The process of using inflatable air bags to bring
a sunken vessel (or other object) back to the surface. I have in
stock various sized marine salvage air bags with a combined total
capacity of 40,000 lbs. along with necessary slings, hoses, straps,
manifold, and compressor to complete the job.
Proper refloating
does not just mean bringing it to the surface, but bringing it to
the surface with NO further damage to structure. Inexperience, improper
lifting points,
poor quality slings, wrong size bags, even improper filling of bags can spell
disaster! The process begins with a recon dive to survey damage, and determine
sling placement. Then to the drawing board to calculate hull distribution loads,
structural weaknesses, # and size of lift bags required, cubic feet of air required,
and pressures with which to deal. Only once all the numbers are in place, can
the physical act of rigging and lifting begin.
I keep 40,000 lbs.
capacity of lift bags on hand for immediate use. Once floated,
an 11 hp Hale fire pump with inductor handles the dewatering process. A 3-hp
Pacer pump handles the smaller compartments not accessible to the big pump.
Air bags have other
uses also such as salvage repositioning, stabilizing vessels, keeping
vessels from sinking, floating pipes into position for installation,
lifting any number of items from the bottom of the river.
Please scroll
down the web page to view photos of some of our
work...
This is how we find
them...
This is what we do
with them...
The
1933 63’ wooden vessel above was resting in 16’ of water,
but the actual keel
was buried in mud an additional 6’. Three
tunnels had to be dredged completely
under the boat to install
the lifting straps. Total time to rig boat for lift was about
50 hours
yet it only took 50 minutes to inflate bags and put boat on surface.
Prep time
is by far the most time consuming part of the lifting
operation.
The
above 30' sailboat was refloated in Collington Harbor, NC in
2003. Total time to complete job was only 5 hours.
Refloating
of $1,000,000.00, 50', Ocean Yacht in Long Shoal during 3' seas.
