I’m trying to better understand what systems NFU bypasses, and the details on how it operates the steering gear. I’ve read some general information online, and the limited steering gear information in the merchant seaman manual and merchant marine officers handbook, but have yet to see much in the way of NFU. One specific question I had, If the port pump is selected on the steering console but ends up failing, but out of instinct NFU is first switched to address a steering failure, will it engage the other pump without it being selected? I not currently on my ship and don’t have access to the tech library, but any information would be appreciated.
[QUOTE=Lone_Star;154981]I’m trying to better understand what systems NFU bypasses, and the details on how it operates the steering gear. I’ve read some general information online, and the limited steering gear information in the merchant seaman manual and merchant marine officers handbook, but have yet to see much in the way of NFU. One specific question I had, If the port pump is selected on the steering console but ends up failing, but out of instinct NFU is first switched to address a steering failure, will it engage the other pump without it being selected? I not currently on my ship and don’t have access to the tech library, but any information would be appreciated.[/QUOTE]
The other pump should pick up provided the switches at the pump controllers are set correctly.
NFU cuts out the feedback and steering control unit, in the event of component failure the NFU provides a very basic mode of steering and has nothing to do with pump redundancy.
Non follow up (NFU) steering cuts out the feedback to the pump stroke control. You are stroking the pump to push the rudder over to the angle you want it to go to get the course heading you want but you have to to manually stroke the rudder back to midship when you get on the heading you want. The bridge gets a feedback for the rudder angle but the auto course steering control is cut out so the rudder is being moved by mates manually moving the position of the rudder to where they want it or you can NFU in the steering gear room as a real emergency steering position. I can’t steer a course worth a shit but can give the mates any rudder angle they tell me to put on it. They tell me how to keep a course by moving the rudder to where they want it. I have never stood a bridge watch like most maritime school grads.
I leaned a 35 gallon barrel of water against a door of the B-company commander (assigns watches on training cruise) dorm room door and knocked and bolted. He opened the door and his room flooded. ( The asshole was putting condoms on my dorm room door knob and smashing apples on my door too. Caught the sly bastard slowly closing his door after an apple was smashed against my door.) He was pissed at me for getting even but I told him next time the barrel would have a yellow “surprise” in it if he kept up his juvenile bullshit. He ended up liking me for some reason. He asked if I was engine or deck and I told him engine so the only training cruise deck watches I ever stood was roving fire watch.