THE AUSTRALIAN NAVAL ARCHITECT Volume 8 Number 3 August 2004 The Australian Naval Architect 2 THE AUSTRALIAN NAVAL ARCHITECT Journal of The Royal Institution of Naval Architects (Australian Division) Volume 8 Number 3 August 2004 Cover Photo: CONTENTS Three 22 m patrol boats built by Austal Ships for the Kuwait Coast Guard, Kassir, Dastoor and Mahroos, showing their 4 From the Division President paces during trials off Western Australia (Photo courtesy Austal Ships) 4 Editorial 5 Letters to the Editor The Australian Naval Architect is published four times per year. All correspondence and advertising should be sent to: 6 News from the Sections The Editor 17 Coming Events The Australian Naval Architect c/o RINA 22 General News PO Box No. 976 EPPING NSW 1710 40 Education News AUSTRALIA email: [email protected] 46 From the Crow’s Nest The deadline for the next edition of The Australian Naval 47 The Internet Architect (Vol. 8 No. 4, November 2004) is Friday 22 Octo- ber 2004. 48 Industry News Articles and reports published in The Australian Naval Architect reflect the views of the individuals who prepared 50 Ship-sinking Monster Waves them and, unless indicated expressly in the text, do not necessarily represent the views of the Institution. The 52 The Profession Institution, its officers and members make no representation 53 Membership Notes or warranty, expressed or implied, as to the accuracy, completeness or correctness of information in articles or 56 Naval Architects on the Move reports and accept no responsibility for any loss, damage or other liability arising from any use of this publication or the 57 Australian Museum Eureka Prize information which it contains. 59 From the Archives The Australian Naval Architect ISSN 1441-0125 © Royal Institution of Naval Architects 2004 Editor in Chief: John Jeremy Technical Editor: Phil Helmore RINA Australian Division Print Post Approved PP 606811/00009 on the Printed by B E E Printmail World Wide Web Telephone (02) 9437 6917 www.rina.org.uk/aust August 2004 3 I are your representatives, so we cannot afford to let slip our From the Division President opportunity as a professional organisation to contribute to The past three months have been extremely busy for the the improvement of the national framework. If you have Division, and the action still has some way to run. There any views that you feel should be expressed to either of these has been something happening to involve just about NMSC forums, please don’t hesitate to let Bryan or me know. everyone, no matter whether your interests lie in yachting, In particular, if you have any subjects that you feel should commercial vessels, career progression, you name it! be discussed at the NMSC Marine Safety Conference, now I won’t repeat the items of Council business covered by Keith is the time to let me know. Adams elsewhere in this issue, but there’s plenty more! Registration as Chartered Engineer Eminent Speaker Tour Divisional Council has been actively pursuing several aspects During July we had a lecture tour by the eminent speaker of the professional recognition of RINA members through Professor Peter Jackson. This was organized by Engineers the course of this year. While the establishment of an area Australia and supported by the Division. I attended his of professional practice entitled “naval architecture” is presentation in Canberra, on a subject that is a pleasure for looking positive and has been covered elsewhere in this most and work for a select few, which was well received edition, increasing pressure has been applied by some despite the land-locked venue. For those like me not employers for their professional engineer employees to professionally involved in sailing, it seemed to provide a obtain Chartered registration. Members and Fellows facing most enlightening “total engineering” perspective to high- this situation should be aware that all such employers performance yacht design and construction. contacted to date have indicated that the requirement can be met by registration as Chartered Engineer (CEng) obtained National Standard for Commercial Vessels (NSCV) through the Australian Division of RINA. Details are set At about the time you receive this edition of our journal, the out in a letter dated 4 August which I sent to all members by public comment period will close for two documents email through the Secretaries of Sections. produced by the National Marine Safety Committee which I trust that you will see from the above that recent months will be of particular importance for those naval architects have been challenging for the Divisional Council. The who now use the USL Code and will use its successor developments outlined above provide something of document, the NSCV. RINA, through the Divisional Council, significant interest for practically all of our members. is attempting to ensure that the outcomes in these documents Nonetheless, it is not a time for reflection. Work on the provide a robust safety framework which can be readily NMSC/NSCV subjects and our professional status looks like implemented by naval architects. Details of these requests continuing for a few months yet at least, and provides tangible for public comment are given elsewhere in this issue. evidence of the increasing value of membership of, and The first of these documents for comment is the draft of the participation in, RINA as our professional body. fire safety section, which is nearing completion following Finally, having known him since our university days, I would input from RINA in its earlier stages. Without prejudging like to congratulate Rear Admiral Trevor Ruting RAN on what amendments might result through the public comment his recent promotion. This promotion is an indication of phase, this document appears to me to be reasonably robust not only his personal qualities, but also the quality of the and should not present too many problems to naval architects. profession to which he is proud to belong. Somewhat more problematic is the second document, a discussion paper on the development of the construction Rob Gehling requirements of the NSCV. This paper sets the scene for replacement of the present USL Code requirements and Editorial proposes a number of possible options for that replacement It seems like only yesterday that we were swept up in the under the NSCV. As the passage of time has meant that it is Olympic Games in Sydney — a memorable and once-in-a- no longer possible for such replacement to be like-with-like, lifetime event particularly for those of us who were lucky these options are somewhat radical compared with the status enough to be involved in some way. The last four years have quo. It may be possible to develop further options with which passed by with the usual controversies but finally a colourful USL Code users are more comfortable, but this will not opening ceremony has heralded the start of the 2004 Games happen unless people in the industry, naval architects in in Athens. particular, respond to the NMSC’s invitation to have their The watery opening may be one of the few maritime aspects say. Divisional Council, through its Safety Group, is of the games we see on television — as was the case in attempting to provide coordinated input to these aspects of Sydney sailing is unlikely to attract much television time the NSCV. unless we look like winning a medal or two — but we can Members should note that two developments during this year rejoice in the selection of the experienced sailor and Atlanta reflect recognition by the NMSC of the role that naval Bronze medal winner Colin Beashel to carry the Australian architects can and should play in the development of the flag in the opening ceremony. content of the NSCV. First, Bryan Chapman was invited to The Greek facilities appear to be magnificent and the location join the NSCV’s Industry Advisory Committee as RINA is, of course, unrivalled. We wish all involved in the 2004 representative, and then I received an invitation to sit on the Games success in their endeavours and an experience to committee preparing the program for the NMSC’s Marine savour for many years to come. Safety Conference in Hobart in April next year. Bryan and John Jeremy The Australian Naval Architect 4 good system is to take along two stools or buckets Letters to the Editor (which can be filled with water) and to which the Dear Sir, batten can be clamped over the (lower) pendulum bucket. The correspondence regarding U-tubes for inclining experiments in the last issue of The ANA read well, and my U-tubes, in comparison, require simultaneous friend (whose innocent question started it all) is pleased with locations for the two standpipes athwartships of the outcome so far. each other. However, no-one has yet answered my question. If you start (c) U-tubes require careful alignment to ensure that with both tubes level, heel the ship and find that one tube both standpipes are initially parallel and vertical, has altered by six units, say, and the other tube has altered and careful attention that all air has been eliminated by four units, say, then what is the correct reading? No from the tube, all of which takes time. As a result, amount of simultaneous reading will be of any help. I don’t pendulums are much quicker to set up than U-tubes. know the answer. It was this type of problem which led me These factors mitigate against the use of U-tubes, quite apart to reject U-tubes as the sole means of measuring heel. from purely technical considerations. Robert Herd Sean Cribb UNSW Student Dear Sir, Perhaps I could attempt to answer Mr Herd’s question.