# Tool Talk >  Launching an oil tanker ship with airbags - GIF, videos, and photo

## Jon

Launching an oil tanker ship with airbags.



Your browser does not support the video tag.


An up-close example airbag:




1:30 video:




2:28 video:





More:

Ship Launching Airbags - Blue Ocean Tackle Blue Ocean Tackle
Rubber Fender, Yokohama Fender, Marine Airbag | Qingdao Luhang Marine Airbag and Fender Co., Ltd

Previously:

Salvaging a 50,000 ton ship by cutting it into slices
Expanding cruise ship GIF
Helicopter lands on ship in rough seas
Anchor drop failure - video

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durrelltn (Feb 15, 2022),

KustomsbyKent (Dec 5, 2017),

sak778 (Jul 14, 2021),

Seedtick (Dec 5, 2017)

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## Frank S

A couple of those air bag rollers would make a nice Zodiac or mount a platform on top of them and have an indestructible pontoon boat

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## Jon

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PJs (Sep 10, 2018),

Seedtick (Sep 8, 2018),

sossol (Sep 8, 2018)

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## Frank S

Look quick it's towmater as a spy on the water

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Toolmaker51 (May 1, 2019)

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## Jon

Your browser does not support the video tag.

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blkadder (Sep 8, 2018),

PJs (Sep 10, 2018),

Seedtick (Sep 8, 2018),

volodar (Apr 30, 2019)

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## PJs

Looks like Groucho sorting!

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## Jon

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baja (Feb 5, 2019),

high-side (Feb 5, 2019),

KustomsbyKent (Feb 4, 2019),

PJs (Feb 5, 2019),

ranald (Feb 9, 2019),

rlm98253 (Feb 4, 2019),

Seedtick (Feb 4, 2019),

Toolmaker51 (Feb 17, 2019),

volodar (Apr 30, 2019)

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## PJs

I'm assuming divers must retrieve the supports. Very cool looking modern tanker...and Big!

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## ranald

Proves she's boyant . Seen side tipping by trucks but this is impressive. 

What a beautiful ship. the runway slip runners ate attached to at least one side (port) for retrieval I guess.

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## Jon



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ranald (Feb 16, 2019),

Toolmaker51 (May 4, 2019)

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## ranald

No one seemed to worry about the guy who was in the way.Very un Abel!

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## Frank S

The guy who tripped was on his own no way to stop the ship once it started to move

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## Jon

Alright, it's official. _Ship Launches_ is definitely a thing. A good thing. And that includes boats and submarines too.



Your browser does not support the video tag.

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Scotsman Hosie (Apr 30, 2019),

Seedtick (Feb 18, 2019)

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## ranald

I think I'll get aboard after the pod is launched.

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Drew1966 (Apr 30, 2019)

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## Frank S

Not sure which would be more dangerous staying onboasrd ship until it sinks or having to ride that pod when it was being launched
I'll take my chances with the ship.
Or to coin the quote from agent "K", you may want to fasten your seat belt

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will52100 (Feb 18, 2019)

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## Loose Ctrl

> Alright, it's official. _Ship Launches_ is definitely a thing. A good thing. And that includes boats and submarines too.
> 
> <video controls autoplay loop>
> <source src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/hmt-forum/submarine_flip_ship_launch.mp4" type="video/mp4">
> Your browser does not support the video tag.
> </video>



I've been trying to get my hands on one of those lifeboats like that. When I find them, they are to far away or to costly.

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## 12bolts

Yep



> I'm assuming divers must retrieve the supports.



You will note the cradles are attached to the ship via cables and turnbuckles. These are released once the ship is stable and in a suitable position for crane access. Then divers, (like myself), either bring them to the surface with air bags, or attach the crane directly to the parts for retrieval. Done it numerous times.
Would love some more info on the launch of the "Tasman" as it seems to be a ship destined for Australia

Cheers Phil

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## ranald

> YepYou will note the cradles are attached to the ship via cables and turnbuckles. These are released once the ship is stable and in a suitable position for crane access. Then divers, (like myself), either bring them to the surface with air bags, or attach the crane directly to the parts for retrieval. Done it numerous times.
> Would love some more info on the launch of the "Tasman" as it seems to be a ship destined for Australia
> 
> Cheers Phil



Me too, I'd love to see more. The Tasman just possibly, may be destined for the Netherlands to service all those underwater baffles/louvers that control water surges & protecting that underwater country= wouldn't want all those pretty flowers drowned or clogs ruined. They have some very talented Engineers there.

