February 1999 Need a Fast Ferry Design? Call Us! Phone +61 2 9488 9877 Fax +61 2 9488 8144 Email: [email protected] the AUSTRALIAN NAVAL ARCHITECT
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THE AUSTRALIAN NAVAL ARCHITECT Volume 3 Number 1 February 1999 Need a fast ferry design? Call us! phone +61 2 9488 9877 fax +61 2 9488 8144 Email: [email protected] www.amd.com.au THE AUSTRALIAN NAVAL ARCHITECT Newsletter of The Royal Institution of Naval Architects (Australian Division) Volume 3 Number 1 February 1999 Cover Photo: The first of the British Columbia Ferry Corporation’s CONTENTS Pacificat class high speed passenger and vehicle cata- maran ferries, designed by Incat Designs Sydney. (Photo courtesy Incat Designs) 4 A Note from the Division President 4 From the Chief Executive The Australian Naval Architect is published 5 Editorial four times per year. All correspondence and advertising should be sent to: 5 Letters to the Editor 6 News from the Sections The Editor The Australian Naval Architect 7 Coming Events c/o RINA 10 General News Box No. 976, PO 19 Education News EPPING, NSW 2121 21 Membership News AUSTRALIA email: [email protected] 21 Professional Notes 25 BC Ferries Catamarans - R J Tulk. The deadline for the next edition of The Australian Naval Architect (Volume 3 No. 36 The Internet 2, May1999) is Friday 23 April 1999. 37 Westralia Report Opinions expressed in this newsletter are not 38 Some marine casualties - Exercises in necessarily those of the Institution. Forensic Naval Architecture (Part 2) - R J Herd 43 From the Archives The Australian Naval Architect ISSN 1441-0125 © Royal Institution of Naval Architects 1999 The Australian Naval Architect Editor in Chief: John Jeremy is on the Technical Editor: Phil Helmore World Wide Web Print Post Approved PP 606811/00009 at Printed by B. E. E. Printmail Telephone (02) 9437 6917 www.rina.org.uk 3 those who undertake such work expose themselves, A NOTE FROM THE see “Miller’s Tales” in Engineers Australia, January 1999. This may be found on the Internet if you don’t DIVISION PRESIDENT have the magazine. A President’s column for a publication such as The On a completely separate subject, two important agree- Australian Naval Architect should, I suppose, be a little ments have been signed recently. The first is a Co- like a keynote address at a conference or seminar. It operation Agreement between RINA (Australian Di- should provide a few pointers as to the direction of vision) and IMarE (Australia/New Zealand Division), the conference, or particular edition of the publica- which establishes areas of co-operation between these tion, highlight some salient issues, and provide the two bodies with a view to the possibility of an ulti- participant, or reader, with some encapsulated thoughts mate merger of RINA and IMarE. The second is a on the issues for consideration. Heads of Agreement between RINA – at the London For this issue I find that rather difficult. So many level – and IEAust on mutual recognition, dual mem- events and activities of importance to us as naval ar- bership and closer cooperation. This is a significant chitects have happened recently, or are happening document, which will be covered in detail in a future around us now, that choosing those which matter most issue of The Australian Naval Architect. is far from easy. Finally I want to mention the subject of elections to Perhaps the issue most recent in our minds will be the the London Council. You will find below a message tragedy of the recent Sydney–Hobart yacht race. from the Chief Executive, Trevor Blakeley, on this While the Coroner’s inquests and the Cruising Yacht subject. There is a chance here for Australia to Club of Australia inquiry are yet to be completed ex- have two members on the London Council. The pressions of opinion may not be appropriate. How- President is a member of the Council ex officio. In ever the loss of lives and vessels, and the injuries in- addition to this Noel Riley, immediate past-president, flicted on participants in this race, should concern us, has nominated for election to the London Council, particularly when viewed against the backdrop of the and voting will occur in the not-too-distant future. The recreational craft scene generally in this country. numbers of the situation are such that if Australian These losses provided the stimulus for what should members generally vote for Noel he will almost cer- be a significant one-day workshop on the Safety of tainly be elected. So when your voting papers arrive, Ocean Racing Yachts to be held at the University of don’t throw them out in accordance with normal prac- N.S.W. on 28 March. Details of this event are given tice. Please take the trouble to read them, then com- elsewhere in this issue, and from the roll call of speak- plete and return them in accordance with the instruc- ers engaged for the workshop it will be a significant tions. Our Division is big