Floatable support structure for an offshore wind turbine or other device

A support system for supporting a structure adjacent to a surface of a body of water, comprising:

• a support member defining a resting axis;
• a plurality of buoyant units attached to the support member at or near a keel of the support system for enhancing buoyancy thereof and for reducing vortex induced vibration, wherein each of the buoyant units is at least partially filled with buoyant material such that each of the buoyant units has a net buoyancy which helps support the structure, wherein each of the buoyant units comprises a first cross-sectional area at a first position along the longitudinal direction, and a second, different cross-sectional area at a second position along the longitudinal direction, wherein each of the buoyant units comprises a first cross-sectional area at a first portion of the buoyant unit disposed distal from the keel, and a second, smaller cross-sectional area at a second portion of the buoyant unit disposed proximal to the keel, and wherein each of the buoyant units defines a longitudinal direction, and wherein the longitudinal direction of each buoyant unit defines an angle of approximately 35°-65° with respect to the resting axis of the support member.