This page contains a Flash digital edition of a book.
[WRE UPDATE | PRODUCT]


Photo D Photo E


T e jaws of each Claw assembly have eight steel tines weighing 11 tons apiece. T e tines are connected in an off set fashion, allowing them to interlock when the Claw is in the closed position. When retrieving a topside from the sea fl oor, the blocks open each Claw half, allowing the tines to be positioned around the sunken topside. T e tension in the blocks is then released, the Claw moves back to a closed position, and the topside is retrieved in a scooping motion in the process (Photo E). Depending on the structure, the tines are either inserted into the topside or interlock beneath it, securing it for lifting. T e main hoist blocks then raise the Claw assembly as it clutches the topside, and the GPS thrusters of the VB 10,000 position the system above the basket that has previously been lowered to the sea fl oor. T e Claw deposits the topside on top of the


Photo F 74 JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2012 WIRE ROPE EXCHANGE


basket, and the entire lift package is now ready to be brought to the surface.


OPERATION In a four-day span in September, the VB 10,000 retrieved fi ve sunken topsides from the Gulf of Mexico. One gantry was used to perform the underwater lift of each topside with the Claw, while the other gantry of the VB 10,000 used a counterweighted lift bar rigging setup to lift each basket, resulting in the quick, effi cient recovery of approximately 3,500 tons of hurricane debris (Photo F). Wire rope is a key component to


Versabar’s success in off shore salvage operations. Over 67,500 ft. of wire rope is used to operate the VB 10,000. In addition, custom wire rope slings provided by Yarbrough Cable of Memphis, TN are used extensively in Versabar’s rigging solutions. ❙


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76  |  Page 77  |  Page 78  |  Page 79  |  Page 80