THE NEW TUG IN COMMISSION

Press, Volume LXXV, Issue 22767, 20 July 1939, Page 11

THE NEW TUG IN COMMISSION

❖ LYTTELTON II UNDERGOES TRIALS CONTRACT SPEED EXCEEDED With members of the Harbour Board, representatives of shipping companies and Harbour Board officials aboard, the new tug Lyttelton II underwent a series of trials at Lyttelton yesterday and the results proved that the tug is a valuable acquisition to the port. In welcoming the guests, the chairman of the board (Mr F. E. Sutton) . gave a few particulars of the new vessel. He said the total price was £54,290. The principal dimensions were:—Length overall 123, feet, breadth 29 feet, depth 14 feet. The draught, on leaving Scotland lully equipped and bunkered, was 12 feet, The contract indicated horse-power was 1250. The tug was powered with two cylindrical scotch boilers of 12ft 6in diameter for a mean working pressure of 1801 b a square inch. The ounker capacity was 80 tons. On the first of two trials, before leaving Glasgow, on four runs over a measured mite in stormy weather accompanied by sleet and snow, the average speed was 12.79 knots. On those runs the mean developed horse-power was 1260. On the second test, of tour hours’ steady steaming, the minimum revolutions were 117.5 and the maximum 120 —a mean of 118.9 a minute; the horse-power developed was, minimum 1216, maximum 1327—a mean of 1252. In a complete circle turned to port and to starboard, the time from “hard over” to “hard over” of the helm was 20 seconds and the diameter of the turning circle 600 feet. In stopping and starting the time from full speed ahead to “stop” was 12 seconds, and from “full speed ahead” to “full astern” 25 seconds.

The ship was equipped with a combined fire and salvage pump and foamite oil-fire fighting unit. Other important features were the fire-fighting monitors which throw water jets a distance of 300 feet, the pump being sufficiently powerful to operate one monitor and five full pressure hose jets simultaneously: (2) powerful flood lights on the bridge deck for night work and going alongside vessels; (3) a combined wireless telegraph and telephone set for use in communicating with vessels direct, from the port and at sea during fog or other adverse weather conditions. This would probably be licensed for a wave length of 149 metres for ordinary purposes, with an emergency wave length of 600 metres. Fire-Fighting Plant A visit was first made to the oil wharf, where the visitors were impressed by a demonstration given by the tug’s powerful fire-fighting plant. On the shore a large mound of straw had been saturated with petrol. This was fired and the tug’s foamite plant at once went into action. Foamite powder was fed by means of a hppper into a hose line from the tug, and the resultant frothy mixture projected on to the fire. The fire was effectually smothered within a minute or two. Then ordinary pumping was done, first through two hoses and then through fire-fighting monitors, mounted, like anti-aircraft guns, on the bridge and boat decks respectively. Steaming to the outer harbour, the tug was put through a number of turning movements, demonstrating her manoeuvring ability. A trip down the harbour was afterwards made and the speed trials held. With her bluff bows throwing out huge bowwaves and with equally huge waves piling up astern, the tug steamed twice over a measured mile, the mean speed being 13.22 knots. This was considered highly satisfactory, as the contract called only for 12 knots. The Lyttelton II dropped anchor in Little Port Cooper while those on board had lunch. Afterwards a trip was made outside the heads, the tug then returning to the inner harbour. Although the trials were carried out in wintry conditions, with heavy rain falling most of the time, those present enjoyed the experience of being on board the'new vessel during the trials.