Abstract: A buoyancy tank for a portable floatation apparatus which allows for the elevation of a watercraft above a water-line and which allows for the removal of the watercraft from a body of water. The buoyancy tank has at least one and/or a plurality of integrated cylindrical structures which supports the floatation apparatus in transport and storage. The integrated cylindrical structures provide sufficient support to allow the removal of the floatation apparatus by use of a boat lift and further provide sufficient support to allow a watercraft to be stacked on top of the floating apparatus while the floating apparatus is stacked on top of the floating apparatus for the purposes of storage. A plurality of said buoyancy tanks may be connected to the portable floatation apparatus by use of connecting means.

Abstract: A boat guide is coupled with a boat support and includes one or more float assemblies. The float assemblies are coupled with the boat support such that forward and rearward ends of the float assemblies are movable between lower and upper positions with respect to the boat support. The float assemblies are independently moveable with respect to the boat support. One or more boat guides may be positioned at the entrance of the boat support to help orient the vessel as it enters the boat support. A boat stop may be positioned at the end of the boat support to position the vessel along a length of the boat support. The boat guide is easily adapted for use with docks, slips, boat lifts, and trailers.

Abstract: A articulating staging system includes a series of interconnected stage links each having a platform and a support frame. A fixed central stage link is provided to which intermediate stage links are attached. Additional intermediate stage links may be attached to adjacent intermediate stage links. End stage links may attach to adjacent stage links to provide an access point. The intermediate and end stage links articulate about one another and the central stage link to position and reposition the system around a structure for repair, assembly, and maintenance work. The central stage link has opposing concave ends to which convex ends of the intermediate stage links interface. The intermediate stage links have a concave end to which an adjacent intermediate stage link interfaces. The end stage link interfaces similarly. The stage links interface by way of the support frames which interconnected underneath the platforms of the stage links.

Abstract: An arctic jackup truss leg comprises a plurality of chords, an outer bracing network with a plurality of bracing elements connecting the plurality of chords, an internal bracing network with a plurality of bracing elements, and a bridge plate network with a plurality of bridge plates, wherein each bridge plate has two ends that are coupled with the bracing elements of the outer bracing network and the internal bracing network respectively.

Abstract: For a self-powered marine lifting vessel or catamaran having static buoyancy, a working deck is forcibly raised or lowered by flexing or extending each of a plurality of articulated pairs of fixedly mounted support beams connecting each hull and the deck. One version uses locally applied forces at the joints from adjacent hydraulic cylinders, incidentally causing the hulls to rotate about their axes. Another version forces the hulls to rotate axially from a non-rotating aft inter-hull linkage. Applications include routine harbor maintenance and hull cleaning, then emergency marine pollution including oil cleanup at a polluted site.

Abstract: A free-floating, compact, self-stabilizing, self-monitoring, remote-controlled, shallow-water, solar, high-speed, air displacement watercraft lift constructed of polyethylene tanks, and non-metallic structure. This device provides vertical lifting by inflating 4 or more air tanks at once using a blower for each tank, pushing water out an exit hole on the bottom of each tank. Each tank has an electric valve for filling and another for exhausting air. Pairs of tanks are pivotally connected along the centerline, and pairs of tanks are connected with a union tube inside the axles. A monitoring system fills the air tanks if air leaks. The width of the lift is adjusted by adjusting the center bunk height, or by adding a spacer.

Abstract: A draft gauge, including: four balancing float tanks, a central control room, a first and second connection beam, a pump-valve chamber, a longitudinal connection beam, flexible centering brackets, a lateral connection beam, a scanning sensor, and a side scanner. The four balancing float tanks are arranged at two sides of a hull with every two balancing float tanks arranged at each side of the hull. The flexible centering brackets are fixed on an inner side of the first connection beam and on an inner side of the second connection beam, respectively. Every two balancing float tanks at opposite sides of the hull are connected via the lateral connection beam. The scanning sensors are evenly arranged on the lateral connection beam. The side scanner is arranged on one side of the balancing float tank in a close proximity to the hull.

Abstract: A free-floating, compact, self-stabilizing, self-monitoring, remote-controlled, shallow-water, solar, high-speed, air displacement watercraft lift constructed of polyethylene tanks, and non-metallic structure. This device provides vertical lifting by inflating 4 or more air tanks at once using a blower for each tank, pushing water out an exit hole on the bottom of each tank. Each tank has an electric valve for filling and another for exhausting air. Pairs of tanks are pivotally connected along the centerline, and pairs of tanks are connected with a union tube inside the axles. A monitoring system fills the air tanks if air leaks. The width of the lift is adjusted by adjusting the center bunk height, or by adding a spacer.

Abstract: A free-floating, compact, self-stabilizing, self-monitoring, remote-controlled, shallow-water, solar, high-speed, air displacement watercraft lift constructed of polyethylene tanks, and non-metallic structure. This device provides vertical lifting by inflating 4 or more air tanks at once using a blower for each tank, pushing water out an exit hole on the bottom of each tank. Each tank has an electric valve for filling and another for exhausting air. Pairs of tanks are pivotally connected along the centerline, and pairs of tanks are connected with a union tube inside the axles. A monitoring system fills the air tanks if air leaks. The width of the lift is adjusted by adjusting the center bunk height, or by adding a spacer.

Abstract: A free-floating, compact, self-stabilizing, self-monitoring, remote-controlled, shallow-water, solar, high-speed, air displacement watercraft lift constructed of polyethylene tanks, and non-metallic structure. This device provides vertical lifting by inflating 4 or more air tanks at once using a blower for each tank, pushing water out an exit hole on the bottom of each tank. Each tank has an electric valve for filling and another for exhausting air. Pairs of tanks are pivotally connected along the centerline, and pairs of tanks are connected with a union tube inside the axles. A monitoring system fills the air tanks if air leaks. The width of the lift is adjusted by adjusting the center bunk height, or by adding a spacer.

