We no longer need a bigger boat.
September 9, 2013 2:43 PM Subscribe
Why were there not toys of these when I was of bathtub age? So cool.
posted by sandettie light vessel automatic at 3:13 PM on September 9, 2013 [4 favorites]
posted by sandettie light vessel automatic at 3:13 PM on September 9, 2013 [4 favorites]
Checked to see if the USS Cole was there, looking like a toy. Was not disappointed.
posted by TedW at 3:14 PM on September 9, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by TedW at 3:14 PM on September 9, 2013 [1 favorite]
On the other hand, what if one of these giants is damaged and needs to be transported for repair? Semi submersibles all the way down?
posted by TedW at 3:19 PM on September 9, 2013 [4 favorites]
posted by TedW at 3:19 PM on September 9, 2013 [4 favorites]
Can someone explain how these things don't flip over when they have 100,000 tons above the water line?
posted by Dr. Send at 3:22 PM on September 9, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by Dr. Send at 3:22 PM on September 9, 2013 [2 favorites]
What the hell is that fourth picture? The one with the yellow tops and grey/blue-grey rest-of-it? It looks like God's own grappling hook.
posted by notsnot at 3:25 PM on September 9, 2013
posted by notsnot at 3:25 PM on September 9, 2013
notsnot, I assumed it was the bottom portion of an off-shore drilling rig, but have no real basis for that assumption.
posted by mudpuppie at 3:27 PM on September 9, 2013
posted by mudpuppie at 3:27 PM on September 9, 2013
In case anyone wondered why the USS Samuel B. Roberts needed a lift...
posted by Thorzdad at 3:33 PM on September 9, 2013
posted by Thorzdad at 3:33 PM on September 9, 2013
I would like to live in a world where the dominant internet go/to meme is not cute lulzy cats but large submersible ships carrying huge burdens hither and yon. Because these are just awesome.
posted by chavenet at 3:55 PM on September 9, 2013 [4 favorites]
posted by chavenet at 3:55 PM on September 9, 2013 [4 favorites]
Wow!
"On the other hand, what if one of these giants is damaged and needs to be transported for repair? Semi submersibles all the way down?"
Not sure, but it has happened. It says in the article that the Mighty Servant 2 capsized in 1999, and the Mighty Servant 3 sank in 2006. According to Wikipedia, Servant 2 was "transported" to Alang, India and scrapped, but it doesn't say how. Servant 3 was salvaged with a floating crane, and apparently repaired just enough for it to limp to Cape Town, where it was rebuilt and returned to service.
posted by Kevin Street at 4:07 PM on September 9, 2013
"On the other hand, what if one of these giants is damaged and needs to be transported for repair? Semi submersibles all the way down?"
Not sure, but it has happened. It says in the article that the Mighty Servant 2 capsized in 1999, and the Mighty Servant 3 sank in 2006. According to Wikipedia, Servant 2 was "transported" to Alang, India and scrapped, but it doesn't say how. Servant 3 was salvaged with a floating crane, and apparently repaired just enough for it to limp to Cape Town, where it was rebuilt and returned to service.
posted by Kevin Street at 4:07 PM on September 9, 2013
Yo dawg, I heard you like ships, so we put a ship on your ship so you can sail when you're sailing!
Humans are amazing.
posted by Admiral Haddock at 4:08 PM on September 9, 2013 [1 favorite]
Humans are amazing.
posted by Admiral Haddock at 4:08 PM on September 9, 2013 [1 favorite]
A certain four-year-old is about to lose his shit when I show him this.
posted by These Premises Are Alarmed at 4:17 PM on September 9, 2013 [13 favorites]
posted by These Premises Are Alarmed at 4:17 PM on September 9, 2013 [13 favorites]
Oh man where do I start.
I have been involved with semi submersible ships for over 20 years and I still get a visceral kick every time I see one at a load out or discharge.
The engineering and planning involved is awesome.
