Another rough weather video
- Thread starter Nauti Fox
- Start date
Kipper
Well-Known Member
all seems very calm in the bridge considering how big those waves must be. I wounder what speed they were maintaining ?
Dyflin
Well-Known Member
[ QUOTE ]
all seems very calm in the bridge considering how big those waves must be. I wounder what speed they were maintaining ?
[/ QUOTE ]
Welcome to the world of the North Sea offshore industry. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
She'll just be "dodging". On auto-pilot, engines giving just enough power to keep head to wind and she'll happily sit there for weeks on end. Officer will just be sitting watching the radars and plotter, making sure she keeps well clear of any shipping/platforms etc. The alternative is to steam up and down but everyone from the engine room to galley to old man will have a thing or two to say once you turn beam on into the weather /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif For days/weeks on end every log entry will read just three letters, WOW.
Some more video of similar of these guys on this tread:
http://www.ybw.com/forums/showflat.php/Cat/0/Number/1118102/an/0/page/1#1118102
all seems very calm in the bridge considering how big those waves must be. I wounder what speed they were maintaining ?
[/ QUOTE ]
Welcome to the world of the North Sea offshore industry. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
She'll just be "dodging". On auto-pilot, engines giving just enough power to keep head to wind and she'll happily sit there for weeks on end. Officer will just be sitting watching the radars and plotter, making sure she keeps well clear of any shipping/platforms etc. The alternative is to steam up and down but everyone from the engine room to galley to old man will have a thing or two to say once you turn beam on into the weather /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif For days/weeks on end every log entry will read just three letters, WOW.
Some more video of similar of these guys on this tread:
http://www.ybw.com/forums/showflat.php/Cat/0/Number/1118102/an/0/page/1#1118102
epervier
Well-Known Member
the trucks of the north sea, delivering equipment and stores to platforms and rigs,last time I saw one of these in the flesh was 1991 Total's Miller Platform, 270kms north east of Peterhead, Scotland.
Dave3729
Well-Known Member
Must get down and fix my wipers !
tome
Well-Known Member
Waiting on Weather (WOW)! Had forgotten the tedium of those 3 letters...
Bajansailor
Well-Known Member
Re 'Waiting on weather', are they waiting for conditions to ease enough so that they can then come alongside (or next to rather) the rig and discharge their cargo?
Also, I remember reading somewhere that every rig now has to have a supply vessel on stand by all the time, I think as a result of Piper Alpha - is this correct?
This is a fascinating subject re anchor handling and other types of supply vessels, and I know very little about it, hence I very much appreciate all the comments and links posted here and in the Ships forum re these fine ships.
Also, I remember reading somewhere that every rig now has to have a supply vessel on stand by all the time, I think as a result of Piper Alpha - is this correct?
This is a fascinating subject re anchor handling and other types of supply vessels, and I know very little about it, hence I very much appreciate all the comments and links posted here and in the Ships forum re these fine ships.
tome
Well-Known Member
In our case, I was navigating seismic survey ships which tow vast arrays up to 11km behind the vessel. In anything above abt F7 there was too much acoustic noise to survey, but we wouldn't recover the gear unless it was going to be F9+, and if we left it too late it was too dangerous to work on the back deck so we had to dodge - sometimes for days. Recovering the gear could easily take 24 hours so not a decision to take lightly
When it got too rough to dodge (F11 ish) we were forced to run with the seas on our quarter and that's when the fun really began
When it got too rough to dodge (F11 ish) we were forced to run with the seas on our quarter and that's when the fun really began
Bilgediver
Well-Known Member
WOW means just that..Work has stopped and the ship or rig is waiting for weather to drop back to acceptable standards before work can commence.
In the case of the rig it could be that the cranes are shut down due to wind or heave or both or that the whole rig has shut down and drilling has stopped with the well being made safe in the event the rig gets blown off location.
Any supply boats out at the location will do just as others have said and point head to sea and hold position with the engines at reduced speed. I was on the Gorm Viking one Xmas and went out of Montrose to replace three anchor chains on Benvrackie. We sat on location for 10 days waiting for a break so we could change the three rig chains one at a time. These chains are made from 3 inch links ( dia of bar) and each link weighs over 100 lbs.
