track on an aircraft carrier

" I mean who wouldn't wanna see a track meet on an aircraft carrier"

Probably about 99.86% of the general public. And probably about 92% of all runners.

In the offseason you could possibly play other sports on the infield.. final four basketball game anybody?

the paying public wrote:

" I mean who wouldn't wanna see a track meet on an aircraft carrier"

Probably about 99.86% of the general public. And probably about 92% of all runners.

Well, if they didn't cease flight operations while the meet was taking place, it might make things a bit more interesting. Add a whole new level of strategy.

C'mon dude, this is a really stupid idea.

First of all, aircraft carriers are not wide enough to put a 400 meter track. Even if it was, there would be too many things in the way, like actual aircraft carrier equipment, jets, towers, etc.

Second of all, it would be sort of windy out in the ocean, so times would suck. Also, the rolling seas would make it like running during an earthquake.

Third of all, track meets don't draw big crowds in normal places, say, like a track stadium. Who in the world is going to go to the hassle of going out on a boat to watch a track meet?

I could go on and on.....

Finally, you are an idiot for thinking of this and actually asking the question, and I'm not much better for responding.

Dude you are so high! Not that there is anything wrong with that -- party on.

let me entertain you gentlemen and ladies for a few moments:

the uss george h w bush is the newest, largest ship in our navy. it has a beam length of 1092ft, and a flight deck area of 4.5acre (196018ft2). now, assuming the deck to be a square (a stretch but let me explain), that leaves us with 179ft width.

so our constraints are a rectangle with 179ft width and >1000ft length.

a 200m indoor track is typically 23.9m (78ft) radius. this gives us the inside of lane 1 occupying 156ft.

so now we have the inside oval painted on the carrier, and we have 11.5 ft to spare on either side. make 4 lanes, each one 2.5 feet, and we have a 4 lane track on an aircraft carrier.

despite the assumption that the carrier was square, we can manipulate the shape of the track a little bit (not parallel straights) to suit the real estate were working with. its been done before.

someone said that waves would make it like running in an earthquake: tell me that anything other than the perfect storm would be able to rock a 103000ton ship. and wind can be negated by moving the ship with the wind.

as for viewership, im sure people watched the millrose games, and those were on a much smaller track, in a way less unique setting. if you build it, they will come.

now we just need to figure our how to borrow a $6.2B defense asset...

mrpantsman8888 wrote:

let me entertain you gentlemen and ladies for a few moments:

the uss george h w bush is the newest, largest ship in our navy. it has a beam length of 1092ft, and a flight deck area of 4.5acre (

Isn't "beam" the width on ships/boats?

Navy boys aint there for the T&F. Over the ages of mankind sailors enjoy each other. Gays are attracted to the Navy and sea life. Same with the fire department.

That is crazy math. The aircraft carrier is 134 ft wide and 1092 feet long. Clearly you could put a 400 m track on it, but the turns would be indoor radius with 150m straights.

As for borrowing one, you should use one of the museum pieces that are decommissioned.

Why did I respond to this??? There must be something wrong with me.

To: MrPantsMan8888

The original poster did not specify a 200 meter track. Since it would be an outdoor meet, I referenced a 400 meter track, which would NOT fit on an aircraft carrier. With some slight adjustments, would a 200 meter track fit? Yes, you are correct. Would a 400 meter track fit? No.

Your remark about the wind is insane. You said, "wind can be negated by moving the ship with the wind." Dude, the track is oval, and aircraft carriers can not maneuver that fast.

As far as my comment about the ship rolling so much it would be like running during an earthquake. Yeah, that is pretty stupid. I'll give you that one.

I did a beer mile on the outdoor track on a Carnival Cruise ship. 11 laps to a mile, so we did 3-3-3-2 laps. Not official rules, but it was one of the most fun experiences I've ever had.

A 400m track would fit if you have overhang. Place floats under the part that needs support. (Football was played in Wrigley Field. A football field will not fit there unless a part is extended into the dugouts which are built up. Same concept).

Or if you must have 400m just use two carriers lashed together. Back in the glory days of track/ Cold War era, this would have worked. US bring a team and half a track mounted on a carrier while the USSR did the same. You know a joint venture like that sounds like the old Apolo/ Soyuz/ Skylab projects.

So why limit a track to the carrier. Mount one atop the International Space Station. Build it in sections and haul it up. But hurry. Only 2 more shuttle shots left.

Universal sports could even charge $11.95 to show that live. Jumpers and throwers would love that venue.

cmon dude wrote:

Your remark about the wind is insane. You said, "wind can be negated by moving the ship with the wind." Dude, the track is oval, and aircraft carriers can not maneuver that fast.

last i checked, the wind mostly moves one direction: N, NW, SSE, etc. so steer the ship bearing in the direction of the wind. if the wind is 15mph bearing N, the ship pulls 13kts and no one knows that its a windy day.

random a hole, you are correct, mea culpa.

but while were at it, the beam is ACTUALLY 252 feet, so we can support a 4 lane track, with 4ft lanes. thats 110ft radius of the turn, or 36.7m. the turn radius of a standard 400m track is 36m, leaving us just enough wiggle room to put up a little barrier, maybe some ad space to make up that $6.2B

in conclusion, a 400m track can float. getting elites and spectators into the middle of the ocean is another story

mrpantsman8888 wrote:getting ...spectators into the middle of the ocean is another story

All you can eat seafood buffet

Karaoke bar

free wifi

maybe a tee shirt

That will get'em there

Mrpantsman888 wrote: "so steer the ship bearing in the direction of the wind. if the wind is 15mph bearing N, the ship pulls 13kts and no one knows that its a windy day."

My bad, I didn't think of that. I thought you were going to be sitting in the ocean doing freakin' donuts with the aircraft carrier so the wind would always be at their backs.

One other guy said that a football field would not fit into Chicago's Wrigley Field without it overhanging the dugouts. That is not true. A football field will fit into Chicago's Wrigley Field. It may not always be the best viewing since it was intended for baseball, but it will indeed fit.

There is another Wrigley Field, possibly in Los Angeles, that is smaller than Chicago's Wrigley Field, and a football field would be hard pressed to fit in there. That may be the one the to which the guy is refering.

Northwestern is playing Illinois this fall @ Wrigley. Wrigley used to be home field for the Bears.

I pulled my info from Green Cathedrals by Philip J. Lowry. (At the time of publishing) it was "The ultimate Celebration of all 271 Major League and Negro League ballparks past and present." It is a little dated in that in was released in 1986. You can start on page 27 for everything Wrigley. The southeast corner of the south endzone was suspended over the top step of the first base dugout. I take that book as the truth.

beer mile wrote:

I did a beer mile on the outdoor track on a Carnival Cruise ship. 11 laps to a mile, so we did 3-3-3-2 laps. Not official rules, but it was one of the most fun experiences I've ever had.

That is awesome.

Wrigley Chicago or Wrigley LA?

Please verify.