Patent ID: 7451718

Claim:
A mooring arrangement comprising, a vessel ( 102 ) having a substantially rigid structure ( 103 ) which extends from keel ( 107 ) to upper deck ( 105 ) of said vessel ( 102 ) forming a chamber ( 106 ) in said vessel, a relatively flexible tube ( 130 ) mounted to said keel ( 103 ) with an upper end ( 118 ) of said tube ( 130 ) extending upwardly into said chamber ( 106 ) and with a lower end of said tube ( 130 ) mounted at an opening to the sea where said tube is mounted to said keel ( 107 ), a substantially rigid ring ( 113 ) mounted to said upper end ( 118 ) of said relatively flexible tube ( 130 ), and a turret ( 115 , 116 ) arranged and designed to be anchored to a sea floor and disposed coaxially within said tube ( 130 ), said turret ( 115 , 116 ) rotatively mounted to said rigid ring ( 113 ) via a bearing arrangement ( 117 ), whereby, said vessel is enabled to weathervane about said turret ( 115 , 116 ) when said turret ( 115 , 116 ) is anchored to said sea floor, and ovaling forces of said substantially rigid structure ( 103 ) are limited from transfer to said substantially rigid ring ( 113 ) by said relatively flexible tube ( 130 ).