it.

You paint a grim picture. I wonder if others see it as that bad.

Collingwood Shipyards, which made corvettes in WWII, closed in the mid 80's, whole area turned over to condos.
As a result, the sons never got a chance to enter and learn the skills of their fathers. All knowledge gone.

I could name a dozen Great Lake yards with the same result.

Saint John.. closed, they used to have the biggest dry dock in the world, thrown away.
MIL Vickers Montreal.. closed
MIL Davie Quebec.. closed


The only yards left are Halifax and Esquimalt, both 'could' be revived from doing
mostly repair work, but that takes time and a lot of money, which no one seems to be in the mood do.

I'm not even sure where you can study Naval Architecture in Canada anymore,
Memorial, maybe UBC.

I could keep going, but it gets too depressing.

[Nuggie77]

martin14 martin14:

Jonny_C Jonny_C:

martin14 martin14:

40 years of cuts to the RCN =
No facilities.
No designers.
No skilled labour in the yards anymore.
I guess that about covers it.

You paint a grim picture. I wonder if others see it as that bad.

Collingwood Shipyards, which made corvettes in WWII, closed in the mid 80's, whole area turned over to condos.
As a result, the sons never got a chance to enter and learn the skills of their fathers. All knowledge gone.

I could name a dozen Great Lake yards with the same result.

Saint John.. closed, they used to have the biggest dry dock in the world, thrown away.
MIL Vickers Montreal.. closed
MIL Davie Quebec.. closed


The only yards left are Halifax and Esquimalt, both 'could' be revived from doing
mostly repair work, but that takes time and a lot of money, which no one seems to be in the mood do.

I'm not even sure where you can study Naval Architecture in Canada anymore,
Memorial, maybe UBC.

I could keep going, but it gets too depressing.

Again, look at the signed NSPS contract with Seaspan and Irving. Thecapabilities are in Canada and being utilized.