Abstract: A floatable dry dock includes a lifting cradle having two spaced arms pivotally mounted on a buoyant base and, one or more flotation tanks interconnecting the arms. A platform is mounted on the arms and a platform support is operable to ensure that the platform remains horizontal when the arms pivot about their pivotal attachment to the base.

Abstract: A boat can be provided with an electrically controlled outboard motor, or other type of propulsion unit, for producing thrust according to an operation of a remote control unit provided in a hull of the boat. The remote control ECU which can output a remote control operation signal can be provided in the remote control unit. An engine ECU which can receive the remote control operation signal and control the outboard motor, can be provided in the outboard motor. The remote control unit and the outboard motor can have respective connectors directly connected to each other via a DBW CAN cable.

Abstract: In a first embodiment the combination boat dry dock and boat launching apparatus includes two planar dock sections pivotally connected to each other. The dock sections include cradle straps for supporting the hull of a boat with the longitudinal axis of the boat in substantial parallel relationship with the pivot axis of the dock sections. Each dock section is supported by two pontoons attached at proximal and distal portions of the dock sections. The two pontoons at respective proximal portions of the dock sections may be flooded with water to allow the proximal portions of the dock sections to descend below water level for launching of a boat. Air is introduced into these two pontoons for expelling water and thereby raising the dock sections above the water level. In a second embodiment, a constant buoyancy pontoon is mounted to each dock section intermediate the other pontoons. A pump and conduits transfer water between the proximal and distal pontoons of each dock section.

Abstract: In a first embodiment the combination boat dry dock and boat launching apparatus includes two planar dock sections pivotally connected to each other. The dock sections include cradle straps for supporting the hull of a boat with the longitudinal axis of the boat in substantial parallel relationship with the pivot axis of the dock sections. Each dock section is supported by two pontoons attached at proximal and distal portions of the dock sections. The two pontoons at respective proximal portions of the dock sections may be flooded with water to allow the proximal portions of the dock sections to descend below water level for launching of a boat. Air is introduced into these two pontoons for expelling water and thereby raising the dock sections above the water level. In a second embodiment, a constant buoyancy pontoon is mounted to each dock section intermediate the other pontoons. A pump and conduits transfer water between the proximal and distal pontoons of each dock section.

Abstract: A floating boat lift capable of accommodating a wide variety of V-hulled boats. The boat lift is comprised of docking members, a bow stop that protects the hull of the boat, a stern segment and at least one intermediate segment. The stern segment and intermediate segment contain a channel with rollers that assist in conveying the boat over the boat lift and supporting the boat when docked. The rollers have different height configurations and can be positioned in different trays in the channel so that they can be used with boats that have different dead rise angles.

Abstract: A superport/vessel is disclosed that is capable of quickly and efficiently handling off shore cargo transportation and oil production problems. The super port/vessel is modularly constructed.

Abstract: A method for constructing a large-scale marine structure, which comprises: providing, near a dock (2) of which at least one end faces the waters through a gate (6), a pond (5) having an end thereof facing the waters through another gate (6'); constructing in the dock (2) a plurality of blocks (1A, 1B) for the large-scale marine structure (1); towing out the plurality of blocks (1A, 1B) thus constructed from the dock (2) to the waters, and towing same into the pond (5); tack-welding together the plurality of blocks (1A, 1B) in the floating state in the pond (5); discharging water in the pond (5) to cause the plurality of blocks (1A, 1B) thus tack-welded together to land onto the bottom (5a) of the pond (5); and fully welding together the plurality of blocks (1A, 1B) tack-welded together to construct the large-scale marine structure (1).

Abstract: A method is disclosed for installing an integrated deck on a platform substructure located in a body of water. The deck is supported on jack-up means which, in turn, are mounted on a rigid pontoon raft having a U-shaped configuration. The jack-up means is capable of raising and lowering the deck to and from, respectively, the substructure and for raising the composite platform from one position and lowering it to another position offshore. The U-shaped opening in the raft is oriented so that the jack-up means on the barge straddles the substructure below the deck. Piles may be driven through the base from the raft and from the platform itself when the raft has been removed from the deck once the deck has been installed on the substructure.

Abstract: In order to make possible a "self-docking" of a floating dock, the dock is divided into a middle pontoon and two end pontoons, which are interconnectable in alternative positions in the vertical direction, so either the middle pontoon, or the end pontoons may be lifted out of the water. The pontoons are held together by bolts, which are accessible from cofferdam-like spaces, formed when two pontoons are fitted together, and which may be maintained watertight. Male and female coupling members are furthermore provided to secure the pontoons in their two operative positions. During a disconnecting and connecting operation the pontoons are guided by rigid link arms, chains or the like.

Abstract: A floating dry dock system comprises a main or central boxlike dry dock which for example may include a bottom and a side wall on each side and a lifting pontoon associated with the central unit which is adapted to be flooded so as to be positionable completely across the bottom of the central unit. The pontoon made of a size sufficient to permit it to be ballasted to raise the central unit above the level of the water so that the portions thereof which are not covered by a pontoon are freely accessible on their bottoms above the sea level. The pontoon advantageously includes at least one console on one side to accommodate the ballasting equipment and it has advantageously mated separable bottom box shaped tanks which are interconnected with a side tank having a console and upward extension.

Abstract: A floating dock which includes a bottom portion which is about one half of the length of the largest ship to be considered, but substantially narrower than the ship, a short stem portion at one end of the bottom portion, and a U-shaped stabilizing body at the opposite end. The stabilizing body preferably is separate from the bottom portion, whereas the stem portion is integral therewith.