Vanguard is the newest addition to the Dockwise fleet, looking more like an aircraft carrier than a conventional ship. (see wiki).
Mighty Servant 3 (mentioned above) wouldn't come up after a very deep discharge off Angola. A pal of mine was the cargo superintendent for the refloat and they just about gave up on it after days of trying to get the hull out of the putty and had all turned in for the night. After another six hours or so the suction of the seabed finally was overcome by the upward forces of cranes, air and flotation devices and she popped up at dawn.
If you need it these type of vessels can also get your yacht across the oceans utilizing the world's only purpose built Yacht Carrier.
posted by adamvasco at 4:27 PM on September 9, 2013 [26 favorites]
I have been involved with semi submersible ships for over 20 years and I still get a visceral kick every time I see one at a load out or discharge.
The engineering and planning involved is awesome.
Vanguard is the newest addition to the Dockwise fleet, looking more like an aircraft carrier than a conventional ship. (see wiki).
Mighty Servant 3 (mentioned above) wouldn't come up after a very deep discharge off Angola. A pal of mine was the cargo superintendent for the refloat and they just about gave up on it after days of trying to get the hull out of the putty and had all turned in for the night. After another six hours or so the suction of the seabed finally was overcome by the upward forces of cranes, air and flotation devices and she popped up at dawn.
If you need it these type of vessels can also get your yacht across the oceans utilizing the world's only purpose built Yacht Carrier.
posted by adamvasco at 4:27 PM on September 9, 2013 [26 favorites]
I'd like to know as well how these ships do not flip over when a load is up that high out of the water. You would think that the center of gravity being well above the water line (?) a few waves from the left would make it topple over in a hurry?
posted by nostrada at 4:39 PM on September 9, 2013
posted by nostrada at 4:39 PM on September 9, 2013
FUCK YES this is what I come to the Blue for.
4 year olds and me, shit is lost.
posted by C.A.S. at 4:48 PM on September 9, 2013 [3 favorites]
4 year olds and me, shit is lost.
posted by C.A.S. at 4:48 PM on September 9, 2013 [3 favorites]
According to Wikipedia, Servant 2 was "transported" to Alang, India and scrapped, but it doesn't say how.
It appears that, in a pinch, the impressive buoyancy system of a heavy-lift ship can function as an ersatz self-righting mechanism. Shipspotting reports that Mighty Servant 2 was refloated using its own buoyancy system, despite an 85 meter tear in its hull. I'd guess that Mighty Servant 2 was towed to Alang, while afloat.
posted by RichardP at 4:55 PM on September 9, 2013 [2 favorites]
It appears that, in a pinch, the impressive buoyancy system of a heavy-lift ship can function as an ersatz self-righting mechanism. Shipspotting reports that Mighty Servant 2 was refloated using its own buoyancy system, despite an 85 meter tear in its hull. I'd guess that Mighty Servant 2 was towed to Alang, while afloat.
posted by RichardP at 4:55 PM on September 9, 2013 [2 favorites]
That web site is a treasure trove. I liked this page on Putin's airplane.
posted by bukvich at 5:04 PM on September 9, 2013
posted by bukvich at 5:04 PM on September 9, 2013
Yup, got one of these to haul my houseboat back and forth between Martha's and Miami.
It's a big houseboat.
posted by Ardiril at 5:08 PM on September 9, 2013 [1 favorite]
It's a big houseboat.
posted by Ardiril at 5:08 PM on September 9, 2013 [1 favorite]
These are really neat because:
1) I always assumed that oil rigs and such were built in place and didn't move around much
2) They're REALLY NEAT.
posted by Mister Moofoo at 5:13 PM on September 9, 2013
1) I always assumed that oil rigs and such were built in place and didn't move around much
2) They're REALLY NEAT.
posted by Mister Moofoo at 5:13 PM on September 9, 2013
It's like something out of Pacific Rim. Easy to imagine one of these ships hauling a Jaeger off for repair after a really tough fight.
posted by Kevin Street at 5:16 PM on September 9, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by Kevin Street at 5:16 PM on September 9, 2013 [1 favorite]
Awesome, in the original sense of the word.
posted by brundlefly at 5:44 PM on September 9, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by brundlefly at 5:44 PM on September 9, 2013 [2 favorites]
I'd like to know as well how these ships do not flip over when a load is up that high out of the water. You would think that the center of gravity being well above the water line (?) a few waves from the left would make it topple over in a hurry?
