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Topic: PT658 Spring Shakedown Cruise pics and video |
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Jerry Gilmartin |
TOP BOSS
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Posted on: May 20, 2012 - 12:45am
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Hello shipmates!
Last thursday May 18th we took the PT658 out for her first shakedown cruise in preps for the summer season. We also had the honor of meeting Murl Wescott TM1/c PT236 "Crawfish" RON19 and RON20 and his two sons. His boat was the one that towed JFK in PT59 after they ran out of gas after picking up the USMC on Choseul Island (like in the movie PT109). Murl just moved to Oregon from Hawaii. Before we got underway we asked the USCG to come over and oversee the crew in holding "Man Overboard" training. They brought OSCAR the dummy and we took turns calling man overboard and hoisting him back onto the boat. Recent improvements made to the boat are as follows: Just finished installation of new (to us) SOA Radar mast (on loan from Don Shannon and the PT Boat Museum in Fall River). We also have improved the 40mm Bofors cannon to add adjustable tractor seats, new sights, and a new ammo rack handrails on the back platform of the gun, which holds eight loaded clips of ready service ammunition. We also have completely refurbished the old balsa Life raft and added a lattice floor and rope net attaching the floor to the inside of the raft. All the survival equipment is there as well, including a new Desalinization Kit per Frank Andruss' suggestion. The Life Raft now has Paddles, a rolled up tarp, a waterproof ration cannister, a 5 gallon water barrel, a First Aid Kit, a Desalination Kit and a Fishing Kit. I also posted a short video showing the boat being turned 180 degrees in the river. I was standing aft on the 40mm gun when I took the video. I hope you enjoy watching. Jerry
PT236 TM1/c Murl Wescott and sons in fwd crew quarters of PT658
Murl Wescott TM1/c presents RON19 Snuffy Smith Cruise Book to Save the PT
New radar dome for the mast
Backing out of Boathouse getting ready for drills
Man overboard drills for the crew with OSCAR the dummy
Oscar is not looking very happy after being thrown in the river!
Dragging OSCAR back up to the deck
Practicing Man Overboard makes it better every time you do it
Leaving the lagoon into the main channel
Murls son in front of 50cal gun tub
Maury Hooper PT238 Momm3/c and Don MacDonald sitting on the 40mm ammo box
Moving out at a good clip
Jason Lobo records engine sounds
Celebrating a successful Shakedown Cruise with no mishaps and a little Bushmills
New Liferaft improvements with all the survival gear, note small yellow desalinization kit (the size of a box of band aids) recently donated by Seth Nadel of Concho AZ
Underway short video of boat turning sharply (click on the picture and it will play, press "Maximize" button in Lower Right to go Full Screen)
(PS: I removed the "dead" link from Original Post)
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pappy bj
New Member
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Posted on: May 20, 2012 - 6:20am
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GREAT pictures...............no luck at all with the video.............tried several times..........N I G .........am I doing something incorrectly? Cheers, B.J. 6:20 am 20/5/12
B.J. |
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Dick
Moderator
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Posted on: May 20, 2012 - 8:00am
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Jerry . . .
I'm not sure of the issue, when I clicked on the link the browser went to "Photobucket" and the video starting playing automatically. It may just be some type of servers lag (how busy Photobucket might be). It's working just fine this morning 8:00 am pacific coast time.
The boat looks GREAT ! ! !
Dick . . .
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sparky51
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Posted on: May 20, 2012 - 8:04am
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Great vid...works fine for me...more please.
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PeterTareBuilder
TOP BOSS
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Posted on: May 20, 2012 - 8:53am
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Fantastic views of the 20 mm mount.
Is that a late war blsa raft? Would it be the same as one carried on a PT-103 Class Early Elco?
I tried the video bu no go for me. I keep getting the following message:
The action that you were trying to perform has failed.
I wonder if it's because I'm using IE as my browser?
Thanks for the fanastic images.
Cheers
"Give me a faster PT boat for I'd like to get out of harm's way!" |
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Will Day
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Posted on: May 20, 2012 - 9:09am
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Same here. I'm getting a "failed" message...
Will |
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Jerry Gilmartin |
TOP BOSS
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Posted on: May 20, 2012 - 9:29am
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Hi Dick, Peter and BJ,
I think I fixed the video, I had to "cut and paste" the box labeled "HTML code" from Photobucket. I did not have to change the marker tags at all. Just FYI. Now you should be able to click on the picture and it will start the movie.
Peter, the Balsa raft we obtained a few years ago from a 63 foot AVR "Crash Boat" down in Rio Vista Ca. I just recently made and added the wooden lattice bottom slats and the manila rope net that holds it all together per the photos posted on this board last January. I am unsure if this is the same type of raft as on a PT103 class Elco boat, I imagine it is pretty close? Maybe Al or Frank would know better. I was trying to approximate it as closely as possible. Here is a picture of the one I used as what ours should look like. Ours has the same net that hangs down below and the same lattice wood floor. This one was on Ebay a few years ago back in New Jersey somewhere. Jerry
Jerry Gilmartin |
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David Waples
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Posted on: May 20, 2012 - 9:43am
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Video worked for me. Great stuff Jerry. I hope you and the crew have a great summer season.
Dave
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PeterTareBuilder
TOP BOSS
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Posted on: May 20, 2012 - 9:45am
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Quote:
Hi Dick, Peter and BJ,
I think I fixed the video, I had to "cut and paste" the box labeled "HTML code" from Photobucket. I did not have to change the marker tags at all. Just FYI. Now you should be able to click on the picture and it will start the movie.
Peter, the Balsa raft we obtained a few years ago from a 63 foot AVR "Crash Boat" down in Rio Vista Ca. I just recently made and added the wooden lattice bottom slats and the manila rope net that holds it all together per the photos posted on this board last January. I am unsure if this is the same type of raft as on a PT103 class Elco boat, I imagine it is pretty close? Maybe Al or Frank would know better. I was trying to approximate it as closely as possible. Here is a picture of the one I used as what ours should look like. Ours has the same net that hangs down below and the same lattice wood floor. This one was on Ebay a few years ago back in New Jersey somewhere. Jerry
Jerry Gilmartin
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Thanks Jerry.
The link still gives me the error messagebutclicking the image palys the video. Neat.
IIRC, someone here a while back said that the raft in your images is *NOT* the type of raft on the early 80' Elcos. Apparently the net on the Elco rafts did not deploylikethe one you have.
I was more interested in what all would have been packed into an Elco raft anyway as I want to model my raft as it would be on a boat heading to or returning from a patrol area. For intrest I think I'll add some of the goodies you have in yours.
Thanks agai and cheers from Peter
"Give me a faster PT boat for I'd like to get out of harm's way!" |
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Jeff D
Moderator
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Posted on: May 20, 2012 - 9:52am
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Nice Jerry, thanks once again for sharing with us. She sure looks good in her new colors.
Is the engine recording Jason made available in digital form?
Pappy, what does N I G stand for?
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