A floating vessel for oceanographic research, development of renewable energy resources, and maintenance of the renewable energy resources, wherein the floating vessel is repairable while at sea, and wherein the floating vessel comprises:
- a. a hull comprising:
- a keel, a centerline, a waterline, a bow, a stern, and a first skeg and a second skeg extending in parallel from the hull, wherein each skeg has a skeg plate attached thereto opposite the hull and extending a length of the skeg;
- b. a bulbous bow extension extending parallel to the skegs from the bow and below the waterline, wherein the bulbous bow extension artificially extends the waterline of the hull for increased speed of the floating vessel;
- c. a keel plate extending from the keel between the first skeg and the second skeg, wherein the keel plate is located between the bulbous bow extension and the hull, and extends no more than seventy five percent the length of the hull;
- d. a bow plate mounted to the keel plate between each skeg plates, wherein the bow plate and the skeg plates provide flat surfaces that enable the floating vessel to ground and sit level on a surface, enabling a crew of the floating vessel to initiate repairs to the floating vessel without having to return the floating vessel to port;
- e. a plurality of watertight interior bulkheads formed in the hull, wherein each watertight interior bulkhead is separately sealed, and wherein insulation is on one side of each watertight interior bulkhead;
- f. a main deck formed on hull and topsides mounted over the main deck, wherein the main deck has a space and a strength adequate to support at least two standard shipping containers without collapsing;
- g. a plurality of sonar tubes in the hull above the waterline;
- h. a sonar transducer mounted in each sonar tube and connected to a sonar display on the floating vessel;
- i. an engine room in the hull comprising an engine room floor;
- j. anchor hawser pipes in the hull;
- k. bilge piping for bilge water;
- l. fuel piping for fuel;
- m. a propulsion system in the hull comprising:
- (i) a starboard propeller shaft and a port propeller shaft;
- (ii) shaft couplings for each propeller shaft;
- (iii) stern tubes surrounding each propeller shaft and mounted axially through each skeg;
- (iv) a starboard propeller connected to the starboard propeller shaft;
- (v) a port propeller connected to the port propeller shaft, wherein the starboard propeller turns clockwise and the port propeller turns counterclockwise, and wherein each propeller is independently operable;
- (vi) a starboard streamlined double plate rudder and a port streamlined double plate rudder;
- (vii) a port rudder tube connected to the port streamlined double plate rudder, and a starboard rudder tube connected to the starboard streamlined double plate rudder, wherein the each streamlined double plate rudder is configured to be operated independently or operated in tandem;
- (viii) main engines with vibration isolation mounts mounted to minimize engine sound and vibration;
- (ix) fuel tanks mounted in the hull and connected to the main engines;
- (x) a hydraulic bow thruster on the bulbous bow extension, wherein the hydraulic bow thruster is connected to a hydraulic pump for operating the hydraulic bow thruster;
- and
- (xi) a rudder steering system connected to the main engines for moving the streamlined double plate rudders;
- n. two main generators connected in parallel or in series enabling one or both of the main generators to produce power for lighting, heat, air conditioning, other electrical power throughout the floating vessel, and power for a facility or another vessel connected to the floating vessel, wherein each main generator is connected to the fuel tanks;
- o. an emergency generator connected to the fuel tanks;
- p. a keel cooler for each main engine to enable heat dissipation for each main engine, wherein each keel cooler is fitted to the hull with a plate guard;
- q. a pilothouse formed in the topsides comprising:
- (i) a navigation station;
- and
- (ii) a steering device connected to the streamlined double plate rudders;
- r. a dog house on the topside between the pilothouse and the main deck;
- s. living quarters in the topside and extending into the hull;
- t. communication systems in the pilothouse for providing ship-to-shore communication and ship-to-ship communication;
- u. a dynamic positioning processor in communication with the navigation station, the steering device, the propulsion system, the communication systems, and a network, wherein the dynamic positioning processor is configured to continuously position the floating vessel at a latitude and a longitude;
- v. anchor lighting on the topsides;
- w. navigation lighting on the topsides;
- x. an aft deck escape hatch mounted to the topside;
- and
- y. a knuckle boom crane mounted to the topside.