Saildrone Launches First Next-gen Surveyor USV
the Surveyor will provide the Navy and other government customers with a cutting-edge solution for open-ocean hydrographic surveys and maritime domain awareness (MDA) missions that require persistent wide area coverage.The Surveyor’s aluminum hull and keel were manufactured by Austal USA, and the fiberglass composite wing and internal components were built at Saildrone’s headquarters in Alameda, Calif.“It is tremendous to see the first vehicle launched of many that will be produced here in Alabama,” said Saildrone founder and CEO Richard Jenkins. “Everyone at Saildrone is very
Not All Underwater Reefs are Made of Coral
objects or materials are appropriate to deploy in the ocean.For example, decommissioned ships are thoroughly cleaned and drained of fuel and other polluting substances prior to sinking to minimize environmental risks. Some materials that were once used to create artificial reefs, such as rubber, fiberglass, wood and plastic, are now prohibited because they may move from their placed location, damaging nearby habitat, or deteriorate quickly in salt water.Reefed objects can be sunk only in predesignated areas of the U.S. seafloor. These zones, which are usually sandy sea bottom, total about 2,200 square
Threat to Whales Complicates US Research into Seaweed for Biofuel
shallow water plot is dedicated to research.Whereas traditional kelp lines are often placed just 2 meters (7 feet) below the surface, "we pin the kelp arrays very close to the ocean floor," he said. "Whales theoretically can go over top of it."He's also experimenting with stiff fiberglass rods to replace rope, designed to break rather than ensnare a whale bumping against them. Lovett hopes their designs, once proven, could be taken to future offshore sites in deeper waters where whales travel.Woods Hole researcher Scott Lindell, the recipient of a $4.9 million DOE grant for sugar
Lander Lab #3: Buoyancy
to solve both the flotation and stability problems.Specific gravity: One of the first techniques to stay within the buoyancy budget is the use of a material selected for its specific gravity, strength and bulk modulus. All things being equal, select the lighter material. For example: Fiberglass (FRP) has a specific gravity of 1.7, whereas aluminum is 2.7. Steel is about 8. Lead is 11.3. Marine grade HDPE is 0.96, which means it floats. We don’t use HDPE for flotation, but it subtracts zero from the buoyancy budget. Most plastics are not prone to corrosion
Lander Lab #2: Small Autonomous Landers for Studying the Community Ecology of Nearshore Submarine Canyons
centerplate; 3) ~25 cm polyamide spheres stacked top, middle and bottom, top is the command sphere, middle has 32mAh LiPo battery, and bottom is the camera; 4) sphere retainer; 5) auxiliary ~18 cm flotation sphere; 6) oil-filled LED lights; 7) Seabird MicroCAT-ODO in the lower payload bay; 8) central fiberglass frame; 9) stabilizing counterweight; 10) anchor slip ring; 11) 40-lbs expendable iron anchor; 12) burnwire release and mount x 2 sides; 13) Edgetech hydrophone for acoustic command and tracking; 14) HDPE side panels; and 15) surface recovery flag. Not shown: drop arm on front. (c) To scale images
More Than $5.9 Mln Invested in Marine Debris Cleanup Projects
National Marine Sanctuary; the removal of at least 20 abandoned and derelict vessels from estuaries in North Carolina; the engagement of 500 students in Michigan to become Marine Debris Prevention Ambassadors and reduce waste produced in school lunchrooms;.and the development of a recycling program for fiberglass boats in Washington State and across New England.“Communities face the harmful effects of marine debris every day, from trash on beaches to abandoned vessels,” said Nicole LeBoeuf, acting director of NOAA’s National Ocean Service. “The projects supported by these grants
Abandoned Fiberglas Boats are Harming the Marine Environment
Where do old boats go to die? The cynical answer is they are put on eBay for a few pennies in the hope they become some other ignorant dreamer’s problem.As a marine biologist, I am increasingly aware that the casual disposal of boats made out of fiberglass is harming our coastal marine life. The problem of end-of-life boat management and disposal has gone global, and some island nations are even worried about their already overstretched landfill.The strength and durability of fiberglass transformed the boating industry and made it possible to mass produce small leisure craft (larger vessels like
Lifeboat Converted Into Unsinkable Solar-Powered Arctic Excursion Boat
, and winch operation while the second acts as a domestic bank, supplying 660 amp hours of electricity powering the refrigerator, the composting toilet, the toaster, the kettle, the power tools, and the crew’s laptops. Stodig is 33 feet long, 3.5 feet wide and has about 6.5 feet of headroom. The fiberglass of the boat is twice as thick as that of a normal pleasure boat and the builders stated that the vessel is unsinkable: the boat is designed to be able to roll over and roll back up to the surface when fully sealed.The boat’s first planned excursion, which will cover from 2200 up to 3100 miles
Oi: Tracking 50 Years of Ocean Innovation
vehicles.Vintage Valeport – an example of the early Braystoke Impeller brochure. Valeport is also celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2019.New materials have also made their impact. “Engineering materials, especially plastics, have made wonderful advances,” says Hardy. “PEEK, fiberglass, delrin, and a host of others became as common in the Scripps machine shop as the marine-grade aluminums. Synthetic ropes, from nylon and polypro, to Kevlar and Spectra, have made working at sea a bit kinder.”In 2000, Oceanology brought in 6,146 visitors and 600 exhibiting companies
February 2024