When the semi-sub is loaded with its cargo, both the weight of the ship and the weight of the cargo combine into a single, extra large amount of displacement (displacement = buoyancy). So while the additional weight above the water line moves the COG up, all the additional displacement provides more buoyancy and righting force to push the ship back toward equilibrium when it leans one way or the other.
Flat-bottom hulls help, too.
posted by notyou at 5:54 PM on September 9, 2013 [1 favorite]
When the semi-sub is loaded with its cargo, both the weight of the ship and the weight of the cargo combine into a single, extra large amount of displacement (displacement = buoyancy). So while the additional weight above the water line moves the COG up, all the additional displacement provides more buoyancy and righting force to push the ship back toward equilibrium when it leans one way or the other.
Flat-bottom hulls help, too.
posted by notyou at 5:54 PM on September 9, 2013 [1 favorite]
Impressive. Reminds me of another type of semi-submersible ship: the FLIP Floating Instrument Platform ship.
posted by audi alteram partem at 6:05 PM on September 9, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by audi alteram partem at 6:05 PM on September 9, 2013 [1 favorite]
One thing that prevents a ship from flipping, besides accounting for the metacentric height, is the dynamic positioning system.
posted by oceanjesse at 7:36 PM on September 9, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by oceanjesse at 7:36 PM on September 9, 2013 [1 favorite]
adamvasco: "Vanguard is the newest addition to the Dockwise fleet, looking more like an aircraft carrier than a conventional ship. (see wiki)."
Better yet, you could set the original JFK *on*the*fucking*deck*!!!!!!
posted by notsnot at 8:15 PM on September 9, 2013
Better yet, you could set the original JFK *on*the*fucking*deck*!!!!!!
posted by notsnot at 8:15 PM on September 9, 2013
Yes, but what do you haul it on? We need a carry-that-boat-boat.
posted by QueerAngel28 at 8:43 PM on September 9, 2013
posted by QueerAngel28 at 8:43 PM on September 9, 2013
Every spring where I live the Dockwise yacht carrier arrives just as the migratory birds are passing through. It ties up at the local wharf and disgorges its precious cargo of shiny white mega-yachts. The yachts soon disperse up and down the coast to spend their summer foraging for pleasure among our gulf islands, inlets and coastal waterways. And every autumn, as dependably as the equinox, the great Dockwise ship returns to re-collect its charges and ferry them away to warmer climes thus continuing one of nature's most majestic migrations.
posted by islander at 9:07 PM on September 9, 2013 [13 favorites]
posted by islander at 9:07 PM on September 9, 2013 [13 favorites]
Holland's Glory, baby. Jan de Hartog would be proud.
posted by MartinWisse at 9:33 PM on September 9, 2013
posted by MartinWisse at 9:33 PM on September 9, 2013
islander I may be wrong but I don't think there have been any semisubmersible yacht carriers in your home town for a few years as the tonnage got transferred on to the transatlantic route to maximise returns.
What you see in the Pacific Northwest nowadays are Lo-Lo (lift on /lift off) as opposed (Flo Flo) float on / float off) ships.
Still impressive but they tend not to lift more than 150 tons single cargo. These are general cargo heavy lift vessels which charter the deck out to interested parties.
The semisubs are highly manoeverible in that they are able to move water to 1cm of depth anywhere over the deck.
That was a slightly misleading statement in that of course the water is just there and the ship alters its ballast to list port/ starboard / fore/ aft.
