Freeboard measuring device

The device for measuring the freeboard of a barge of structure on a body of water, comprising:

• a vertical pipe;
• a horizontal bar with an aperture therethrough, said bar connected to said pipe in substantially perpendicular relationship;
• a means for allowing water ingress into said vertical pipe, comprising:
• a tube with an upper and a lower end, connected to said horizontal bar at the tube's upper end, said aperture in said bar allowing ingress of water through the tube into said pipe;
• an extruding nipple, threaded into said aperture of said bar, connecting said bar and said tube;
• a means for reading freeboard measurement, comprising:
• a measuring tape attached to the vertical pipe opposite said bar;
• and
• a gauging stick, positioned inside the vertical pipe, wherein applied to said stick is a water alterable material which provides indication of water level on contact of water to said material;
• a means for lowering said device into said water, comprising:
• a bail, securing said pipe to said measuring tape;
• means for stabilizing said device in said water, comprising:
• lead weights threaded over said tube;
• an end piece, with an aperture therethrough, coupled to the lower end of said tube;
• and
• a clamp further securing said end piece to the lower end of said tube.

An apparatus for measuring freeboard of a vessel, comprising:

• a rigid pipe having an axial opening therethrough;
• a transverse bar fixedly attached to one end of said pipe, said bar having a central aperture therethrough coaxially aligned with the opening in the pipe;
• a flexible tube removably, securedly connected to the bar opposite said rigid pipe in coalighnment with the bar aperture and adapted for allowing inlet of water into the rigid pipe;
• means for indicating the freeboard measurement mounted, at least in part, inside the rigid pipe;
• and
• means for preventing surging of water inside the apparatus, said means comprising a stopper means coupled to the flexible tube at an end thereof, the end piece comprising a first chamber packed with a non-corrosive porous material allowing free flow of water into the tube and a second chamber of a restricted diameter in fluid communication with the first chamber, and a reduced diameter nipple means positioned intermediate said flexible tube and said transverse bar in fluid communication with the bar