The Drivetrain

Last week I got an unexpected invitation to give the new Warwick fire boat a go. I had just finished towing a boat into Apponaug Cove and saw a fountain of water shooting about a hundred feet over Sally Rock, so I went over to take a few pictures.

This picture looks like they are trying to sink a boat but they are actually aiming at a lobster pot a few hundred feet this side of it.

They were out on a few drills in their new Metal Craft FireStorm. The boat has all the toys; GPS, radar, forward and rear cameras, and an IR camera to see thru smoke or fog. They can even see underwater with a Humminbird side scan depth finder. The aft step is at water level to allow for the dive team to deploy, or to retrieve persons from overboard.

East Providence, Providence, and Cranston each have the same boat set up as Warwick. They even have an intercity radio system to allow coordinated effort in the event of a major incident. All the major controls are common as well, which would allow members of any department to operate any of the other department's equipment. All have twin Hamilton Jets driven by diesel engines.

It just so happens that Safe/Sea has operated diesel jet drive boats for many years, so when Warwick was involved in the build of their boat, I received a call from Warwick Fire fighter Pete Sisson. We met at Port Edgewood to look over Cranston's new boat and take her for a spin. We didn't run the fire monitors but pretty much ran everything else. So, when I finally saw the water shooting I was drawn over to it. Then I got a call on the vhf. It was Pete. "Hey want to give the fire pump a try?" He didn't have to ask twice.

I dropped the hook and shut off the running lights. Here's the thing. One of the motors is dedicated to the fire pump, which leaves just one to keep you out of the flames. It's a bit tricky to maneuver, even for a jet drive veteran, so I didn't use up too much of their training time.

These fireboats are a real asset to the Bay. I've seen my share of challenging situations over my six years with Safe/Sea, and feel pretty confident handling most of them, but when there's smoke... and gasoline and... well... ah... let's say I'm glad to see those guys out practicing!

For more info on the Warwick Dive team go to http://www.warwickpd.org/httpdocs/dive.htm.

For more Warwick Fire boat pictures go to http://www.warwickfirefighters.org/index.cfm?dsp=gallery&categoryid=30&section=1&pagenum=127.

Comments (1) | Trackbacks (0) | Permalink

Safe/Sea captains have a lot of tools at our disposal. We have a single engine boat and several twin engine boats. If we need lots of horsepower or speed, we use the twins. If we need to go into shallow water or don't need the speed and horsepower, we use the single.

Pictured below are towing tools laid out on the dock. All of our boats carry 600 feet of Amsteel Spectra 7/16" hawser. There are a wide variety of boats out there, so to make the connection to the boat that needs to be towed, we have a wide variety of bridles. For towing smaller boats with a trailer eye at the bow, the choice is easy; we use a single double clip line of Spectra or a 20 foot 1/2 inch single clip line made of nylon with a bit more stretch. For boats without a trailer eye, like larger power boats or sailboats, we use one of three double leg bridles. This choice is a little tougher and it depends on the boat size, sea conditions and configuration of attachment points.

All of our boats have an inventory of salvage equipment, tools, and gear to attempt to handle (or at least stabilize) whatever type of job we are faced with. We have a multitude of pumps for dewatering. If we need to dive, we have a scuba tank and a 50 foot regulator. If there is a hole in a boat, we have epoxies, an air-powered drill/driver with plywood patches, wood plugs, and other trade tricky patching stuff. If I told you all of our secrets, I'd have to kill you. ;-) Below is a selection of the bag of tricks carried aboard the Titan.

This stuff isn't just "set it and forget it," though. It needs frequent inspection and maintenance to keep it ready, as it's usefulness will deteriorate over time, especially as it's constantly exposed to salt water and the pounding of the towboat. My work is never done! (That's a good thing, especially these days!)

Comments (0) | Trackbacks (0) | Permalink

Six boats and nine drivetrains. Salt spray, constant vibration, wear and tear; they all add up to job security for me.

My boss has had his run-ins with Murphy and his Law over the years. He knows that if you don't pay attention to the details on the maintenance front, you will have run-ins with him more often. So, I have a healthy budget for Keeping Mr. Murphy at bay, a.k.a preventive maintenance. Safe/Sea members have come to expect a prompt and reliable response when things don't go right for them on the water and it's my job to make sure our boats are ready to answer the bell.

I see all sorts of preventive failures (and a few unpredictable ones) out there. In this blog, I'll show you how we try to fend off Murphy. I'll try to share with you many of the products and procedures we have found over the years in our efforts to keep our equipment running at peak efficiency.

Comments (0) | Trackbacks (0) | Permalink