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Fabulous shot Petroc - can't remember seeing anything as good as this in our catalogue at the RFA Museum. There are two hoses deployed so presumably Tarbatness was taking FFO (for main engines) plus dieso for gennies ? In answer to NickNZ - the stern rigs give a fully fitted RAS tanker the capability of refuelling three customers together, plus provide the cheapest and quickest way to turn a commercial tanker into a RAS tanker. It can also offer the chance to refuel (on a carfully chosen RAS course) when conditions may be too rough for abeam RAS. Its certainly easier to alter course in this method but on the other hand it is slow and laborious and quite difficult to grapple and pick up the rig, calling for very good liaison between bridge and forecastle. If two rigs are being used (as in this picture) then great skill is needed in sorting out the rigging and hoses. Lastly and by no means least it is probably the more accident prone method - the forecastle party in a small warship are very vulnerable in rough seas and in the supplying ship enormous care is needed in deploying and recovering the rig.
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Thanks for the clarification. What you area saying is that basically the astern method is more hazardous for the receiving crew, slower, and harder (due to grappling the hose(s).
I thought it might have been easier because of the suction between ships. But I'll ask for more clarification in the Forum section. Thanks
I thought it might have been easier because of the suction between ships. But I'll ask for more clarification in the Forum section. Thanks
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Having served on the Bayleaf which had well decks, the hoses were supported on towers. This form of RAS was very labour intensive, as I recall the hose was deployed via a control wire from the FX. (Tho I could be wrong it was over 38 yrs ago since the Bayleaf and 36 from the Dewdale.
This must have been taken off of Biera, as I have similar memories o this when serving on the Tarbatness in 1970/1.
This must have been taken off of Biera, as I have similar memories o this when serving on the Tarbatness in 1970/1.
As I have only an amatuer interest in the RFA, I cannot speak with any authority, but may I say that the Dale class tankers were principaly used for freighting duties..I believe.
So they would not have been fitted with masts & rigging for abeam refueling. The stern arrangement of fairlead and saddles would allow a hose to be streamed aft and picked up by the receiving ship. This would allow for opportunistic refuelling on an ad hoc basis. The receiving ships fueling point would usually be amidships, and there would have been significant drag on the hose and strain to the ships manifold. Retreiving the hoses must have been labour intensive and tricky, keeping them away from the prop.
A very interesting picture.
So they would not have been fitted with masts & rigging for abeam refueling. The stern arrangement of fairlead and saddles would allow a hose to be streamed aft and picked up by the receiving ship. This would allow for opportunistic refuelling on an ad hoc basis. The receiving ships fueling point would usually be amidships, and there would have been significant drag on the hose and strain to the ships manifold. Retreiving the hoses must have been labour intensive and tricky, keeping them away from the prop.
A very interesting picture.
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Never did any freighting in the time i was on this class probably at the time this photo was taken. I believe they were classed as mobile reserve tankers (MRT)
I have recolections of rollers on the flying bridge and through crews accomadation the Seychelles crew multi-tasked so it was all hands on deck for this type of job. i would have been on st. by. down below.
I have recolections of rollers on the flying bridge and through crews accomadation the Seychelles crew multi-tasked so it was all hands on deck for this type of job. i would have been on st. by. down below.
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