Apparatus for use in laying an elongated article

An apparatus for use in laying an elongated flexible article, such as a cable or pipeline, from a vessel supported on a body of water, said apparatus comprising a reel rotatably mounted onboard the vessel, a vertical passage through the vessel at a distance from said reel, a frame structure supported above the vertical passage, guide means mounted rotatably on said frame structure about a vertical axis through said vertical passage and adapted to receive said elongated flexible article from said reel and guide said article downwards in the frame structure towards the vertical passage, tensioner means supported in said frame structure for applying tension in said elongated flexible article, and means for holding said article when said tensioner means are not applying tension in said elongated flexible article.