One of those "what do you do" threads...

[Tuscany]

I’m so pissed that I couldn’t get the auction on TV here..

[cmattj]

I’m so pissed that I couldn’t get the auction on TV here..

I streamed it from the Barrett-Jackson site on the computer.... while I was hard at work

[Tuscany]

The one time I thought I would try to semi-disconnect, and leave my iPad at home. All I had here was my phone.

[ryandmartin]

Had to read all 17 pages before posting... great stories and backgrounds!

I was a nuclear submarine officer for 7 years out of college. Drove around a Seawolf class sub, commissioned her in Groton, CT and then did an under-ice transfer under the North Pole to Bangor, WA. I (somewhat) jokingly say I’ve been around the world 3 times, under water. Did two loops at the North Pole (kind of cheating), and once the “long way”. Spent another couple years out in WA playing in the Pacific.

Left the Navy, and started doing management consulting in some of the Big 4 accounting firms. Now do robotics and artificial intelligence consulting... all those news stories you hear about robots taking our jobs.

Grew up sailing from the age of 4 up on Lake Ontario. Sounds like a bunch of you are in that area. We primarily were out of Henderson Harbor in the SE corner of the lake. Our last sailboat was a Pearson 36.

I’ve missed being on the water. So earlier this year, over a glass of wine, my wife randomly drops “I’d be completely open to getting a boat”. Her dad had a few small runabouts when she was growing up, and she reminisced about water skiing and tubing as a kid. We have three younger kids — 8, 5, and 4. So the timing seems perfect.

I started looking (that night), at the slate for local boat shows. Hadn’t heard of Cobalt before, but saw them on the list of vendors at some shows and, along with other brands, started my online research. One boat show later, after seeing Chaps, Cobalt, Yamaha, etc, I was hooked. Didn’t look at anything else... although I did start with targeting a CS22, saw the CS23 at the boat show, test drove an R3, and bought an R5.

[AsLan7]

Wow. That’s a great read RM. Very cool background too.

I almost went into that field at one time. Dad was born in Groton CT and I grew up in the home of Don Simpson who was instrumental in the development of the USS Nautilus as president of the Westinghouse Nuclear submarine program. I had sub models, wood sub carvings, and sub pics everywhere in my room as a kid. Who’d a thunk I would choose air (vs sea) instead. Ironic I guess.

In any event, I certainly have an affinity for your past vocation. ....and thank you for your service.

BTW, any pics of your underwater machines?

.

[akorcovelos]

welcome, great story. Did the sub have captains calls? That would be sweet.

[TTU]

Thanks for the bump to revive this tread. It is the first time that I have seen it.

I grew up family farm in West Texas growing cotton and corn. I worked for my dad all through high school and college on the farm. When I graduated College, I planned to go back to the farm and take over, but instead started working as a salesman for a seed, chemical, and fertilizer company. From there I got an opportunity to move down south near Houston and work for a chemical plant as an operator. We produce active ingredients for cosmetics, paints, and many other things.

[AsLan7]

Thanks for the bump to revive this tread. It is the first time that I have seen it.

I grew up family farm in West Texas growing cotton and corn. I worked for my dad all through high school and college on the farm. When I graduated College, I planned to go back to the farm and take over, but instead started working as a salesman for a seed, chemical, and fertilizer company. From there I got an opportunity to move down south near Houston and work for a chemical plant as an operator. We produce active ingredients for cosmetics, paints, and many other things.

.
Thanks for sharing that TTU. You’ve really spread your wings spring-boarding from that foundation on the family farm.

My dad took me to bail hay for only one day on a friend’s farm. I was exhausted...after only one day! Ever since I’ve had the utmost respect for Farmers. Their work ethic and perseverance is remarkable.

.

[TTU]

Thanks for the bump to revive this tread. It is the first time that I have seen it.

I grew up family farm in West Texas growing cotton and corn. I worked for my dad all through high school and college on the farm. When I graduated College, I planned to go back to the farm and take over, but instead started working as a salesman for a seed, chemical, and fertilizer company. From there I got an opportunity to move down south near Houston and work for a chemical plant as an operator. We produce active ingredients for cosmetics, paints, and many other things.

