This week has been a wealth of new information. Since we are dockside waiting for the new engines, we have lots more time to dive into learning about networking and time to complete jobs around the vessel. To start off on learning about networking the Marine Tech explained the flow through water system we have onboard and how those instruments connected to it send the data to the tech space through physical connections. He explains that most problems that arise with the equipment onboard are through the physical layer connections, which is as simple as forgetting to plug a wire in or it shimmying out of place in rough seas. In everything we are learning about Internet Protocols (IP)m modems, switches, network programming, and PowerShell vs. command prompt. Slowly but surely, I am learning how computers are able to talk to each other. In the process about learning about networking and how information is sent. With the help of YouTube videos, I am able to get a better grasp at these concepts and dive further into them on my free time. The Marine Tech explained how the data collected onboard is sent to Columbia University and added to an online database that compiles raw data from 49 vessels. This database includes 8,655 cruises and 13,805,504 downloadable files. All this data is available to the public at www.rvdata.us.
For vessel work we have been working on the AC system with cleaning the sea strainer and checking refrigerant pressures and the temperature associated with that part of the system. We then compare those values to pressure-temperature charts based on the type of refrigerant used. Our next job was the hot water system. We were having problems were sometimes there would be no cold water, only hot water coming out of the spicket when the cold water was turned on. To begin, the engineer get us a run through of the system and how we have a recirculating system which allows for us to have hot water on demand and not waiting some time wasting water. After isolating certain areas of the system, we figured out that one of the check valves was not working and/or broken. This allows the heated, recirculating water to enter the cold water supply pipes, and enter our drinking water. Another small job we completed was using 5200, a permanent marine adhesive sealant, to prevent the ignition, on the fast boat, from spinning when the key was turned to start the engine. We “locked” it in place. The last small jobs to finish this week was to add Sikaflex, a marine watertight sealing adhesive, to the through hull wires that came into the bridge and galley and then to replace the valves for the water hose spicket on the bow and adding the male adapter end to the hose so we can attach a sprayer nozzle.
For the weekly marine life that has been spotted, while working of the ignition of the fast boat we saw a Southern Stingray swim under the vessel.
Past and present MATE interns from the last cruise. From left to right: Alesha (F.G. Walton Smith, Summer ’22), Kyle (F.G. Walton Smith, Summer ’22), Sebastian (Hugh R. Sharp, Summer ’19, now a scientist onboard), and Jon (F.G. Walton Smith, ’20, now the Chief Engineer)