HNSA Handbook Introduction

HNSA Crest with photos of visitors at the ships.

HNSA Handbook Introduction

The HNSA Board of Directors has directed the preparation of a "Operations Handbook" which is ultimately envisioned as a comprehensive guidebook to all aspects of operating a historic naval ship. There is no sense in continually reinventing the wheel. This handbook is an attempt to minimize that process for the historic ships' community and save its members time and effort in doing their jobs.

Dr. Norman Cary, the retired Head of the Naval Historical Center's Curator Branch and HNSA's Curatorial Committee Chair, will be the editor. Richard Pekelney, the HNSA Webmaster, will serve as style and format guru. We will rely on the expertise within our Association's Fleet and Associate Members and some of our Friends of HNSA for most of the inputs. However, the format will be a bit different. This is going to be an electronic publication, on the HNSA web site. The Handbook is never going to be, strictly speaking, a "finished product". We expect it to continue to grow and be modified in perpetuity.

At present (May, 2004), we have, at this point, a few essays on a variety of subjects up on the HNSA Website. The titles of the essays and the names of the authors are incorporated into the attached outline and may be accessed through it. However, this is only a very small beginning to the project. To make this publication generally useful, we need a lot more output from subject matters experts. In particular, you, and any friends or staff you have who are willing to contribute their time and effort in preparing this document are strongly encouraged to do so. Any non-HNSA members who would like to make a contribution are also welcome to submit proposals. What we are looking for are essays of 5-10 pages on subjects of interest to the HNSA membership that fit within the outline of general topics. They can deal with the listed topic as a whole, or they can deal with a particular aspect of the subject. For example, under maintenance procedures someone might want to do an essay solely on the subject of painting. That's fine. The sections listed at the attachment are now planned. Others may be added later. Your suggestions on general headings and topics to be included would be greatly appreciated.

Please note too that we realize that there are more than one way to address many of the issues that face the historic ships community. We have no problem with putting out multiple essays on subjects of interest that may provide different approaches to the problem, or even disagree with other ways of addressing an issue. Reasoned and polite disagreement is often a useful way of finding the best resolution to the solution of a dilemma.

Please let Dr. Cary know if you or any of your staff or associates would be willing to contribute to this project. He can be contacted at normtuba@aol.com or through the HNSA office at the HNSA Feedback Form. Once you contact Dr. Cary, he will provide you with information on format and procedures for submission.

Thanks for your help and cooperation in moving this project forward.

Jeffrey S. Nilsson Executive Director Historic Naval Ships Association