Cool Launch of Barge

[manlymatt83]

My friend works for this company, and they launched a barge last week. He sent me this video. Pretty cool!

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[johnjbruin]

I had no idea barges were launched like this as well.

No offense, but my ignorant mind used to think that they are just inert floating shells with nothing special, so why do they need a special launch? Am I missing something?

The video is cool nonetheless.

 

[spaceghost21]

Awesome

 

[bsobel]

No offense, but my ignorant mind used to think that they are just inert floating shells with nothing special, so why do they need a special launch? Am I missing something?

Yea, it was brand new, they build them on land as keeping holes in water empty while building turns out to be a PITA

 

[djheater]

What's going on with the boat shooting water in the background?

 

[Rubycon]

Originally posted by: djheater
What's going on with the boat shooting water in the background?

Fireboat salute. The fireboats pump water through their cannons at wide open throttle to create a plume of water visible for long distances.

 

[djheater]

Originally posted by: Rubycon

Originally posted by: djheater
What's going on with the boat shooting water in the background?

Fireboat salute. The fireboats pump water through their cannons at wide open throttle to create a plume of water visible for long distances.

oooo... neat...

 

[manlymatt83]

From my friend:

If they put it in lengthwise, it would have rammed into the opposite bank before they could get it stopped. That
barge is 105 feet wide, but 483 feet long, and very streamlined. It hits the water at about 20-25 mph, and would
be tough to stop, longitudinally... sideways, it nearly stops itself, but still requires two tugs to catch it
before it goes too far. Lotsa splash anyway.

 

[BoomerD]

Nice launch. Sweet looking barge. Gawd knows I've spent enough dammed time on the decks of those things earning my living.


While they may appear to be "nothing special" to those who don't know, the launch of every barge is special...at least to the company who builds it and the company who's buying it...and they ain't cheap...there's a LOT of steel, engineering, and labor in each barge.

 

[manlymatt83]

Are these barges powered at all? Can they move on their own?

 

[Rubycon]

Most don't have propulsion if that's what you're referring to. They are pushed, or pulled with tugs or even a rogue rowing excavator. :laugh:

 

[BoomerD]

move? well, depends on the barge, but most are NOT self-powered. Some get positioning anchors that allow them some movement for working, but that's about it. The majority of barges are either towed or pulled from point A to point B.

The barges I worked on had 4 positioning anchors, one on each corner that allowed us to move up, down, left and right as needed. IIRC, we had about 1200 feet of 1-1/2, 2 or 3 " wire rope on each one. (depending on the size of the barge)