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The bandit · Commander Joined: 15 May 2004 Posts: 349

Any boat mechanics out there or anyone know of any? I need some expert opinion on Sen. Kerry's PCF damage report.

Reply to this post or PM me if you fit this description.
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Jack Hetherton, jr · Posted: Fri Aug 27, 2004 9:50 am Post subject:

Jack Hetherton here, ET1 Cam Ranh Bay, NSF, April 68-Dec 69. I was supervisor on pier crew. Although I was an ET, we all pitched in for repairs if needed. The only real damage structuraly that I remember was one boat,#?, that we had to replace the forward starboard bow and replace some ribs. If I remember, most of the guys was not really up on aluminum welding, but got the job done. We tacked on a plate and bent it to fit with heat and clamps. Another boat took round of some kind and took out the radar display unit(Decca 202 ?), which I pieced back together. I helped pull quite a few engines, just as a grunt. I don,t know for sure what kind of information you are looking for?
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Jack L Hetherton jr

The bandit · Commander Joined: 15 May 2004 Posts: 349

Here is the deal Jack, I am looking for someone who could provide some expert opinion on some listed boat damage by Kerry as shown in this report: Damage Report

This report was written on March 14 and the boat returned to patrol on March 18. Three questions:

1) Could the damage listed be repaired that fast (3 days)?

2) Would this boat have to be dry docked for repairs?

3) Could this boat tow another swift boat with this listed damage?

What do you make of the damage report?
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DenisC · Posted: Fri Aug 27, 2004 12:17 pm Post subject:

That could be the 94 boat report. A day or two before the infamous mine incident, the 94 boat had the windows blown out. As a commercial fishing boat builder for the past 30 years, I can tell you that, curled and cracked props (screws) is common when running aground and as I understand from other reports, Kerry ran aground frequently. Curling the blades tips would still leave the ability for it to tow the 3 boat. It would be great to find a report showing "PCF 3" on the report. Could the FOI Act get the PCF 3’s reports for March 13-18?
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DenisC
173rd Airborne, RVN '65-67'

geotilman · Posted: Fri Aug 27, 2004 1:16 pm Post subject: Swift Boat Repairman

Bandit we need to know what the name of the Mothership was my Brother's Brother-in law was an HT 1 on USS Satyr (ARL-23) that's what they did but there was hundreds of boats and I don't know how many mother ships but I do know Barges & repair ships up in I Corp were not patriclar on what we worked on all Boats had a prioirty over simple PMS esp. if it concerned Security of Base and Coastal Patrol.

The bandit · Commander Joined: 15 May 2004 Posts: 349

DenisC · Posted: Sat Aug 28, 2004 12:54 am Post subject:

Bandit, Trust me on this, RPM reduction could mean clogged fuel filter, line (rope) on the prop, bent props, loose throttle linkage, or 100 other causes. No spin, I’m on your side, but the person writing up the report (Kerry?) could be BS’ing and what is reported, is not going to keep it out of service, if it is needed badly enough.

Curled props (screws) only means that it can not run full speed with out a lot of vibration. Let’s just assume they are Detroit’s, then 2,350 RPM would be full power. Curled props would prevent them reaching full RPM. The boat would run OK at slow speeds, but start to shake over idle. Blown out windows, aft steering station “INOP”, don’t stop it from being put into service.
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DenisC
173rd Airborne, RVN '65-67'

Paul5388 · Posted: Sat Aug 28, 2004 1:33 am Post subject:

I'm not familar with this type of report, but the "ETR" is 181230Z Mar 69, which makes it look like a 4 day repair job.

The glaring omission, to me, is the lack of punctures/holes and dents/dings in the hull and superstructure.

The equipment that was inop was mostly unrelated, i.e. the radio and the bilge pump have nothing to do with each other nor does the Onan. The Onan wasn't operating, but that was only for 120 VAC and had nothing to do with anything else except the general lighting, cook stove and the reefer. The AN/VRC-46 was an FM radio that should have been used mostly for short range communications. Drop in rpm on a Detroit Diesel could have come from partially stopped up fuel filters/injectors or restricted air filters/intakes. These engines aren't a whole lot different than the Detroit Diesels used in M113 APC's and M577 Command Vehicles. Full specifications for Swift Boats are listed here.

The report seems to read like PCF 94 was just abused and no preventative maintenance was done.

I probably should clarify "These engines aren't a whole lot different". The principles of operation are essentially the same. I think all Detroit Diesels of that era were 2 cycle engines, so components were similar, but not necessarily identical. The Swift Boat engines were twice the horsepower of the M113A1 and the M113A1 only had one 6 cylinder engine vs two 12 cylinder engines in the Swift Boat. It only takes fuel, air and compression to make them run, if everything is hooked up! Smile

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geotilman · Posted: Sat Aug 28, 2004 1:45 am Post subject: Swiftboat repair

That is the way it looks to me under action report for the #3 boat states 94 boat received shrapnel & AK 47 holes in bow I don't know who made report.All PCF's MK1 & MK2 had(2)12V71N Deteroit 's

scraper3 · Seaman Recruit Joined: 21 Aug 2004 Posts: 13

Wasn't the Onan required to run the radar?

Paul5388 · Posted: Sat Aug 28, 2004 6:43 pm Post subject:

It would seem the 24 V alternators are part of the Detroit Diesel system and is completely independent of the Onan. As long as an engine was capable of running and/or the batteries were charged, you had 24 volts.

baldeagl · PO3 Joined: 07 Aug 2004 Posts: 260 Location: Texas

The way these boats worked was, they went out on patrol, they got shot up, things broke but they could see run, they came back from patrol, and they went in to be repaired. If you read Joe Muharsky's website, you'll discover that he was the radarman on the 94 boat crew that was out when Kerry's was in for R&R, but on 6 Mar 69 they were using the 5 boat because the 94 wasn't available. It was common for boats to lose a day or two for repairs after they'd been shot up pretty good.

Yes, the Onan ran the radar, and you can read frequent complaints about the radar not working.
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antimedia
USN OST-6 68-74
http://antimedia.blogspot.com/

rbshirley · Founder Joined: 07 May 2004 Posts: 394

rbshirley · Founder Joined: 07 May 2004 Posts: 394

Paul5388 · Posted: Sat Aug 28, 2004 8:46 pm Post subject:

Mr. Shirley obviously has the benefit of experience on his side, whereas, I have just been guessing from the specs posted on http://swiftboats.net/extras/boat_specifications.htm.