Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1913-11-08

er, are made of wood. The object OF
this is not only to reduce the cost of
construction. but it also very greatly
reduces the cost of maintenance.
BY pontoons is meant all that part
of the dock ordinarily under water.
In the Inter-Island dock there are
nine pontoons LOO feet in length
across, and SO feet in width longitu-
dinally of the dock These pontoons
are separate structures secured to-
gether by the side walls or wings.
The wings are 300 feet in length and
80 feet high. and are Of steel The
wings are attached to the pontoons
by links and steel wedges driven in
such way as to force the bottom of
the steel wings against the deck of
the pontoons and make the whole
structure rigid and secure.
All pontoons are divided into two
water-tight compartments by bulk
head located down the center Of the
DOCK and each com arfHent so
formed is provided With ii valve or
gate for letting in the water and a
pump for forcing it out. s When a ship
is to be drydocked, all the valves, or
gates, are opened theF water is al
lowed to enter the pontoons The re-
suit is just the same as IL hole were
opened in the side of a ship that is,
the dock commences to sink The
valves are left opens tlBa dock is al
lowed to sink to such a depth as will
allow the vessels to enter between
the side walls over the keel blocks ar
ranged down the center The vessel
in entering is controlled and located
by lines secured to the vessel and
handled by men moving along the
tops of the wings.
System of Operation IS
When the vessel IS located and Sc
cure in the proper position over the
keel blocks, the pumps, being opeFat-
ed with electricity, are started up
gently, forcing the water out which
causes the drydock as a whole to rise
in the water until the keel blocks
touch the bottom of the vessel Then
certain other blocks are driven in to-
ward the center on each side, the
movement being brought about by
ropes operated from the tops of the
wings. These blocks prevent. the YES
sci from rolling from side to side.
The pumping is then commenced and
dock and vessel rise together. until
the top or deck of the pontoons comes
above the surface, when the vessel is
in drydock and ready for repair.
The Inter-Island dock is $50 feet
long by 100 feet in width and has a
lifting capacity of $500 tons. 1t was
originally designed fol. 7e00 tons; it
may be increased to that amount
later. 1t can easily handle a ship
the size of, the Wilhelmina. It's cost
has been about $500, 900. - %.
W.T. Donnelly OF New York. the de-
signer of this drydock. and one of the
foremost drydock men OF the coun-
try. explained the advantages OF float
ing drydocks over basin docks for
commercial ship purposes yesterday
He is in the city now, guest at the
Pleasanton hotel, and will remain
here about three weeks: Before he
returns to the mainland he expects 20
see the new drydock> ready for SER
vice.
This is what he said regarding the
floating drydock:
ITO most people the floating dry
dock is looked upon as a necessity,
and receives consideration for no
other reason. A greater familiarity
with the subject of ship repair would
undoubtedly lead to a much better
understanding. Taking the Shipping
Of the world into consideration there
can easily be shown that there is a
greater expense for drydocking and
ship repair than for ship building.
There are a certain number of new
ships added TO the fleets Of the world
each year, while all existing ships
mus be drydoeked fer painting and
repair 1t is a rather remarkable
fact that there is not a single ship
building plant in or about New York
harbor, while there are no less then
so drydocks,z representing about 90
different firms engaged in ship re-
Fair work.
Floating Cocks Predominant
cot the 80 drydocks in New York.
fIoofipr wv no