[davidpm]

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/02/m...orld-though-it-isnt-exactly-a-ship-.html?_r=0

 

[Minnesail]

Wow, that's something else.

I wonder what kind of anchor it uses?

 

[Puddin'_Tain]

Wow, that's something else.

I wonder what kind of anchor it uses?

Can't you just see someone in a little Catalina trying to invoke the COLREGS and claiming "Right of Way" if they come across this monster?

 

[Puddin'_Tain]

Wow, that's something else.

I wonder what kind of anchor it uses?

A scuttled supertanker?

 

[Minnesail]

Can't you just see someone in a little Catalina trying to invoke the COLREGS and claiming "Right of Way" if they come across this monster?

Me in my little 22 yelling "STARBOARD! STARBOARD!"

 

[paul323]

minnesail:

"For anchors, Prelude uses four groups of mooring chains, each link of which is more than three feet long and was cast in the Basque region of Spain."

Large.

 

[Minnesail]

minnesail:

"For anchors, Prelude uses four groups of mooring chains, each link of which is more than three feet long and was cast in the Basque region of Spain."

Large.

I read that, but what kind of anchor do those giant chains attach to? And is it all chain? How much scope?

 

[Capt Len]

What we are witnessing here is the early evolution of the Borg. Resistance is futile.

 

[MarkofSeaLife]

Its to be anchored of the North West Shelf in Australia. Wonder how much the anchoring fee is there? Or is it like Florida where they can tell you to move?

 

[Minnewaska]

That's one big stinkpot. I bet the crew is drunk and it's the first boat they've owned.

 

[jvlassak]

Wow, that's something else.

I wonder what kind of anchor it uses?

Must be a rocna...

 

[davidpm]

I like the part where it is recent miniaturization that makes this structure possible. Apparently the land based equivalent is much, much larger.

It is also interesting that they don't depend completely on the anchoring system. They have some monster engines and props so they can motor into seas and relieve pressure on the ground tackle in major storms.

If this is the most economical way to solve the problem that is very interesting as at first glance it would seem that appropriately sized ground tackle would be cheaper than monster engines and props etc but apparently not.

I'll bet that what happens is that once you get a few million tons of barge surging you can't connect enough chain to hold it fast.

If that thing did break loose and head down stream, I couldn't imagine.

 

[Capt Len]

Although not quite in the same league, some of the island drill rigs in the Beaufort were pretty impressive too. A whole bunch of 11 ton Bruce's held them until the ocean freezes and then it's run and hide.