Abstract: A chain table for connecting mooring legs to a turret. The chain table includes downwardly sloping connection flanges with bosses for forming holes for pivoting members of a coupler assembly. The downward slope of the flanges allows forces from connected anchor legs to be better directed to the chain table as compared to connecting flanges which extend perpendicularly from the body of the chain table. As a result, the chain table can be made smaller which allows it to be fabricated by casting techniques. An anchor leg pattern is established by connecting vessel end portions of anchor legs to the chain table while the vessel is in port, installing at a mooring site seabed portions of anchor legs according to an anchor leg pattern, and after the vessel arrives at the mooring site, connecting each vessel end portion to each corresponding seabed anchor leg portion to establish the anchor leg pattern for mooring the vessel.

Abstract: A bow loading arrangement for shuttle tankers where the mooring winch drum and hose handling winch drum are operated both together and independently of each other by the same drive unit. The winch may be placed on the main deck, and by using guide pulleys both the hose handling rope and the mooring hawser can be guided to the respective drums.

Abstract: An anchoring device, adapted to be driven into the ground, is used to tether a floating vessel along a shore area, an animal or child, or an inanimate object. It includes an elongated hammer element and an elongated stake element in axial alignment and preferably assembled in a manner to enable relative axial and rotational movement between the hammer element and the stake element. Consequently, without disconnecting the assembled hammer and stake elements, the user axially raises and lowers the hammer element to strike with force the stake element to drive the stake element into the ground.

Abstract: A lower bearing arrangement between a turret of an FPU and a moonpool. The outer housing of the bearing is mounted about the turret instead of the FPU's hull structure. Bearing segments are captured between an outer ring of the turret and an inner ring of the outer housing. The outer housing of the bearing assembly is coupled to a reaction ring of the moonpool so that rotation forces of the vessel are transferred to the outer housing of the bearing. The coupling also includes an arrangement by which the outer housing contacts said reaction ring in the nature of a spherical joint.

Abstract: A method of using a semi-submersible tender with a deck, a shape that results in a combined environmental load less than 1000 kips in a 100-year extreme weather condition, a plurality of supports each with a rounded shape connected to the deck, a plurality of pontoons connecting the supports with each pontoon being capable of ballast transfer, wherein the tender is used for mooring in a tendering position relative to an offshore platform during a 1-year, 10-year, and 100-year storm, as well as non-storm conditions, using hawsers with adequate elasticity to accommodate the wave frequency between the platform and the tender and adequate stiffness to synchronize the mean/low frequency movement between the platform and the tender under an environmental load produced during a 10-year winter storm, and enough slack during a 10-year storm to enable the tender to move to a tender standby position, and wherein the tender uses an at least 6-point mooring system for creating global equilibrium between the platform and t

Abstract: A hawser system for connecting a semisubmersible tender to a deep draft caisson vessel comprising: a first winch and a second winch disposed on the first end of the tender; a first hawser connected to the first winch and a second hawser connected to the second winch; a first sheave and a second sheave disposed on a second end of the tender opposite the first end of the tender, the first sheave for engaging the first hawser and the second sheave for engaging the second hawser; a first hawser fairlead disposed on a first side of the tender for receiving the first hawser and a second hawser fairlead disposed on the second side of the tender for receiving the second hawser and wherein the first hawser crosses the second hawser three times as each is reaved to each fairlead and wherein the first and second hawsers pass beneath the deck of the tender to the deep draft caisson vessel; at least one connector or joining the first and second hawsers at a position n the deep draft caisson vessel, after the hawsers pass

Abstract: An inflatable raft tethering arrangement includes an inflatable raft and a tether. The inflatable raft has an aperture and a rigid reinforcement. The rigid reinforcement is disposed about the aperture. The tether includes a clasp, a cord, and a suction mechanism. The clasp is secured to the raft through the aperture and the cord secured to the clasp and the suction mechanism.

