Freedom’s First Float
By lex, on November 13th, 2008
The shakedown cruise of Navy’s newest warship is not without incident **:
After our fish-terrorizing run up Lake Michigan yesterday, and our transit through the Straits of Mackinaw, the Freedom came to a stop and launched a small boat to pick up a part it missed in Milwaukee,” (Navy Times reporter Phil) Ewing wrote Tuesday. “After a sleepless night of strange ship noises and the clanking of out-of-sight machinery, I woke up to learn the part we’d brought aboard — something to do with our Inmarsat satellite antenna — didn’t work. What’s more, the ship had used up much more of its fuel than expected during our full-CODAG (ed. combined diesel and gas) run. What’s more than that, a valve on the port diesel engine was cracked; the Freedom could still run both its diesels, but the engineers recommended babying the port engine until we could get a replacement valve.
… But the hiccups were just getting started. After another stroll through the multi-mission area with the XO, Cmdr. Kris Doyle, a voice came over the 1MC announcing that three of the ship’s generators were offline. A lube oil leak meant the ship could only run one of its four diesel motors that deliver the ‘hotel load’ powering our lights, the sensors, the networks, everything. The Freedom secured electricity in all ‘non-essential spaces,’ meaning we’re using flashlights in our cabins and there were no soft drinks for lunch today in the mess.
But apart from that, at least the accommodations seem world class (at least by Navy standards):
The sailors have roomy racks, with enough space to sit up and use a laptop computer, as well as their own head, shower and sink. The berthing space also has its own plasma TV, which we learned displays Dallas Cowboys football games,” Ewing wrote Wednesday.
“We saw the ship’s gym, which is a dedicated space, unlike the makeshift workout rooms on many surface ships. It doubles as the barber shop. We also saw the crew’s lounge, which, for my money, is the nicest relaxation area on board the Freedom. It has a full rack of consumer-electronics goodies bolted to the deck, including a giant Sony Bravia plasma-screen TV; an XBox360; a Blu-Ray DVD player; and surround sound, complete with stereo speakers wired above the overhead pipes and cables. A retired sailor in Milwaukee with consumer electronics connections donated all the gear, we learned: the crew got the XBox; the chief’s mess got a PlayStation 3; and the wardroom has a Nintendo Wii.”
Catering to the Millennial generation, it seems. Straight from the playbook.
At least the racks still work.
Too bad about the generators.
** 08-29-2018 Original link gone; replacement found – Ed.