The big lifts are single very large and very heavy pieces of equipment. With yachts it's slightly more tricky in other ways as you can have up to thirty plus different hulled yachts to set down safely during an operation. And of course if you bang a jack up barge or rig jacket with a bit of steel no one notices but if that happens to a multi million dollar yacht with mirror finish paint and varnish the screaming starts.
The most impressive thing I saw in regards a semisubmersible was when they broke the standard rule book which states ''propellor problems head to dry dock.'' I think it was Super Servant 6 which had buckled two blades on its starboard prop thanks to a tree trunk or some such. Anyway one morning alongside in port they ballasted down the ship forward and to port so the starboard prop was then high out of the water and with the help of a shore crane and a chain hoist or two attached to lugs which they had welded on the hull they changed the propellor blades with the engineers working off a borrowed paint raft. There are not very many ships or crews who could do that.
posted by adamvasco at 1:15 AM on September 10, 2013 [5 favorites]
What you see in the Pacific Northwest nowadays are Lo-Lo (lift on /lift off) as opposed (Flo Flo) float on / float off) ships.
Still impressive but they tend not to lift more than 150 tons single cargo. These are general cargo heavy lift vessels which charter the deck out to interested parties.
The semisubs are highly manoeverible in that they are able to move water to 1cm of depth anywhere over the deck.
That was a slightly misleading statement in that of course the water is just there and the ship alters its ballast to list port/ starboard / fore/ aft.
The big lifts are single very large and very heavy pieces of equipment. With yachts it's slightly more tricky in other ways as you can have up to thirty plus different hulled yachts to set down safely during an operation. And of course if you bang a jack up barge or rig jacket with a bit of steel no one notices but if that happens to a multi million dollar yacht with mirror finish paint and varnish the screaming starts.
The most impressive thing I saw in regards a semisubmersible was when they broke the standard rule book which states ''propellor problems head to dry dock.'' I think it was Super Servant 6 which had buckled two blades on its starboard prop thanks to a tree trunk or some such. Anyway one morning alongside in port they ballasted down the ship forward and to port so the starboard prop was then high out of the water and with the help of a shore crane and a chain hoist or two attached to lugs which they had welded on the hull they changed the propellor blades with the engineers working off a borrowed paint raft. There are not very many ships or crews who could do that.
posted by adamvasco at 1:15 AM on September 10, 2013 [5 favorites]
And the moment I realised all the magic in my life was gone was when I looked at these images and people were all like "OMG! A certain four-year-old is about to lose his shit when I show him this" and I am all "eh".
Damnit, 21C, why do you have to be so crippling.
notsnot, I assumed it was the bottom portion of an off-shore drilling rig, but have no real basis for that assumption.
I have some basis to tell you I don't think it is that. I'm pretty confident in saying it's not the legs for a platform anyway. For one thing, and I may be mistaken, when they do a floatover they aren't (usually?) upright like that.
The Floating production storage and offloading circular vessel is something I had heard about, but I am not sure how many there are in the world.
The Thunder Horse famous because it (as pictured) survived Katrina despite being half sunk earlier by Dennis.
If you want your mind blown, check out FLNG ships. I don't think one has left the shipyards yet, but they are being built and they are fucking huge.
posted by Mezentian at 2:23 AM on September 10, 2013
Damnit, 21C, why do you have to be so crippling.
notsnot, I assumed it was the bottom portion of an off-shore drilling rig, but have no real basis for that assumption.
I have some basis to tell you I don't think it is that. I'm pretty confident in saying it's not the legs for a platform anyway. For one thing, and I may be mistaken, when they do a floatover they aren't (usually?) upright like that.
The Floating production storage and offloading circular vessel is something I had heard about, but I am not sure how many there are in the world.
The Thunder Horse famous because it (as pictured) survived Katrina despite being half sunk earlier by Dennis.
If you want your mind blown, check out FLNG ships. I don't think one has left the shipyards yet, but they are being built and they are fucking huge.
posted by Mezentian at 2:23 AM on September 10, 2013
Vanguard showing open bow with just splash guard.
posted by adamvasco at 3:28 AM on September 10, 2013
posted by adamvasco at 3:28 AM on September 10, 2013
Yo dawg, I heard you like ships, so we put a ship on your ship so you can sail when you're sailing!