enough and well organized contribution by RINA to the safety of ocean yacht enough to deserve those two places on the Council. racing in Australia. Bryan Chapman Still with the subject of safety, and loss of life, the findings of the Naval Board of Inquiry into the fire on board HMAS Westralia, which occurred in May last FROM THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE year, were recently released. This report, which is discussed elsewhere in this issue, makes some very direct comments regarding non-adherence to pre- The voting forms for the 1999 elections to Council scribed processes and inadequate implementation of will be included with the March edition of RINA Af- quality assurance procedures. It is also worth noting fairs. The more observant members of the Division that the polar vessel Aurora Australis is currently un- will see that for the first time ever, a member of the dergoing repairs to damage caused by what appears Australian Division has been nominated. This follows to be a very similar fire – but fortunately without any the Council’s decision, reported in the September edi- loss of life – and that there have been a number of tion of RINA Affairs, to waive the requirement for other engine room fires on Australian-registered ves- Members of Council to attend at least 50% of meet- sels over the last 12 months. ings, thereby making it a practical proposition for members living overseas to become members of Coun- A further issue of significant concern to naval archi- cil. At the same time, the Council also determined tects, not least because of its potential impact on safety, that every standing committee should contain four is that of privatisation of Government survey func- overseas corresponding members.However, such de- tions. This subject will be discussed in a later issue. cisions are rendered meaningless unless individuals In the meantime, for a discussion on the risks to which are nominated and members exercise their right to 4 vote. I would therefore urge all members of the Divi- the payload requires, and ensure that the crew are safe sion to retrieve the voting form from the waste-paper and capable of operating the payload in all but the basket and fill it out. A pre-paid envelope will be sup- most extreme conditions is a liability, not an asset. plied, but I am happy to receive votes by fax. It is time we stopped calling ships ‘platforms’ and And finally, may I congratulate the Division on the recognised that the design, construction and mainte- proposed formation of the new Queensland Section. nance of ships demand professionalism of the highest May I wish it every success, and look forward to hear- standard. ing further details of its programme etc. for publica- tion in RINA Affairs (which has followed the lead of John Jeremy the ANA and is now published in full on the RINA Web site). I hope I may have the opportunity to visit the new Section this year. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Trevor Blakeley Chief Executive Dear Sir, I am always pleased to see the latest copy of ANA arrive. I think that it is now sufficiently established EDITORIAL to be a continuing part of our scene in Australia. Keep up the good work John J and helpers. A ship can be said to be seaworthy if it has a strong I believe that one of the great advantages in having durable and watertight construction, with good sur- our own publication is that the content is not driven vival characteristics in extreme weather conditions, by economics and therefore a realistic and impartial and is fitted with rig and equipment for its designed view of our industry and profession can be given in purpose which will continue to function at sea in those its pages. When I compare the content with contem- conditions. Characteristics of seakindliness and hab- porary commercial publications I find that there are itability are closely related, for a ship that experiences other than fast ferries still being designed and built in motions and accelerations in a seaway which render Australia. To this end we have recently completed the crew and hence the ship incapable of perform- the design of a 22 m fish farm vessel for South Aus- ance could be said to be unseaworthy. tralian interests and are currently designing a 42 m The 1998 Sydney–Hobart Race, with its tragic loss purse seine tuna vessel for the same client. of life and impressive rescues has inevitably caused The implications of the problems experienced in the many to ask if the pursuit of performance compro- recent Sydney–Hobart yacht race have still to be fully mises seaworthiness in some modern yacht designs. considered. I was saddened by the loss of life that It certainly reminded us that the sea itself is the great- occurred and in particular to learn that one of those est test - a truth which everyone who designs, builds lost was Jim Lawler who was well-known and very or sails in ships and boats must never forget.