LA class. Help please

[boss subfixer]

Steveuk,
You build the boat

Steveuk,
You build the boat on level ground,not on declevity, shift it over to a pontoon and lower it into the water. When launch time rolls around it's already in the water and just sitting there (insert big yawn here). A bunch of people get up and talk and they break a bottle of champaign on the boat. No where as exciting as watching a boat slide down the ways and into the water.

[steveuk]

Now that IS boring. I

Now that IS boring. I see what you mean.
Why change the old way. Don't tell me ..Health & Safety thought it was too dangerous to ride on a sub sliding down the slipway.

[tom dougherty]

No, it came due to

No, it came due to a radical shift in building procedures. Rather than the hulls being erected on inclined ways, they are now built in "Land Level Facilities", which as the name implies, are level, and are basically big indoor construction sheds. The individual hull cylinders are on wheeled tranporters, which ride on recessed rails. The sets of tracks run at 90 degree angles, and have two sets of alternate wheels. The hull cylinder can thus be inserted into its correct place in the growing hull, and welded. Once all the cylinders are welded together, the submarine ends up sitting on a number of these transporters, and is wheeled out and transferred to the pontoon area, lowered, and the basin flooded.

Here, have a look]http://www.navsource.org/archives/08/0877406.jpg[/url]

http://www.navsource.org/archives/08/0877412.jpg

http://www.navsource.org/archives/08/08002301.jpg

http://www.navsource.org/archives/08/08002302.jpg

http://www.navsource.org/archives/08/08002304.jpg

http://www.navsource.org/archives/08/0877403.jpg

http://www.navsource.org/archives/08/0877404.jpg



Edited By Tom Dougherty on 1130959386

[anonymous]

It's cheaper to launch this

It's cheaper to launch this way as the cradles are reusable. Also cheaper as the builder can go to modular hull construction as Tom pointed out. In addition, with the old "slide-out" method the increased size of the boats puts more stress on the bow cradle (which is designed to crush so the boat doesn't...) as the boat pivots when the stern floats free halfway through the launch. Plus, this increased mass in motion can wreak havoc if the tides don't cooperate. Correct me if I'm wrong, but all OHIO class boats were launched the "new" way (no pun intended).

Pick up a copy of The Yard. Some nice anecdotes on launching mishaps at BIW ( Bath Iron Works).

[boss subfixer]

Tom,
part of the radical shift

Tom,
part of the radical shift was the boats were getting heavier and heavier at launch time, more things were installed on the building ways. In the long run it may have been a safety issue of the boat coming off the blocks along with the fact the heavier the boat being slid into the river the harder it is to stop.
Just my oppinion.
Don
P.S. Chris,Yes all the Tridents where launched the boring way.



Edited By Boss subfixer on 1130890689

[anonymous]

Thanks Don. Been a while

Thanks Don. Been a while since I've been down there!