My collegues on the rig said that were periods when we were out of sight in the swells for some time!!!!!
The bridge atmosphere was totally relaxed just as in the vidio with the biggest problem was keeping the coffee in the mugs. The bridge is right over the bows so gives a ride like something out of Alton Towers. This of course is all in a days work and the storm in the video is average for the north sea. It gets more interesting when the 100 footers come down like express trains
John
In the case of the rig it could be that the cranes are shut down due to wind or heave or both or that the whole rig has shut down and drilling has stopped with the well being made safe in the event the rig gets blown off location.
Any supply boats out at the location will do just as others have said and point head to sea and hold position with the engines at reduced speed. I was on the Gorm Viking one Xmas and went out of Montrose to replace three anchor chains on Benvrackie. We sat on location for 10 days waiting for a break so we could change the three rig chains one at a time. These chains are made from 3 inch links ( dia of bar) and each link weighs over 100 lbs.
My collegues on the rig said that were periods when we were out of sight in the swells for some time!!!!!
The bridge atmosphere was totally relaxed just as in the vidio with the biggest problem was keeping the coffee in the mugs. The bridge is right over the bows so gives a ride like something out of Alton Towers. This of course is all in a days work and the storm in the video is average for the north sea. It gets more interesting when the 100 footers come down like express trains
John
Bajansailor
Well-Known Member
Thank you John and Tome for these posts.
Tome, when you are running off before a F 11, I am guessing this would (usually) be still with your seismic towing gear out (?) - would this act like a large drogue effectively?
John, changing 3" diameter anchor cables sounds pretty risky (to say the least!) - had your vessel brought these cables out as cargo? I guess you would recover the old anchor (are they still using very large Bruce anchors?) first via the stern roller?
Another question - I saw a write up recently about a new type of supply vessel with the accomodation block aft, and a whaleback forward over the bow - I guess it could only be used for supply, and not anchor handling, but I am wondering if anyone on here has had experience of this type as well?
Tome, when you are running off before a F 11, I am guessing this would (usually) be still with your seismic towing gear out (?) - would this act like a large drogue effectively?
John, changing 3" diameter anchor cables sounds pretty risky (to say the least!) - had your vessel brought these cables out as cargo? I guess you would recover the old anchor (are they still using very large Bruce anchors?) first via the stern roller?
Another question - I saw a write up recently about a new type of supply vessel with the accomodation block aft, and a whaleback forward over the bow - I guess it could only be used for supply, and not anchor handling, but I am wondering if anyone on here has had experience of this type as well?
Dyflin
Well-Known Member
Re: the ships on standby at platforms & rigs. These are not normally supply boats, at least not dedicated supply boats, they are (historically) the dregs of the offshore fleet that have been overhauled to work in this role (eg the Havilla fleet: http://www.havila.no/default.asp?menu=12) A lot will be converted fishing boats and whalers or retired supply and anchor handlers. They are getting better and some are now purpose built. It's traditionally seen as quite a low rung on the ladder of offshore snobbery. Most of these standby boats will just go out to a platform and circle it for 28 days non stop, waiting for a catastrophe to happen, which rarely does. So for the guys onboard, it's tedious work.
The aft accommodation supply ship is the 'Viking Avant', http://www.ship-technology.com/projects/viking2/
It certainly sounds like an interesting project but I have heard no reports of how she is getting on?
The aft accommodation supply ship is the 'Viking Avant', http://www.ship-technology.com/projects/viking2/
It certainly sounds like an interesting project but I have heard no reports of how she is getting on?
tome
Well-Known Member
No, we'd hope to get our gear safely on board before running off as there was a high risk of gear damage with following seas. Also, the end of the arrays were marked with surface tailbuoys containing expensive nav, acoustics and radios which would be bashed to bu<span style="color:black">ggery. The final part of recovering each streamer was to get the tailbuoys on board, and this meant backing the ship up to the seas - not something you want to be doing in much more than F8ish, and not after the seas have had time to build
It was a fine balance during the winter months. Recovery meant at least 48 hours out of action before we could resume. On one occasion we recovered and headed for shelter whilst a sister ship had left it too late. She was forced to dodge into a sustained F12 and blew in a complete armoured window with frame below the bridge, and another wave visibly bent the bow and lifted the foredeck plating.