Abstract: This invention relates to a device for docking a boat stern first. The device is preferably attached to a dock or sea wall and floats on the water surface. The boat docking device has two rods joined in an L-shape configuration. On one rod there is a sliding member that holds an end of a third moveable rod. The moveable rod slides in the sliding member and pivots, with respect to the L-shaped rods, around a joint. In an open position a boat can easily enter the device stern first. The device guides the boat into docking position and the moveable rod closes on the boat to hold the boat in the secured position.

Abstract: An energy conserving moored buoyant ocean profiler wherein an instrument carrying vertically traversing buoyant member of low buoyancy is interconnected with a second buoyant member of high buoyancy to travel in the opposite direction at lesser distance, such that the potential energy of one buoyant member is increased as the potential energy of the other is decreased, thereby conserving energy as the instrument carrying buoyant member is raised and lowered.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for deployment of mooring systems for buoyant marine structure such as mobile offshore drilling units (MODU's) and for connecting the same to the mooring lines thereof. An anchor handling vessel carries one or more anchors each having a deployment connection and a mooring connection and individually moves each anchor over its stern roller and deploys it to the sea bottom for installation. A handling line is disconnected by ROV from the deployment connection and is moved from the deployment connection to the mooring connection so as to become the main mooring line. Syntactic buoys are then mounted on the main mooring line for elevating it above the sea bottom for recovery. When MODU stationing is desired the anchor handling vessel then recovers the surface buoy and connects to the rig mooring line using a short section of mooring chain. A J-chaser stopper device is then installed in the mooring string and is connected to the mooring line of the MODU by a short section of chain.

Abstract: In a fluid swivel with at least an outer housing and an inner housing, the temperature of both inner and outer housings are measured. When the temperature of the inner housing is greater than the temperature of the outer housing, a heating element elevates the temperature of the outer housing.

Abstract: A chain table for connecting mooring legs to a turret. The chain table includes downwardly sloping connection flanges with bosses for forming holes for pivoting members of a coupler assembly. The downward slope of the flanges allows forces from connected anchor legs to be better directed to the chain table as compared to connecting flanges which extend perpendicularly from the body of the chain table. As a result, the chain table can be made smaller which allows it to be fabricated by casting techniques. An anchor leg pattern is established by connecting vessel end portions of anchor legs to the chain table while the vessel is in port, installing at a mooring site seabed portions of anchor legs according to an anchor leg pattern, and after the vessel arrives at the mooring site, connecting each vessel end portion to each corresponding seabed anchor leg portion to establish the anchor leg pattern for mooring the vessel.

Abstract: A mooring system including a body/arm/vessel arrangement with passive damping and/or an active force restoring system. The active force restoring system includes a sensor for generating a displacement signal representative of the displacement of the vessel from a quiescent position and an active forcing device which responds to the displacement signal to force the arm in a direction to move the vessel toward the quiescent position. The passive damping arrangement includes a device, independent of and in addition to the damping of the water on the vessel or the arm, that damps the oscillation of the vessel in response to environmental conditions which force the vessel from its quiescent position. Hydraulic cylinder arrangements are provided for active forcing and passive damping. Powered winch/cable arrangements are also provided for active force systems.

Abstract: A mooring system for watercraft for use with an anchor, the mooring system having an elongated anchor line which is attachable to an anchor; a connection member which is connected to the elongated anchor line; one or more shore lines which are connected to the connection member; and a watercraft attachment line which is connected to the shore line. The watercraft attachment line is then attachable to watercraft, preferably small and/or personal watercraft such as a “jet-ski®” watercraft or the like to moor the watercraft in offshore water.

Abstract: A seabed flowline is connected to a substantially conventional tanker serving as a floating storage facility by a system comprising a three-leg mooring and a flexible riser. The mooring comprises anchors connected by anchor risers to a common node, and a mooring pendant extending from the node to the tanker. The flexible riser comprises a flexible rubber hose extending from the seabed to the tanker, and a single rotational coupling. The hose has a top section secured along part of the mooring pendant, and an intermediate section provided with buoyancy and restrained by a tether to maintain it clear of the anchor risers.