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## Jon

Ship falls the wrong way during launch. 0:23 video:

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Andyt (May 1, 2019),

baja (May 1, 2019),

EnginePaul (May 1, 2019),

jimfols (May 1, 2019),

Miloslav (Apr 30, 2019),

Scotsman Hosie (Apr 30, 2019),

Seedtick (Apr 30, 2019)

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## Scotsman Hosie

Man, _that's_ got to ruin someone's whole day.

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## hemmjo

> <video controls autoplay loop>
> <source src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/hmt-forum/googly_eyes_machines_working.mp4" type="video/mp4">
> Your browser does not support the video tag.
> </video>



Made me think of Lucy and Ethel at the Chocolate Factory..

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ranald (May 6, 2019),

Scotsman Hosie (May 4, 2019)

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## hemmjo

> Alright, it's official. _Ship Launches_ is definitely a thing. A good thing. And that includes boats and submarines too.



Don't they typically have life boats like that on offshore oil rigs? Those guys are tough, they can handle a ride like that.

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## Hoosiersmoker

"Wait... Which is Starboard again???"

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## Loose Ctrl

> "Wait... Which is Starboard again???"



Right. Port is left.

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## Hoosiersmoker

Tell the guy launching the boat that!  :Lol:   :Lol:   :Lol:

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Loose Ctrl (May 1, 2019)

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## ranald

> Not sure which would be more dangerous staying onboasrd ship until it sinks or having to ride that pod when it was being launched
> I'll take my chances with the ship.
> Or to coin the quote from agent "K", you may want to fasten your seat belt



And fit a spew bag over the head. Also saves cost of going to the theme park, just in one bounce.

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## ranald

> Don't they typically have life boats like that on offshore oil rigs? Those guys are tough, they can handle a ride like that.



They are tough just like their bullet proof underwear.

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## Toolmaker51

> The guy who tripped was on his own no way to stop the ship once it started to move



Agreed. Good evidence of lax procedures. No spotters, no 2-way radios, no hand signals. One man appears to have jumped in. Hope he wasn't crushed against a pier by the wave, as it didn't seem to have surfed him back out on the pavement.

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## Toolmaker51

And I don't think your auto club card covers this size of towing. A Lincoln in the ditch is one thing. 130-odd ton vessels another.

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## ranald

> Made me think of Lucy and Ethel at the Chocolate Factory..



I remember that episode :..................................................................... probably because I wet myself.

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## Frank S

Try as they might there will never be another Lucy and Ethel team.
Some things just worked like Abbot & Costello, Laurel and Hardee The Marx Bros' Lucy & Ethel to name a few. Not always just the comedy acts

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## Jon

Airbag ship launch fail.



Your browser does not support the video tag.

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baja (Sep 4, 2019),

Miloslav (Sep 7, 2019),

Scotsman Hosie (Sep 11, 2019),

Seedtick (Sep 3, 2019)

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## Paul Alciatore

I don't think that failure had anything to do with the air bags. There is no way that thing could be stable. Only about 1/5th of it's main mass was below the water and the superstructure was above even that. How could it possibly have stayed upright? One wonders if the engine was even installed yet. There was an obvious, complete lack of ballast. Unless the bottom plate was 12" thick, the center of buoyancy was far, far below the center of mass. They weren't even close. 

Physics works. 






> Airbag ship launch fail.
> 
> <video controls autoplay loop>
> <source src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/hmt-forum/ship_launch_fail_on_side.mp4" type="video/mp4">
> Your browser does not support the video tag.
> </video>

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Scotsman Hosie (Sep 11, 2019)

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## Frank S

> I don't think that failure had anything to do with the air bags. There is no way that thing could be stable. Only about 1/5th of it's main mass was below the water and the superstructure was above even that. How could it possibly have stayed upright? One wonders if the engine was even installed yet. There was an obvious, complete lack of ballast. Unless the bottom plate was 12" thick, the center of buoyancy was far, far below the center of mass. They weren't even close. 
> 
> Physics works.



Agreed that vessel was launched way too green

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## Ralphxyz

and with a flat bottom no keel at all, strange.

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## 12bolts

Bilge keels

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## Scotsman Hosie

Wouldn't want to be one of the poor dumb bast*rds having to ride it out.

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