Deployment and Retrieval of the Boom 



300-ft sections of Sea Curtain and the two Bennett booms were 

 connected together using standard Navy boom connectors, and the mixed 

 900-ft boom was deployed and retrieved using the PAU. Two types of 

 deployment and retrieval procedures were carried out: (1) deployment 

 from the pier into the water, and (2) deployment from the pier onto 

 the FTB. Procedures, manpower, and time required to deploy boom from 

 the pier to the FTB are given later under Evaluation of the Flattop 

 Boat. In this section, only deployment of boom from the pier into 

 water is described. 



Deployment : Prior to deployment, the 900-ft boom was faked crosswise 

 on the pier. Figure 7. A boom towing attachment was attached to one 

 end of the boom, a 50-ft towing line was connected to the towing 

 attachment, and the free end of the line was dropped through the PAU 

 to the crew in the UTB. The boom was deployed over the PAU as the UTB 

 slowly pulled the boom into the water, and kept the boom straight 

 ahead of the PAU, Figure 8. Several precautionary measures were taken 

 during deployment. (1) the UTB kept the boom in line with the PAU at all 

 times by maneuvering as required. (2) One operator at the PAU kept 

 the boom centered on the tires at all times. (3) A minimum crew of two 

 was used in all UTBs. 



The deployment required a total of six men: two men in a UTB, 

 one man at the PAU to keep the boom centered on the tires, and three 

 men paying the boom over the PAU into the water. The deployment of 

 the 900-ft mixed boom took 8.67 minutes, under no wind, and no 

 wave conditions. 



Retrieval : For boom retrieval, the towing line at one end of the 

 boom was thrown to the crew on the pier. The towing line was then 

 passed through the PAU. There was a mild wind (about 5 knots) which 

 made it necessary to use two UTBs to keep the boom straight and in line 

 with the PAU. One UTB held the towing line at the other end of the boom 

 whereas the second UTB was used to pull the boom in the middle, on 

 occasions, to line it up with the PAU. However, care was taken to ensure 

 that the UTB holding one end of the boom did not exert a pull on the 

 boom, and against the crew pulling the boom on the pier. It was felt 

 that in stronger winds, it will not be possible to pull the boom out 

 of water using the PAU because the winds will push the boom in one 

 direction. Then, to keep the boom in line with the PAU, one would 

 need a boat pulling the loose end of the boom to line up with the PAU. 

 If so, it will be extremely difficult for the crew on the pier to 

 retrieve boom when the UTB is working against them. In strong winds, 

 the most effective means for retrieving boom could be a crane. 



To reduce crew fatigue, it was necessary to use six , strong, 

 young, experienced, and motivated men to pull the boom out of the water 

 under the mild wind conditions of 5 knots: one man on the camel 

 log to line up the boom with the PAU, one man on the emergency PAU 