Abstract: Device for storage or mooring of a loading hose (1), preferably for unloading of petroleum fluids from a vessel (100) at sea, with a floating loading hose (1) with the first end (1a) connected to an after manifold (6) of the vessel (100), with the second, free end (1b) of the loading hose (1) arranged to be caught and connected preferably to a midship manifold (7) of an other vessel (200). (a) A swivel (8) arranged for permanent pivotable connection between the first end (1a) of the loading hose (1) and the after manifold (6). (b) Hoisting appliances (9) with movable catch hooks (14) adapted to the loading hose (1) and arranged with mutual separation along the hull's side (102) forward from the after manifold (6) and arranged for complete or partial elevation of the loading hose (1) from the natural floating position.

Abstract: The invention concerns an arrangement for load transfer between the stern of a first vessel and the bow of a second vessel. Two bow hawsers are arranged to run from each of their anchor points near the sides of the ship at each side of the stern, to the bow, with the hawsers having approximately the same length. A loading hose is arranged to run centrally from the middle point of the stern of the first vessel to the bow of the second vessel.

Abstract: A boat alignment device including a clamp for attachment, to a support and a block pivotally attached to the clamp. The block is provided with an aperture of elliptical cross section. A telescoping arm has an outer tubular member of elliptical cross section snugly, yet slidably positioned within the aperture in the block. The telescoping arm also has an inner tubular member of elliptical cross section nested within the outer member and capable of being withdrawn therefrom.

Abstract: A simple and compact Apparatus for holding a floating vessel to a fixed location without the use of ropes or flexable fastenings, connecting to existing hardware on vessel with a quick release mechanism, preventing any movement away from the dock as viewed from above, but allowing for three plains of movement associated with water, vertical tidal movement, rocking wave movement, and front to back dipping movement. A preferred embodiment includes that it retains the said vessel closer than any prior art making it impossible to fall between vessel and fixed location thus making it the safest docking system available.

Abstract: A mooring and tender system comprising: a deck; a shape that results in a combined environmental load of less than 1000 kips in a 100-year extreme weather condition; a plurality of supports connected to the deck; a plurality of pontoons connecting to the supports, at least two hawsers for connecting the tender to a production platform, each having adequate elasticity to accommodate the wave frequency between the production platform and the tender, and adequate stiffness to synchronize the mean and low frequency movement between the production platform and the tender under an environmental load produced during a storm having a designation of up to a 10-year storm in the tendering position, connecting means securing each hawser; a hawser guidance system; an at least 8-point mooring system with each mooring lines consisting of: a first length of steel wire rope; a length of polymer rope secured to the first length of steel wire rope; a second length of steel wire rope secured to the polymer rope; and means for c

Abstract: A system and method for the safe conveyance of fuel from the shore to a floating watercraft refueling dock. A cable is stretched between a floating dock to a cable support structure on the shore which contains a reel for adjusting the length of the cable in response to changes in floating dock position, as in response to changing water levels. A fuel hose is suspended underneath the cable by removable lanyards. The fuel hose is connected on the shore to a hose reel which allows the length of hose to be adjusted in accordance with the cable length. Fuel is supplied through the hose on the hose reel along the suspended span of fuel hose to fuel dispensers on the floating fuel dock. The suspended fueling system retains the fuel hose off the terrain and is capable of being retracted or extended to accommodate the rise and fall of the floating dock in response to the water rising and falling.

Abstract: A device for coupling a boat to a boat mooring. The device comprises an elongate shaft having a hook member at one end thereof and an eyelet at the other end thereof. The hook has a pivotable latch for facilitating coupling and decoupling of the hook member to one of a boat eyelet and a mooring eyelet. The eyelet of the device is coupled to the eyelet of the mooring so that when the hook member of the device is coupled to the boat eyelet, the boat is coupled to the mooring and when use of the boat is desired, the hook member is released from the boat eyelet and coupled to the mooring eyelet to retain the device at the mooring and allow use of the boat and facilitate the attachment of the device to the boat eyelet when the boating activity ceases.

