Living on ships...

[LordVagabond]

I put in multiple search strings such as "bunks on ships," "bunks on halifax," "staterooms," etc. Nothing came back.

Now, I'm not asking for stuff that will compromise milsec or opsec. Jowever, as I am trying to learn as much as I can about the Tribal-Class destroyers and Halifax-Class frigates that I can as a civilian, I was wondering what kind of sleeping/bunking arrangements there are for all levels of rank. I ask this because I just watched a really informative documentary called "Carrier," where enlisted were in triple bunks, sardine canned together, CPO's had slightly more headroom on their bunks, Jr Officers had doulble bunks in small staterooms, and the Captain/XO/Command Master Chief had their own rooms.

I am guessing that the CO/XO of any ship have their own staterooms (priviledges of rank), however I cannot find anything about the officers or below.

Also... do canadian ships use the seperate mess system, or one combined mess because of the relative small size of the ships we sail?

If i was searching the wrong terms and there already exists such a topic, then please excuse my inability to find it and point me in the proper direction?  ;D

 

[Occam]

CO/XO - each has their own cabin
LCdr/Lt(N) - LCdrs usually have their own cabin, depending on how full they want to pack the ship. Otherwise two to a cabin.
SLt and below - 4+ per cabin (there's one large cabin, sleeps 6 or 8...can't remember for sure)
Coxswain/CERA - each has their own cabin
CPO2 - two per cabin
PO1 - small messdeck accommodations.
PO2 and below - messdeck accommodations, up to 24 in a mess, stacked three high.

If by mess, you mean "cafeteria", then there are three messes - the Wardroom, the Chiefs and POs cafeteria, and the main cafeteria.  You have to be careful with the word "mess" in the Navy, because you sleep in a mess, and the lounge where you drink/socialize/relax (which is also right next to where you eat) is also called a mess.

edit: forgot the PO1s

 

[LordVagabond]

Thanks Occam 

Sorry about the confusion. I'm used to referring to a sleeping area as a berthing, and an eating area as a mess. It seems Canada has a different naming convention, something else for me to study up on ;D

 

[Occam]

Sorry about the confusion. I'm used to referring to a sleeping area as a berthing, and an eating area as a mess. It seems Canada has a different naming convention, something else for me to study up on ;D

No problem.  It screws a lot of people up at first until they realize how to put "mess" in the proper context.  If you say you're going to the mess for a beer, you're obviously going to the lounge.  If you say you're headed to 12 Mess, you're headed to where one would sleep.

 

[Ex-Dragoon]

PO2 and below - messdeck accommodations, up to 24 in a mess, stacked three high.

You have never been on a 280 have you? A lot more then 24 per mess for MS and Below back aft.

PO1 - small messdeck accommodations.

Some ships have up to 8-12 PO1s in their Mess Decks.

Occam where are you getting your numbers, certainly not from personal experience....

 

[Occam]

You have never been on a 280 have you? A lot more then 24 per mess for MS and Below back aft.

My first ship was a 280, actually - and it had bunny funnels.  I only mentioned CPF numbers because we have more of those than 280's and I didn't feel like typing the whole list out twice.

Some ships have up to 8-12 PO1s in their Mess Decks.

8-12 is "small" compared to the 20-odd in the other mess decks, is it not?

Occam where are you getting your numbers, certainly not from personal experience....

It's been over 12 years since I've been at sea.  Are you telling me the numbers I stated have changed significantly?

 

[Ex-Dragoon]

Ah the bunny ear days....from what i have been told from some of the old timers some of the mess decks had more bunks added to them

 

[Occam]

Ah the bunny ear days....from what i have been told from some of the old timers some of the mess decks had more bunks added to them

That would explain the discrepancies somewhat...and I was really hoping I didn't qualify for the title "oldtimer" yet. 

Happens to the best of us.

 

[px90]

Is it frowned upon for officers to talk to enlisted men ? I mean as in socializing and becoming friends and all that ? And if so, to what degree?

 

[mariomike]

I know the hammocks are long gone, but, do they still "hotbunk"?

 

[romeokilo]

What is a hotbunk?

 

[aesop081]

What is a hotbunk?

One bed for 2 sailors.

When one is on watch, the other is sleeping in it........

 

[Occam]

I know the hammocks are long gone, but, do they still "hotbunk"?

Ships, no - not in the last 30 years, anyways.  Submarines, I couldn't tell you.  I don't know if that was fact or myth.

 

[Fishbone Jones]

Bunny ears. Had to look that up, with pictures. Named after the angled exhaust stacks looking like Playboy bunny ears. 8)

You swabbies sure have a vivid imagination ;D

 

[Ex-Dragoon]

Iroquois class was named sexiest ships afloat by Playboy when they first came out.

 

[Occam]

Bunny ears. Had to look that up, with pictures. Named after the angled exhaust stacks looking like Playboy bunny ears. 8)

You swabbies sure have a vivid imagination ;D

You should've seen how many women bought the "Captain's getaway submarine" story (referring to the Variable Depth Sonar - http://www.drea.dnd.ca/images/photos/vds_big.jpg). 

Vivid imaginations paid dividends!

 

[Sub Standard]

Ships, no - not in the last 30 years, anyways.  Submarines, I couldn't tell you.  I don't know if that was fact or myth.

We don't hot bunk on the subs either.

 

[Sailorwest]

Is it frowned upon for officers to talk to enlisted men ? I mean as in socializing and becoming friends and all that ? And if so, to what degree?

There really isn't anything wrong with it so long as it doesn't affect work performance. The reality is that familiarity breeds contempt and socializing between ranks raises the possibility of that happening.

 

[gcclarke]

Just my two cents. I'd always been told to try and foster a cordial relationship with the NCMs, both in my department and those in the rest of the ship. Being friendly, and being friends are two entirely different things. Officers, junior officers especially, should make an effort to involve themselves with their department when possible, and go to any departmental golf days, floor hockey, all-ranks events at the mess when invited, etc.

What you shouldn't be doing, however, is spending every night in the Jr. Ranks Mess, or going out with them every time you're in foreign port to get trashed. Be friendly, not buddy buddy. And still, it's not too big of a deal if you're actually friends with a few of them, but do your best to keep that away from work.

And for god's sake, don't be the one dating cross messes! Especially if you met on ship.

 

[Ex-Dragoon]

Just my two cents. I'd always been told to try and foster a cordial relationship with the NCMs, both in my department and those in the rest of the ship. Being friendly, and being friends are two entirely different things. Officers, junior officers especially, should make an effort to involve themselves with their department when possible, and go to any departmental golf days, floor hockey, all-ranks events at the mess when invited, etc.

What you shouldn't be doing, however, is spending every night in the Jr. Ranks Mess, or going out with them every time you're in foreign port to get trashed. Be friendly, not buddy buddy. And still, it's not too big of a deal if you're actually friends with a few of them, but do your best to keep that away from work.

And for god's sake, don't be the one dating cross messes! Especially if you met on ship.

Very sound advice.