Note the Crowley props and the orange-clad crew. Doubleclick enlarges image.
Note the huge design difference between Socrates (1966, 3200 hp) and
My question is this: what is the actual weight added to Swan by these five tugs, one barge, and one crewboat? Does the load change the draft of Swan at all, given that she like any vessel is ballasted as needed? And I do not know the answer.
For outatowners, these shots from Bay Ridge show the “west” end of the Verrazano Bridge. Yesterday’s fotos were taken from the bluff more or less just above the white dome of the lighthouse.
And for this foto, I pivoted slightly toward the south, capturing both towers of the Bridge. Entering the Narrows is a ferry and dredger
Terrapin Island, which as recently as two and a half months ago was sucking up silt from Jed’s coast in southern Georgia.
All fotos this morning by Will Van Dorp, who probably has one more installment on Swan. For the title, my apologies to Marcel Proust.
tugster: a waterblog 
17 comments
Comments feed for this article
May 17, 2012 at 12:21 pm
JED
Of MORE note to me is presence of THREE rudders per boat. Bet they handle like TOPS
May 17, 2012 at 12:31 pm
Ken
That first picture is pretty awesome…..I love the colors in it. I definately don’t get colors at my end of the waters…..or much color.
May 17, 2012 at 12:47 pm
Paul B.
Will, I think you’re asking whether or not the ship has to fully deballast to take on this load, yes? The ship has a deadweight scale on their computer that predicts the draft given a load of x tons- factors like ‘moment to trim once inch’ and things like that count too. I would guess the ship has to deballast carefully under a load in order to maximize stability. There’s no way that the weight is evenly distributed port to starboard, so the ballast will vary to keep the keel level. In addition, heavy lift ships are super-carefully monitored to maximize stability- load the center of gravity too low, and the ship will snap roll like a sailboat, and throw the cargo in a sea. Load cargo high up above deck, and the ship will roll slowly, but too deeply, and may not stop rolling. They’ll ballast the ship to control rolling, given that the cargo is above the deck, but probably keep it to a minimum in order to keep the deck high above the sea. Lots of compromises, making me glad I work with oil.
May 17, 2012 at 4:28 pm
HT
I agree with you Paul, I am glad I worked with oil. On big barges it was simple, full ballast generally when empty (sometimes half depending on tugs height of eye or handling characteristics), no ballast when I was loaded. We always used the cargo to create drag, we did not want to cool the oil with ballast and have to burn the boilers more then necessary.
May 17, 2012 at 5:45 pm
walt
Much Much Better than the NY Boat Show at the Javits center.
One time i took a freind there who was sick, and spent the morning in the toilet looking at the New Sloan Flushometers, Oh Well
Thx
May 17, 2012 at 6:06 pm
Les Sonnenmark
Here’s how I’d guesstimate SWAN’s cargo weight and draft change: Assume all the loaded vessels are light (no fuel, water or ballast). Estimate the Crowley tugs at 750 tons displacement each, HERON at 500 tons and SOCRATES at 300 tons. BFT 38 is 260’x60′ and loaded with ALERT she’s drawing 3′, so she displaces about 1500 tons. Total load for SWAN is about 4500 tons. SWAN is about 550’x105′ at the waterline, so she’ll draw an additional inch for each 150 tons of added load. That means she’ll increase draft by about 30 inches with that load. But, as Paul noted, she’ll also need to add ballast to adjust stability, though that will be a lot less than the weight of the cargo since the ballast is much farther down. So the net effect of carrying the cargo and ballast is drop SWAN maybe 4 feet total. And then you have to add the weight of all those souvenirs the crew bought (if they were able to get off the ship) and subtract all the cash they left behind.
May 17, 2012 at 6:12 pm
tugster
thanks all. and les– your math is always so arcane and simple at the same time. if i’d chosen a different pathway in life, i can understand enjoying doing the calculations on loads like these: http://www.amusingplanet.com/2012/05/heavy-lift-ships-and-their-impossibly.html
May 17, 2012 at 7:07 pm
mageb
Yup, the first picture is a work of art. I am wondering why the three Crowley boats weren’t loaded level. They seem to be leaning into each other.
May 17, 2012 at 9:16 pm
HT
Thankyou Wil for a finalization of the Swan Saga. Mageb the Crowley Tugs are tilted ( without getting to difficult ) is the best way to keep those tugs tight because off their shape and protruding rub rails.
May 17, 2012 at 9:51 pm
tugster
it’s my hope that a reader in nigeria will pick up on the reinauer, crowley, k-sea, and now allied tugs that have been transported there. i’d LOVE to see some of these vessels in their new context. anyone know someone who knows someone . . . . who hangs out on the lagos waterfront?
May 17, 2012 at 10:16 pm
HT
Wil I just sent a email to my old port Capt and asked him about a contact in Nigeria, my old barge went there too 3 years ago and he was in charge of the sale.. Though it was towed at the time, I am sure he has some contacts over there that can help us out and get us some new context of our old vessels from the sixth.Hes a old boatman and I think he would be interested in also seeing what the boats will look like over there.Hes also a computer freak so lets see what he can come up with for us! I will let you know when information comes available.
May 17, 2012 at 10:26 pm
HT
ooppss Wil it was McCallister not K Sea…that went over.LOL Have a good night!
May 17, 2012 at 10:51 pm
Andy
The Coral Sea and the Baltic Sea went over a few years ago.
May 17, 2012 at 10:47 pm
Paul Welch
Keep the Swan pictures coming
May 18, 2012 at 4:38 am
HT
Thanks Andy, I did not hear about that…
May 18, 2012 at 6:04 am
tugpower
Here’s A Key To Open The Door To Lagos, Nigeria. Former K-Sea Tugs CORAL SEA & BALTIC SEA Were Sold To Pheranzy Gas, Ltd. BALTIC SEA Is Now UGONWAAFOR 1, & CORAL Is UGONWAAFOR 2. Pheranzy Gas has A Website http://pheranzygas.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=50&Itemid=18. An E-Mail To That Address May Get A Contact To Open Further Doors.
May 18, 2012 at 6:57 am
tugster
harold– thanks much. i will follow up on this.