Ship Launching
Ship Launching
M 709-B
TRADITIONAL LAUNCHING
The most commonly used method of launching a ship is one that has remained virtually unchanged for thousands of years. It is, perhaps, the simplest solution to the problem of moving a vessel from Point A on dry land to Point B much lower in the water. Basically, it involves transferring the ship's weight from the blocks that have supported her during construction to the launchways. These are greased timbers which help the ship to slide down into the water and consist of slidingways (attached to the bottom of the ship), and standingways (fastened to the ground). Everything is held securely in place until the moment of the launch when traditionally, a bottle is broken to trigger the release. The ship should then glide down the slipway under her own weight into a floating position.
METHODS OF LAUNCHING
There are three principal methods of conveying a new ship from building site to water, only two of which are called "launching. The oldest, most familiar, and most widely used is the end-on launch, in which the vessel slides, usually stern first, down an inclined SLIPWAY. The SIDE LAUNCH, whereby the ship enters the water broadside, came into 19th-century use on inland waters, rivers, and lakes, and was more widely adopted during World War II. The third method is FLOAT-OUT, used for ships that are built in basins or drydocks and then floated by admitting water into the dock. Technically, this is not a launch, although sometimes erroneously referred to as such.
SLIPWAY
A slipway, boat slip or just a slip, is a ramp on the shore by which ships or boats can be moved to and from the water. They are used for building and repairing ships and boats. They are also used for launching and retrieving small boats on trailers and flying boats on their undercarriage. The nautical term ways is an alternative name for slipway. A ship undergoing construction in a shipyard is said to be on the ways. If a ship were scrapped there, she is said to be broken up in the ways. Nevertheless the words "slip" and "slipway" are also used for all dry-docking installations that use a ramp.
As the word "slip" implies, in theory the ships or boats are moved over the ramp, standing on a sledge, with help of grease. Slipways are used to launch (newly built) large ships, but can only dry-dock or repair smaller ships. Pulling large ships against the greased ramp would require too much force. For dry-docking large ships, one must use carriages supported by wheels or by roller-pallets. These types of drydocking installations are called "marine railways".
Figure 1 - Balance of the forces while ship is sliding down the slipway
SIDE LAUNCHING
Sidewise launching is achieved in a similar manner with a large number of shorter ways or carriages.
1.
4.
2.
5.
3.
6.
SHIPLIFT
A shiplift is a modern alternative for a slipway, a floating dry dock or a graving dry dock. A shiplift is used to dry dock and launch ships. It consists of a structural platform that is lifted and lowered exactly vertical, synchronously by a number of hoists. First, the platform is lowered underwater, then the ship is floated above the support, and finally the platform with ships support and ship is lifted and the ship is brought to the level of the quay. Nowadays, shiplift are most of the time supplied under rules of a classification authority. Lloyd's Register of Shipping is the authority with most experience in the certification or classification of shiplifts. "SHIPLIFT" is the word that is normally used, the term used by Lloyd's register is "Mechanical Lift Dock".