Shipbuilding anyone?

[USS ALASKA]

When/why would one turn a ship on its side like this to work on it, rather than support it upright on scaffolding?

Known as 'careening' or also 'Parliamentary heel'. Quicker and faster and don't need to take up space in drydocks.
198

HTHs,
USS ALASKA

 

[Waterloo50]

View attachment 303916

When/why would one turn a ship on its side like this to work on it, rather than support it upright on scaffolding?

I wonder if those guys are tasked with cleaning and waterproofing the hull, I expect it was tough work scraping of those pesky barnacles.

 

[Waterloo50]

Known as 'careening' or also 'Parliamentary heel'. Quicker and faster and don't need to take up space in drydocks.
198

HTHs,
USS ALASKA

Careening makes sense but why Parliamentary Heel? I see that they either have to shift the ballast or cargo to get it to tip on its side, how on did they get her upright again..did they pull it upright with hoists or did they shift the cargo/ballast again?

 

[Mark F. Jenkins]

The term was "careening..." [sorry! just saw that @USS ALASKA beat me to it...] usually when repairing, painting, resheathing, or doing something else to the hull. As for why this was preferable to sitting upright, I'm not quite certain; I was under the impression it was mostly done where there were no drydock facilities that would permit the ship to remain upright, but the photo doesn't look like facilities are lacking-- so I'm puzzled.

 

[Story]

When/why would one turn a ship on its side like this to work on it, rather than support it upright on scaffolding?

Because no dry or floating dry dock was available.

What they appear to be doing is careening the hull.

 

[Lisa Murphy]

Because no dry or floating dry dock was available.

What they appear to be doing is careening the hull.

Yes! Thank you! Wonder if this gave origin other meaning of "careening" : to rush forward in an uncontrollable way . I can imagine that when the ship went over it was a dramatic moment!

 

[Lisa Murphy]

The term was "careening..." [sorry! just saw that @USS ALASKA beat me to it...] usually when repairing, painting, resheathing, or doing something else to the hull. As for why this was preferable to sitting upright, I'm not quite certain; I was under the impression it was mostly done where there were no drydock facilities that would permit the ship to remain upright, but the photo doesn't look like facilities are lacking-- so I'm puzzled.

Hmm. Interesting. A mystery.

 

[Western Reserve Volunteer]

I believe the period term for the collective assembly of way ect was "the stocks". Maybe because it resembles a stockade? Anyhow it gets mentioned often whenever ships are laid down, but not finished (such as when a war ends and they are not needed anymore) and they are dismantled "scrapped while still on the stocks". If I had to take a stab at "parlementary heel" it's probably a stab at British parliament, since a ship that is heeling is underway and slightly canted over due to the wind (hence the need for dagger boards in small sailboats, they act as a counterbalance to the force of the day wind and keep the boat from being blown over) or making a turn. So presumably the dig would be something about only parliament being able to do that in dry dock? Just an semi educated guess don't take that as gospel.

 

[Western Reserve Volunteer]

Fun fact: Hong Kong became a British colony because of carneening. The 99 year "lease" imposed by Britain was for land in the harbor to careen ships on.

 

[rebelatsea]

View attachment 303916

When/why would one turn a ship on its side like this to work on it, rather than support it upright on scaffolding?

That's known as "careening", usually done in a location with no docking facilities, I can't explain why they are doing that here, unless that is a lock chamber. The location looks vaguely French.

 

[DaveBrt]

To be more precise, the ways was the base for the launching of a newly constructed ship. The standing ways were placed against the ship with lubricant between the launching ways and the standing ways. If the ship's weight rested on the ways too long, the lubricant was forced out and the launching made far more difficult. So, the standing ways (that looked like blocks) were put against the ship only shortly before launching. The launching ways (also called slipways) was laid down before any construction of the ship had started.

 

[Carronade]

View attachment 303916

When/why would one turn a ship on its side like this to work on it, rather than support it upright on scaffolding?

It can also happen by accident, as with the Indian frigate Betwa in dry dock a couple of years ago:

 

[ErnieMac]

I've never heard the 'ways' before, is that an American term or is that a general worldwide nautical term?

Shorthand for shipway or slipway IIRC.

 

[Waterloo50]

Shorthand for shipway or slipway IIRC.

Thanks, that makes sense.

 

[Mark F. Jenkins]

Just to further confuse and annoy people, on the western rivers there was also what they called a "marine railway" which could function as both a building ways and a repair facility. The vessel was in wheeled "cradles" running on rails (with the vessel broadside to the river), from which it would be lowered into (or raised up from) the water. (As shallow as riverboats were, careening was practically impossible, and drydocks were a pretty big capital investment...)

 

[Lisa Murphy]

It can also happen by accident, as with the Indian frigate Betwa in dry dock a couple of years ago:

View attachment 304046

Oops! Egg on somebody's face. Gees.

 

[Lisa Murphy]

Fun fact: Hong Kong became a British colony because of carneening. The 99 year "lease" imposed by Britain was for land in the harbor to careen ships on.

I'll tell my hubby -- he is on Hong Kong at the moment, and will appreciate the history.