Method of drydock ballasting to match tidal fluctuation

Abstract

Two examples are directed to a method of drydock ballasting to match local tidal fluctuation during slow heavy transfers between land and drydock. The transfer is done using air bearings such as air casters to support docking cradles and ship for sliding along prepared surfaces on land and on drydock under control of transfer winches. The method comprises 1) presetting the drydock at a specific draft for the transfer start and using a digital inclinometer to verify the drydock is level; 2) setting the free-floating drydock touching the land ramp end by supporting the pre-installed drydock knees with wood on land; and 3) after the transfer starts, following a process to ballast a selected tank to keep the drydock still on the drydock knee pivot by maintaining both the equilibriums of the forces on drydock and of their moments around the pivot during the tidal fluctuation of the entire transfer.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.