STAGING VESSEL MOORING COMPLEX 137 



LEG #4 

 2<)7°T 

 930 FT 



N LEG*I 



il** *J 022°T 

 1400 FT 



Fig. 75. The staging vessel moor 



2. Three shots of 2-in. stud link chain (270 ft) leading from the anchor to the ground ring, 

 where a 9000 -lb clump was attached. 



3. One ASR type mooring buoy connected by 1-1/4-in. wire of length equal to depth plus 

 30 ft to the ground ring. No pull would be transmitted through the buoy. The chief purpose of 

 the ASR buoy was to permit laying of all but the final connecting wire portion of the moor as 

 an entity and to use it for mooring ships and craft during Sealab operations. 



4. Leading from the ground ring with a Miller swivel, 1-1/4-in. 6x19 wire rope was con- 

 nected to the surface -support vessel. Although 6x37 wire was specified, 6x19 arrived because 

 of an error. This substitute was acceptable, although it was more difficult to handle. 



Two 1-1/4-in. Carpenter Stoppers and Bridles were used to hold the wire at the attachment 

 points of the surface-support vessel. After the desired position of the support vessel was 

 reached, a short 1-1/2 -in. chain was attached to the tension link. The chain was inserted in 

 the system to eliminate chafing of the wire, especially during swells. The tension link was 

 connected to a Sanborn 150 four-channel recorder. 



For basic mooring leg, refer to Yards and Docks Drawing No. 1,039,768. 



INSTALLATION OF MOORING LEGS 



All legs, except for the final connecting wires, were laid several weeks (July 12-16, 1965) 

 before the surface-support vessel was towed to the site. The legs were lowered in position 

 from the bow and then stretched. The USNS Gear (ARS-34) was used to lay the legs. They 

 were laid within 25 ft of their planned locations. Two shore transit stations were used to as- 

 certain the position of the ship laying the legs. 



The prior laying of these legs facilitated the mooring of the staging vessel when it arrived 

 at the site. 



MOORING OF STAGING VESSEL 



In preparation for placing the surface -support vessel in the moor, all the 1-1/4-in. wire, 

 except for Leg 5, was placed on the main towing drum of the Gear. The wire for Leg 5 was 



