how is being an elt during new construction

[pdc1985]

i was wondering if anyone has any info on what life is like during a new construction period i am possibly going to the ssn 777 north carolina which is in new construction

[mooredee13]

Well, way back in 19 and 85 I reported to PCU Tennessee at EB in Groton as a plain ol' MM for initial crew manning. As I remember it, the first 6 months or so (more like a year) is pretty cake. We worked weekdays 0700-whenever (never after 1600) doing a lot of studying and going down to the boat to trace systems and familiarize ourselves with the layout of the ER and RC (kinda neat being able to crawl around in the RC without a CP or TLD).

On down the road everyone is assigned a system or two to become intimately familiar with so that when Operational Control Transfer time arrives you don't get hosed (because once the Navy takes OCT, everything becomes your headache first and foremost). We had to perform weekly inspections of our systems and submit progress/status reports and it could take considerable time and effort if you had an extensive system or two. Our ELTs each had at least one mechanical system (usually CD, CH, MS, Feed, etc...) and the LELT usually took overall responsibility for Nucleonics (though all the ELTs participated in that one to have input into the setup and become familiar with it).

As OCT approaches you'll probably form up duty sections and start covering 24 hour duty days, lamenting about how many freakin' yardbirds (a loving term for shipyard employees; I was one for awhile after I got out). Eventually your command will remember that your crew is still in the Navy and get the bright idea that field days need to start becoming a weekly occurrence, especially as the boat approaches sea trials. As you approach that point things get really busy. At one point I was spending 120 hours per week in the shipyard (either on the barge training and doing paperwork, or on the boat chasing systems, cleaning, and tetsing systems).

I can't tell you anything about what life is like during sea trials because I got out right after Alpha trials. And I'm sure some of the guys who were on a PCU after me can enlighten you more than I can.

It's a lot of tough work, but it's pretty neat to be able to be called a Plankowner.

Good luck.

Dave

[Already Gone]

It was pretty much like that for me too.  The first six months was a lot like shore duty.  The next six was shiftwork mostly.  Then there is PSA.  That is Post-Shakedown Availability.  Once the boat is commissioned, sea trials are done, and the first ORSE is over, you go back to the yards to fix whatever didn't work right during the shakedown period.  However, this also includes alterations to the ship which were not part of the construction contract.  My first ship, the USS Baltimore, (where I arrived just before PSA) got new turbine rotors installed during PSA even though the design problem was identified long before the ship was launched.
A huge part of the ship is already built before the first crewmember arrives, but you will se them welding together hull sections of the next boat.  Your main engines will probably be five or ten years old before they ever get rolled with steam.  A brand-new submarine is actually a few years old before it is launched, and the larger equipment will be a few years older than that.
It is typical government red tape that boats are required to be built according to the contract, even if the design changes.  Sometimes you can get things fixed during construction if you can show that they will be a problem.  Never accept anything until the yard makes it right.  Once you take the system, even if they promised to fix it, they will not fix it.  If they do, it will be at the Navy's expense.
Anyway, during PSA, you will see the yard rip out a whole bunch of brand-new stuff only to replace it with newer stuff.  The crew on the Baltimore managed to get some racks in the reactor tunnel replaced with lockers.  The lockers were perfect for storing the cans that were in them, they were well-made, operated correctly, and sat flush with the hull frames.  Adm. Rickover saw them during his tour.  (He toured every new boat) When he toured the next new boat, he remarked that he liked the lockers on the Baltimore better than the racks.  So, the Navy made an alteration to the design (called a shipalt) and had lockers built on all 688 class boats at their next availability.
You guessed it.  During PSA, the yard ripped out all those perfect lockers and replaced them with the new ones designed by the Navy.  They didn't sit flush with the hull frames, the construction was inferior, the materials were inferior, the cans wouldn't all fit into them, the doors were too small, and when you could manage to get one open they popped off instead of swinging on hinges. 
It is this sort of thing that just makes you shake your head.
SO, it is very likely that you will become very familiar with all the internal and external details of the boat.  You will be able to look into the ballast tanks and stuff.  It will be cool. 
You will also not be spending a lot of time at sea on that boat.  If you can, try to get temporary assignment to operating boats for a month or so.  That way, you can get some qualifications done.  There are certain things that you have to do at sea, and they will be required to get your dolphins or to qualify on certain watchstations..

[hamsamich]

when I was in, the navy was really digging using the ships force as a pool of slave labor with little regard for quality of life during shipyard periods of any kind.  this was in the early 90s so I hope things have changed.  I was an ELT in the SY, although not NewCon, but I talked to others who were new-con and although ours seemed to be one of the worst, the only people who gave me a good vibe at all about any shipyard period were the folks on the NR-1.  good luck.  if things get real bad pm me and I'll tell you a couple shipyard stories that will make you chuckle and you can judge for yourself if things are still the same or not!

[Ratt]

Hey man, I know exactly what you are about to go threw... 

I am the Newest ELT on the Hawaii (SSN 776).  I was class 0503 in New york at MARF.  I got to the boat in July a month after the Christening ceremoney. When I first got there, it was pretty laid back still.  I mean it was late days, but if there wasnt much going on, we usually got cut out by 3 at the latest.  In September we did our work up for RSE.  Thats when they certify you to operate the plant.  That was a lot of fun   There were a few nights that the Eng dept was there till 10-11pm and the cone was gone early.  especialy when they wanted to run spills.  October, we did the workup for initial crit and was the first time I saw Shift work on the boat, which is also about the time I qualified ELT.  (Side Note: Qualify ELT as fast as possible, It will get the crew off your back because you are semi-useful at that point. I became the minion for RL-div.)  Initial crit sucked.  Imagine 8hrs standing infront of a digital screen staring at a single number.  We started our fast cruise the end of November and did Alpha and Bravo seatrials end of November/begining of decmeber.  3 days for Alpha, and like 10 or so for Bravo.  That was fun, I was underway ELT, during that time, you can squeeze in U/Is for LL/UL.  now we are just doing short underways here and there till PSA, when ever that is.

Few things I learned: Look Busy, always have your Qual cards, dont talk to much or be a smart ass, Qualify fast/dont be DINK, and most importantly DONT LET KNOWLEDGE STAND IN YOUR WAY!  Not sure what plant you are coming from, but Forget everything, well almost everything.  The Virginia class is a real differant pig.  Im still lost on it. 
Hope that is somewhat helpful...
Rattley 

[Wirebiter]

....and most importantly DONT LET KNOWLEDGE STAND IN YOUR WAY!  ...
Rattley 

Truer words have never been written.