Rant: A new deckhand on the barge asked me why we don't just use a really long garden hose

He was dead serious, and after I stopped laughing, I realized he had no concept of water pressure or the physics at 100 feet down (which, you know, is kind of a big deal). Anyone else have a greenhorn question that made you pause and explain the absolute basics?

2 comments

2 Comments

jordanm192d ago

Ever had a new guy ask why we don't just use a bigger bucket to stop the bilge? I had to explain displacement and pumps for ten minutes, and he still looked confused. It's wild what seems obvious until you have to say it out loud.

janaw112d ago

That "obvious until you say it out loud" thing is so true. It shows how much we rely on gut feel from experience. A new guy sees water and thinks "container." We see a system where the water COMES FROM and how fast. The real lesson is you can't fix a rate problem with a size solution, bucket or pump.