Definition of fitting out vs hull construction

[mike disch]

Can anyone provide some detail? For example, the books say 2 yrs for the hull, 1 for fitting out. But I would assume that "hull" refers to all the heavy metal [sorry] that required riveting, not just the hull(s) itself, but also the decks, bulkheads, and more, with the fitting out meaning installation of boilers, beds, linoleum, and so forth Informed clarification would be appreciated.

 

[Dave Gittins]

The dates were--

Keel laid March 31 1909
Launched May 31 1911
Commissioned April 2 1912

As you've worked out, she was launched with bulkheads, decks and so forth, but not with engines, boilers, accommodation, fittings, etc. There was quite a bit of heavy metal. 24,360 tons of it.

Some say that the hull construction is when you spend money. Fitting out is when you spend big money!

 

[Michael H. Standart]

To add a little to what Dave said, when a hull is built on the slip or in a graving dock, it's taken to the point where you have a hull that's watertight and able to float upright. What this amounts to is building the bare structure and then "shoving her in." You won't find much of anything inside.

For fitting out, the hull is taken elsewhere and that's where the BIG money Dave spoke of comes in. This is where boilers, engines, pipes, wires, equipment and accomadations are all fitted in.

The real trick is to make sure it all works as advertised once the ship is complete in all respects. For a new construction ship I served on, this meant a year and a half fixing all of the shipyard's mistakes.