Patent ID: 7993077
Filing Date: 2011-08-09
Classification: B63B,B63H,F16L

Abstract:
1. A method of towing an elongate article through water, comprising providing the article along its length with buoyancy adjusting material fitted closely to the article wherein said buoyancy adjusting material is sufficient to give the article overall a positive buoyancy so that it will not sink to the seabed and is distributed unevenly along the length of the article so as to create regions of negative buoyancy causing the article to adopt a wave profile with peaks and troughs along its length, connecting said article at its extremities to lead and trail tugs for controlling movement of the article through the water; and coupling at least one further tug to the article at an intermediate point between the extremities of the article, wherein the or at least one of the further tugs is used to apply ballast to control the depth of the article during towing.