Float-out

Float-out

Float-out is the process in modern shipbuilding that follows the keel laying and precedes the fitting-out process. It is analogous to launching a ship, a specific process that has largely been discontinued in modern shipbuilding. Both floating-out and launching are the times when the ship leaves dry land and becomes waterborne for the first time, and often take place during ceremonies celebrating and commemorating that event.

Launching

Prior to the large-scale use of drydocks (building or graving docks) for constructing ships, most vessels were constructed on a slipway- an inclined building platform. It was sloped toward a body of water into which the ship would be launched.

Contemporary Shipbuilding

The launching of ships has been largely replaced by the “floating” process. After a ship is ordered for construction, its keel is laid in a drydock. Construction of the ship continues in the dock- usually in the form of prefabricated units that are assembled.

After the hull has been substantially completed, sluice gates are opened and the drydock fills with water. The dock gates are then opened and the ship is pulled out by tugboats to a berth where the remaining construction continues. This usually includes further construction of the superstructure, attaching of masts and funnels, and the installation of equipment and furnishings.

The completed ship will usually return to drydock for installation of other equipment, propulsion parts, and the painting of its hull.

The first superliner to be constructed in this manner was the SS United States. But the history of ‘floating” ships rather than “launching” goes back more than one hundred years before that vessel's construction. The SS Great Britain designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel was constructed in drydock and floated on July 19, 1843. She is currently in Bristol, England, United Kingdom.

Naming ceremony

Ships which are launched typically are christened and formally named at their launching ceremonies, even though they are not completed until later. Some recent passenger vessels which were constructed in drydocks were not formally christened when floated out. The naming ceremonies of Queen Mary 2 and Freedom of the Seas took place after completion and delivery to their owners, in the case of "Freedom of the Seas" after her first transatlantic crossing.

External links

* [http://www.matson.com/bos/progressMain.shtml/ ‘’Birth of a Ship’’, Construction process of container ship MV Maunawili]
* [http://www.akeryards.com/upload/?id=f75eace589443f754f33cf9ac79dc9c0] Float-out of Liberty of the Seas


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужно сделать НИР?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Out of Gas — For other uses, see Out of Gas (disambiguation). Out of Gas Firefly episode Episode no. Season 1 Episode 8 Directed by Da …   Wikipedia

  • Float glass — is a sheet of glass made by floating molten glass on a bed of molten tin. This method gives the sheet uniform thickness and very flat surfaces. Modern windows are made from float glass. Most float glass is soda lime glass, but relatively minor… …   Wikipedia

  • Float (álbum de Flogging Molly) — Saltar a navegación, búsqueda Float Álbum de estudio de Flogging Molly Publicación 4 de marzo de 2008 Género(s) …   Wikipedia Español

  • Float (album de Flogging Molly) — Float est le cinquième disque studio du groupe de folk punk américano irlandais Flogging Molly, sorti en 2008. Plus sombre et politique que les précédents, les chansons traitent de l histoire de l Irlande et de la religion. Titres Requiem for a… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • out|rig|ger — «OWT RIHG uhr», noun. 1. a framework ending in a float, extending outward from the side of a light boat or canoe to keep it from turning over: »With the outrigger not only was danger of capsizing reduced…but the craft could tack, that is, sail… …   Useful english dictionary

  • Float (Flogging Molly album) — Infobox Album | Name = Float Type = Album Artist = Flogging Molly Released = March 4, 2008 Recorded = Genre = Celtic rock, punk rock Length = 39:35 Label = SideOneDummy Producer = Flogging Molly Reviews = *Allmusic Rating|3.5|5… …   Wikipedia

  • float — The use of funds generated as a result of timing differences in the check clearing system. For banks, float occurs because debits given by the Federal Reserve to a bank s reserve account for checks being cleared can be received prior to the time… …   Financial and business terms

  • Float — The number of shares that are actively tradable in the market, excluding shares that are held by officers and major stakeholders that have agreements not to sell until someone else is offered the stock. The New York Times Financial Glossary * * * …   Financial and business terms

  • float — 01. When I was a little boy, I used to enjoy spending time at the park watching sticks [float] down the stream, and chasing after them. 02. The body of a young man was found [floating] in the harbor this morning. 03. The fishermen put out… …   Grammatical examples in English

  • float — {{Roman}}I.{{/Roman}} noun Float is used after these nouns: ↑milk, ↑parade {{Roman}}II.{{/Roman}} verb 1 on water/in air ADVERB ▪ gently ▪ slowly ▪ downstream …   Collocations dictionary

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”