Humans are amazing.
I feel like I want to learn Python just so I can figure out how to stick these into Civ 4. For all those occasions when that ship with tons of promotions is several turns from friendly territory and down to a couple hit points. Or maybe as a futuristic Work Boat. Really I don't care what it does, I just want 'em in there.
posted by Z. Aurelius Fraught at 3:35 AM on September 10, 2013
Humans are amazing.
I feel like I want to learn Python just so I can figure out how to stick these into Civ 4. For all those occasions when that ship with tons of promotions is several turns from friendly territory and down to a couple hit points. Or maybe as a futuristic Work Boat. Really I don't care what it does, I just want 'em in there.
posted by Z. Aurelius Fraught at 3:35 AM on September 10, 2013
These ships are incredible and I love them, but it is giving me the eye-twitch that Blue Marlin is painted red and Black Marlin is painted blue.
posted by ZsigE at 4:56 AM on September 10, 2013
posted by ZsigE at 4:56 AM on September 10, 2013
Wow. A touch of awesome. I needed that.
But the real tickle is, aha. Something makes sense. See, I lived in South Africa for 3 years, with a view of the Indian Ocean. I watched a lot of horizon. I've seen things you people wouldn't believe! Including things my mind refused to accept. Now I see it was probably an oil rig sailing by, just as it appeared. I saw the rigs in the harbor at Capetown, but never saw one loaded for transport, except poor views of things passing way out from East London, SA. (I'll have to look for the photos).
posted by Goofyy at 5:55 AM on September 10, 2013
But the real tickle is, aha. Something makes sense. See, I lived in South Africa for 3 years, with a view of the Indian Ocean. I watched a lot of horizon. I've seen things you people wouldn't believe! Including things my mind refused to accept. Now I see it was probably an oil rig sailing by, just as it appeared. I saw the rigs in the harbor at Capetown, but never saw one loaded for transport, except poor views of things passing way out from East London, SA. (I'll have to look for the photos).
posted by Goofyy at 5:55 AM on September 10, 2013
For those in the know, is it possible to get from one of the "towers" to the others when the deck is submerged? Like, is there a tunnel between the towers, or something? Or does the crew stay in the "control tower" for the duration of a trip?
posted by Admiral Haddock at 8:31 AM on September 10, 2013
posted by Admiral Haddock at 8:31 AM on September 10, 2013
adamvasco, The Dockwise Yacht Transport semi-subs do indeed operate in this area.
posted by islander at 9:07 AM on September 10, 2013
posted by islander at 9:07 AM on September 10, 2013
I'm really glad Dockwise have a toll-free number otherwise they might, you know, lose some business at the margins.
posted by cromagnon at 9:28 AM on September 10, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by cromagnon at 9:28 AM on September 10, 2013 [2 favorites]
Alas I've been reliably informed that Dockwise no longer travels regularly to the Pacific Northwest.
The birds and the salmon still put on a good migratory show.
posted by islander at 10:01 AM on September 10, 2013
The birds and the salmon still put on a good migratory show.
posted by islander at 10:01 AM on September 10, 2013
I really can't help but look at the Vanguard and think that they should probably store those giant cans of lighter fluid somewhere else.
posted by echo target at 10:19 AM on September 10, 2013
posted by echo target at 10:19 AM on September 10, 2013
For those in the know, is it possible to get from one of the "towers" to the others when the deck is submerged? Like, is there a tunnel between the towers, or something? Or does the crew stay in the "control tower" for the duration of a trip?
I believe it is the latter.
posted by Mezentian at 5:50 AM on September 11, 2013
I believe it is the latter.
posted by Mezentian at 5:50 AM on September 11, 2013
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posted by iotic at 2:56 PM on September 9, 2013 [13 favorites]