Mt Bergehus

The tankers that I sailed were all motor ships but they had steam winches...

Frank

Yes, I was told once, while we were watching a Liberty move out of harbour, that old steamers sometimes had to give a hand with getting an electrified on deck diesel-engined ship her anchor unstuck. Last time I offered this on SN, nobody would support it though... I do not remember the comments, but thinking it over, I believe it probably was to avoid any sparks that tankers had (have?) steam winches.

I liked using the steam winches, from what I remember you had to bleed them before you could use them.

Frank

The tankers I served on in the 60s also had steam cargo pumps.

All deck gear was steam on all BP Tankers up until I left in 1974. Here in NZ we had BP designed tankers ..all had steam gear. The cargo pumps were either steam turbine or reciprocating Duplex pumps, plus of course heating coils so winches and capstans were steam driven. Electrical motors were restricted to Lifeboat winches and accommodation ventilation fans, all intrinsically safe of course.


That windlass was of a 'bog standard' design to be found on all British built tankers as were the terrible deck winches by Sunderland Forge...absolute nightmares.

Alternatively tankers have hydraulic winches, operated by a "power pack" of electric motor - driven pumps. The power pack can be situated in a safe place, almost anywhere on the ship.

Thanks for that information. Would you happen to know of their relative strength - are hydraulic powered by electric motor able to put the same power into an anchor winch as is a steam boiler?