Can Fan Fun

Last week marked the completion of the installation of our new can fans (ventilation fans) on the starboard side of the Polar Star. The task was not an easy one, considering this was the first time for most of the Electrician’s Mates to install a can fan! Plus the fact they started from scratch, from getting the bellows sandblasted, painting the bellows, cutting all the rubber gaskets and replacing them, installing the motors and then putting the fans back together. “It took everyone to get those fans put back together because they were so heavy,” explains EM3 Downey-Jovanovich. “It was a great team building exercise!” So how were they able to overcome the obstacle of inexperience? EM3 Bushnell describes simply, “It was a lot of trial and error!” Their patience, hard work and troubleshooting, along with the guidance of EM1 Payne and EMC Peltier paid off for a fantastic product!

Sports Themed Holiday Party Kicks Off the New Year!

Last Thursday the Polar Star did something a little different for their annual holiday party.  Instead of the typical formal sit down dinner, the crew decided to battle the holiday weight woes with some flag football, kick ball, and ultimate Frisbee!  “It was so nice not having to worry about buying a dress for the party!” commented one of the wives. The party was held at Starfire Sports Complex just minutes away from the boat, which provided an indoor soccer field for renting and catering by their restaurant, “Mad Pizza” also located inside the complex. In between games the crew ate lunch and had their white elephant gift exchange, which brought out some interesting items!  The new approach to the Holiday party was successful and will definitely be considered for next year!

Keep Your Fingers Crossed!

Today was the second day of filling the potable water tanks in Aux. 4 on the Polar Star. Not only does this bring the boat one step closer to having running water, but this also meant another afternoon adventure for crewmembers on board, especially for crewmember Petty Officer Hall! MK3 Hall has been along every step of the process and has astutely squashed any kinks that have popped up along the way. “Initially I had a feeling that the disc in one of the tank level indicators was stuck, but each time I tapped the pipe nothing changed,” MK3 Hall explains. After observing that the tank level indicators were becoming more and more uneven, he decided to go to the Bosn’ hole to check for air coming out of the vents. “Instead of air I started to hear gurgling! I had to run up and shut the Y gate!” Despite just a few puddles, the Bosn’ hole was far from being the lake that could have appeared if proper action had not been taken. The results of today’s inspection will determine whether or not the tank will need to be filled again. More updates to follow!