Abstract: Thrusters in communication with a feedback control system are provided on a cylindrical offshore marine member, such as a spar, for reducing and/or controlling vortex-induced-vibrations, low-frequency drift oscillations due to random waves, and low-frequency wind induced resonant oscillations. The thrusters are provided thrust instruction from the feedback control system based on marine member displacement and current velocity.

Abstract: A shock absorbing and adjustable-length mooring and utility securing line for mooring a boat to a dock in a marine environment utilizes a hollow flexible tubing constructed of substantially inelastic fabric material and a bungee cord disposed within the tubing. The hollow tubing has a central section disposed between the opposite ends of the tubing, and the fabric material of the central section is movable lengthwise between a gathered condition and a fully-stretched condition to accommodate a lengthening of the line as the opposite end portions of the central section are moved farther apart from a condition at which the central section is in a gathered condition and to accommodate a shortening of the line as the opposite end portions of the central section are moved closer together from a condition at which the central section is in a fully-stretched condition.

Abstract: An apparatus for supporting a watercraft in relation to a surface flooring of a body of water includes a support member for supporting the watercraft and an engaging member adapted to be connected to the support member to selectively retain the watercraft in relation to the support member. A securing assembly is operably connected between the support member and the watercraft to provide a compressive loading force therebetween. Preferably, the support member is formed of a substantially rigid construction. The engaging member is adapted to receive the support member in engagement therewith and may be configured to pivotally engage the watercraft. The securing assembly is moveable between a first position and a second position, thus converting a portion of the weight of the watercraft into a compressive load on the support member. The apparatus for supporting a watercraft may also include a retaining member disposed in relation to the support member.

Abstract: Starting from a mooring assembly with a fixed mooring point and the combination of at least one rigid arm which, in the moored position, lies above the water surface, a rigid connecting element connected by means of a pivot point therewith and being essentially vertical at rest, and a weight, connected to the assembly and producing at movements of the floating body to and from the mooring point resetting forces acting upon this body in that the ends of the rigid arm and the connecting element respectively, opposite the first pivot point, are connected either with the mooring point on the one hand and the floating body on the other hand or with the floating body on the one hand and the mooring point on the other hand, the invention proposes that the weight is connected to the rigid connecting element. As a result the structure of the rigid arm can be simpler and the assembly will be easier to use.

Abstract: This specification discloses an apparatus for assisting in mooring of a boat. The apparatus includes a strut support assembly designed to secure the apparatus to a dock post, and elongated strut secured at it's one end to the support assembly and a hook attached to it's opposite end. A clamping mechanism is incorporated in the support assembly to removably secure it to a vertically oriented dock post at a desired elevation. The strut comprises an elongated, rigid tube and a tension spring disposed interiorally of the tube in axially extending relationship with it's one end secured to the support assembly. When unextended, the opposite end of the spring terminates at the outter end of the tube. An elongated strut connector extends between the support assembly and the struts tube and functions to maintain the strut in a horizontal plane. The hook is pivotally connected to the outermost end of the spring to swing in a plane aligned with the struts longitudinal axis.

Abstract: A floating boat dock assist assembly has a frame with a substantially V-shaped mouth which is truncated by a flexible rubber tire supported by the frame.

Abstract: In the case of ferries, floating bridges or the like, a bridge support and a ramp forming the connection to the bank are connected to one another pivotably via a pivot point. For adjusting the ramp incline, a differential cylinder is arranged between the bridge support and the ramp in the area of the pivot point. The piston surfaces of the differential cylinder are impinged upon with a pressure that adjusts itself in accordance with the respective loading of the ramp. The pressure in the cylinder chamber on the rod side is a measure of the bending moment in the connecting area of the ramp to the bridge support. A pressure limiting valve, serving as a safety valve, limits the pressure in the cylinder chamber on the rod side and consequently the bending moment in the connecting area of the ramp to the bridge support. The pressure limiting valve is arranged in a line connecting the two cylinder chambers directly to one another.