She was quite a sight when she evantually made port, and the poor bloke who was in his bunk in the cabin when the window and greenie came in was treated to many a beer whilst he recounted his shocked tale
I was twice out in sustained F12 during the winters of 90 & 91, the seas were awesome! Quite an experience being on a well found ship and watching the brutal raw power of nature all around
It was a fine balance during the winter months. Recovery meant at least 48 hours out of action before we could resume. On one occasion we recovered and headed for shelter whilst a sister ship had left it too late. She was forced to dodge into a sustained F12 and blew in a complete armoured window with frame below the bridge, and another wave visibly bent the bow and lifted the foredeck plating.
She was quite a sight when she evantually made port, and the poor bloke who was in his bunk in the cabin when the window and greenie came in was treated to many a beer whilst he recounted his shocked tale
I was twice out in sustained F12 during the winters of 90 & 91, the seas were awesome! Quite an experience being on a well found ship and watching the brutal raw power of nature all around
Bajansailor
Well-Known Member
Thank you Tome and Dyflin for the most interesting posts above!
That 'back-to-front' supply vessel 'Viking Avant' looks rather fine - just looked her up - she does rather look almost like someone did a 'cut and paste' job on a regular supply boat re moving the accom block. Would be interesting to hear from anyone who has first (or 2nd or 3rd...) hand experience of her.
And Tome's account of being out in a F12.... oooh dear, one Force (I think) away from a hurricane..... can imagine that the off watch crew-member on your sister ship was not too amused to have icy North Sea dumped in his bunk (and on him) with considerable force!
That 'back-to-front' supply vessel 'Viking Avant' looks rather fine - just looked her up - she does rather look almost like someone did a 'cut and paste' job on a regular supply boat re moving the accom block. Would be interesting to hear from anyone who has first (or 2nd or 3rd...) hand experience of her.
And Tome's account of being out in a F12.... oooh dear, one Force (I think) away from a hurricane..... can imagine that the off watch crew-member on your sister ship was not too amused to have icy North Sea dumped in his bunk (and on him) with considerable force!
PilotWolf
Well-Known Member
It still amazes (and frightens) me how a sea can change so much - from a glass like surface which gives a reflection as good as a mirror to a raging malestrom of 40 foot seas in a matter of a couple of hours...
..and still so many 'amateurs' chose to try to beat mother nature at her own game.
W.
..and still so many 'amateurs' chose to try to beat mother nature at her own game.
W.
Gludy
Well-Known Member
Can you please give us details of when it can go from glass calm to 40 foot seas in hours? Is this in UK waters?
BrendanS
Well-Known Member
have you ever tried any of the online tests for personality disorders. Your attention to detail sometimes borders on obsessive
Gludy
Well-Known Member
Brendan
I am asking a simple straight forward question - not making a statement.
If someone had actually come across an instance where the conditions changed that fast it would interest me because i could learn from it.
So for my simple, no catch question I get an absurd personal attack from you.
I think you should grow up a bit and stop being so sensitive.
I am asking a simple straight forward question - not making a statement.
If someone had actually come across an instance where the conditions changed that fast it would interest me because i could learn from it.
So for my simple, no catch question I get an absurd personal attack from you.
I think you should grow up a bit and stop being so sensitive.
BrendanS
Well-Known Member
not a personal attack, just a question.
tcm
...
i think he just went out from the harbour where it was glassy to the sea?
Nonetheless, no reason why we can't have a bit salty seadog stuff, you can't beat nature, the sea knows all, there are no old bold sailors and so on...
Nonetheless, no reason why we can't have a bit salty seadog stuff, you can't beat nature, the sea knows all, there are no old bold sailors and so on...
Gludy
Well-Known Member
Brendan
I had hoped you would grow up but have no lost all hope.
Just try and conduct a thread without making personal attacks - it may be hard but if you really try it can be done and you may even find life more enoyable. Give it a try.
I had hoped you would grow up but have no lost all hope.
Just try and conduct a thread without making personal attacks - it may be hard but if you really try it can be done and you may even find life more enoyable. Give it a try.