Model Boat Mayhem

Please login or register.

Login with username, password and session length.
Pages: 1 [2]   Go Down

Author Topic: A question for ex-RMAS crews  (Read 2484 times)

dodes

  • Full Mayhemer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 985
  • Location: Hampshire
Re: A question for ex-RMAS crews
« Reply #25 on: February 25, 2021, 08:05:49 pm »

My pleasure mate.
Logged

dodes

  • Full Mayhemer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 985
  • Location: Hampshire
Re: A question for ex-RMAS crews
« Reply #26 on: March 16, 2021, 05:31:40 pm »

Hi Nick, this picture is of Salmaids fore deck working a small barge mooring at Faslane, but it would not look any different to Goosesanders foredeck. Mooring chain (square chain)all came in a uniform length of 20ft and 20 links per length, 6 lengths per leg. £.5" for class 4 as in this pic to 6" for 1st class the measurement being taken from the thinnest part in the middle of the link the ends being substantially bigger. But anyway I thought it would give you an idea of some of the work these work boats could cope with. They were classed S.M.V.'s (Salvage, Mooring , vessels), but were used for a lot of different types of work from various trials to maintaining Met buoys with 1/4 mile long risers. Even helping move special units of the cuff, friend of mine salvaged a sekorsky Sea King which was landed at Portland and was flying the next day. But they did recover a lot of crashed R.A.F. planes with RMAS Salvage Diving Teams. But now all gone due to Money savings and internal department arguments
Logged

unbuiltnautilus

  • Portsmouth Model Boat Display Team
  • Full Mayhemer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 3,154
  • Location: Portsmouth, England, third rock from the Sun....
Re: A question for ex-RMAS crews
« Reply #27 on: March 17, 2021, 08:38:24 pm »

That is some selection of chain types and sizes there!
Logged
Listen politely, nod approvingly, then do what you want, works for me!

Shipmate60

  • Global Moderator
  • Full Mayhemer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 5,800
  • You bark - I will bite!!!
  • Location: Fareham
Re: A question for ex-RMAS crews
« Reply #28 on: March 17, 2021, 09:29:11 pm »

The square link was changed for lighter chain and sold for scrap. Most of the heavy moorings were raised and scrapped. Ironic now we have a 65000 ton carrier.


Bob
Logged
Officially a GOG.

unbuiltnautilus

  • Portsmouth Model Boat Display Team
  • Full Mayhemer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 3,154
  • Location: Portsmouth, England, third rock from the Sun....
Re: A question for ex-RMAS crews
« Reply #29 on: March 17, 2021, 10:25:32 pm »

Nothing changes!

Logged
Listen politely, nod approvingly, then do what you want, works for me!

dodes

  • Full Mayhemer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 985
  • Location: Hampshire
Re: A question for ex-RMAS crews
« Reply #30 on: March 18, 2021, 11:54:08 am »

Yes under the contract with SERCO, they were supposed to recover and renew all the chain ground work. Big problem, the firm quoted for doing this, did not come up with new plans at start of contract so most of the moorings were left as are. The other problem is with new open link cable to get the length with the correct weight nigh on trebled the length of chain required which is not possible in the postion of most moorings in up harbour sites. But as with most things when it comes to money the MoD will accept lower standards to have on paper their requirements met. The old moorings had to have a partial raise every 5 years to check for wear and if there was 10% wear the whole mooring had to be raised and checked and all parts with wear over the limit was changed out. In the distant pass times, the chain would be down graded to the next class mooring, so you could be lifting old 1st class in a 5th class moor, which made the 5th better because it had more weight to hold it down, especially in hard rocky bottoms. The square link design came about when the R.N. wanted a standard design of moorings to be laid in any position it wanted. So there were large trials held with various designs of chain and anchors and the square link beat all on holding capacity for its length and weight, a length had a holding power of 1, the anchors on the end are for insurance and peace of mind as a 1st class would hold a large battleship and put no weight on its anchors. Trouble was when the chain was made the RN would take one length out of each batch and test to destruction, plus before 1960, when a inspection of a mooring was done, the lengths were tested at the chain house in the Dockyard. When in the 1980's came new S.A.L.M.O's in the mooring and salvage department demanded test certificates to comply with the D.T.i regs. Unfortunately none were given to square link, so they told the MoD the chain was unsafe, all the spare stock was sold off as scrap. Some port Authorities like the Medway bought them from the scrap yards and used it. The reason for the DTi demanding certs was the Trinity House was using un cert open link chain for light buoys which parted due to wear. But chain is now tested when new to safe working limits then visually inspected after that. So I am glad I am out of it, as I used to have to lift measure and pass fit or replace mooring gear on a regular basis.
Logged
Pages: 1 [2]   Go Up
 

Page created in 0.111 seconds with 21 queries.