.
Thanks for sharing that TTU. You’ve really spread your wings spring-boarding from that foundation on the family farm.

My dad took me to bail hay for only one day on a friend’s farm. I was exhausted...after only one day! Ever since I’ve had the utmost respect for Farmers. Their work ethic and perseverance is remarkable.

.

I really do appreciate that AsLan7. In the end it wasn't the hard work, or hard hours that kept me away from it.... It was the stress level. I would have been a 4th gen farmer on the same land that my great grandpa had, but I have seen it break stronger men that myself.

So now I work 12 hour rotating sift schedule, and I leave work at work. Also the time off is where it is at. I work 14 out of 28 days, and get 7 of those days off in a row.

[Ytmsn]

Had to read all 17 pages before posting... great stories and backgrounds!

I was a nuclear submarine officer for 7 years out of college. Drove around a Seawolf class sub, commissioned her in Groton, CT and then did an under-ice transfer under the North Pole to Bangor, WA. I (somewhat) jokingly say I’ve been around the world 3 times, under water. Did two loops at the North Pole (kind of cheating), and once the “long way”. Spent another couple years out in WA playing in the Pacific.

Left the Navy, and started doing management consulting in some of the Big 4 accounting firms. Now do robotics and artificial intelligence consulting... all those news stories you hear about robots taking our jobs.

Grew up sailing from the age of 4 up on Lake Ontario. Sounds like a bunch of you are in that area. We primarily were out of Henderson Harbor in the SE corner of the lake. Our last sailboat was a Pearson 36.

I’ve missed being on the water. So earlier this year, over a glass of wine, my wife randomly drops “I’d be completely open to getting a boat”. Her dad had a few small runabouts when she was growing up, and she reminisced about water skiing and tubing as a kid. We have three younger kids — 8, 5, and 4. So the timing seems perfect.

I started looking (that night), at the slate for local boat shows. Hadn’t heard of Cobalt before, but saw them on the list of vendors at some shows and, along with other brands, started my online research. One boat show later, after seeing Chaps, Cobalt, Yamaha, etc, I was hooked. Didn’t look at anything else... although I did start with targeting a CS22, saw the CS23 at the boat show, test drove an R3, and bought an R5.

Cool story and thank you for your service! No way could I ever be on a submarine. I'm too claustrophobic, it would wig me the hell out

[ryandmartin]

Haha. I hear you. I’m not claustrophobic, and basically everyone wigs out to some extent. It had its moments though.... loved the guys I worked with.

[mdadgar]

Cool thread.

I am currently VP of Product at an electric scooter manufacturing startup - www.inboardtechnology.com - but ultimately I am a career startup guy in Silicon Valley with about 10 under my belt. The last ~5 years or so I've been consulting in the automotive and mobility space, working with a lot of startups and big automotive R&D labs.

It's a nonstop riot. I've got stories.

- Mark

[ryandmartin]

Wow. That’s a great read RM. Very cool background too.

I almost went into that field at one time. Dad was born in Groton CT and I grew up in the home of Don Simpson who was instrumental in the development of the USS Nautilus as president of the Westinghouse Nuclear submarine program. I had sub models, wood sub carvings, and sub pics everywhere in my room as a kid. Who’d a thunk I would choose air (vs sea) instead. Ironic I guess.

In any event, I certainly have an affinity for your past vocation. ....and thank you for your service.

BTW, any pics of your underwater machines?

.

That’s a cool story... love hearing about the guys who actually formed everything that’s great about the sub service. The stories of the Nautilus and Rickover are legendary.

Here’s a couple pics...

First one is the boat before its first launch, pre commissioning. If you look just aft of the forward-most waterline markings, you can see four long triangle shaped indents — those are torpedo tubes. Just aft and slightly above those, you can see oval shaped (retracted) bow planes. If you look hard enough, you’ll see people standing next to it. Yes, these boats are huge.

Second is a bunch of us messing around in the wardroom after watch during too many days at sea. We were allowed to grow beards, so some of us look like we need day jobs. I’m the guy on the right, at the ripe old age of 23 or so.

[AsLan7]

Awesome RM.

[Big Block Power]

That's very cool and thank you for your service. Also do they use hot sauce to keep them clean?