Researching information ( non classified stuff ) for a novel. Help needed please.

[HartleyHare]

Maintenance periods can be anywhere from 3 months to 6 months or more, a full refit is up to 3 years but carried out in Guzz (Plymouth).

For a maintenance period the ships company stay with the boat with the duty watch staying in shoreside accommodation near the boat. The two boats in the patrol cycle have one at sea, the other doing maintenance ready to relieve the one on patrol. These boats have two crews, when the boat is at sea the off crew do stuff like courses, take leave, work inboard etc.

With 4 boats available, 2 are in the patrol cycle, 1 in extended maintenance period plus work ups and the 4th in dry dock in Guzz in refit.


Your officer could be on the boat that's just come out of refit and working up or in extended maintenance. A bomber queen will be able to give you a better insight, I was always on SSN's, far more interesting.

Thank you, that's really helpful . What is working up? Getting ready to go to sea? The dry dock in Plymouth won't work as my officer needs to remain in Scotland. Can the duty crews go home if they live nearby when they are not duty? Who performs the maintenance, crew or dockyard workers or mixture of both?

 

[Stirlin]

You are still tripping up calling them submarines , get into the habit of calling them boats.

 

[SONAR-BENDER]

Every weekend there are people driving from Portsmouth to Plymouth (and the reverse) and Portsmouth/Plymouth to Faslane/Rosyth. People go home when not duty!

 

[Ballistic]

What is working up?

Not unique to the submarine service - surface ships also do it.

It's a phrase used to describe the period of exercises, drills and so on when a ship's company is put through it's paces, honing their skills to bring them back up to operational effectiveness, usually after a lengthy maintenance period when most of them will be out of practice.
It's also to test the operational effectiveness of the boat/ship, especially if new kit has been fitted.

 

[Perry]

Why dont you take one of these fine gentlemen for a few beers. They will bore you rigid with terminology and tales of derring do and you’ll have enough material for a sequel starring some general service ship antics.

 

[WreckerL]

Why dont you take one of these fine gentlemen for a few beers. They will bore you rigid with terminology and tales of derring do and you’ll have enough material for a sequel starring some general service targets antics.

FNC.

 

[HartleyHare]

You are still tripping up calling them submarines , get into the habit of calling them boats.

Yes, I shall endeavour to do so..

 

[HartleyHare]

Why dont you take one of these fine gentlemen for a few beers. They will bore you rigid with terminology and tales of derring do and you’ll have enough material for a sequel starring some general service ship antics.

If they lived on Anglesey then I might consider doing just that - lol!. I wouldn't be bored, boats fascinate me! A friend, who knows about the book, is already planning the sequel and the movie

What does FNC mean?

 

[Waspie]

If they lived on Anglesey then I might consider doing just that. I wouldn't be bored, boats fascinate me!

What does FNC mean?

Fixed No Charge.

A post has been modified by someone other than the poster!!! (Usually to correct or be sarcastic!!!!)

 

[dapperdunn]

Yes, I shall endeavour to do so..

Whatever floats your boat.

 

[Perry]

If they lived on Anglesey then I might consider doing just that - lol!. I wouldn't be bored, boats fascinate me! A friend, who knows about the book, is already planning the sequel and the movie

What does FNC mean?

Fixed no charge, they call surface ships targets not ships. Oh how we laugh at that one

 

[Waspie]

Fixed no charge, they call surface ships targets not ships. Oh how we laugh at that one

Especially if you're ex ASW Aircrew!!!!!!