Docking a Dive Boat is a First For Navy's Oldest Floating Dry Dock

摘要

THE NAVY'S MID-ATLANTIC REGIONAL MAINTENANCE CENTER (MARMC) in Norfolk, Va., used its floating dry dock Dynamic (AFDL 6) to dock a dive boat on April 15. Delivered in 1949 by Chicago Bridge & Iron Co., the Dynamic is the Navy's oldest floating dry dock, but this was its first use to drydock a dive support vessel. Dynamic routinely docks Landing Craft Utility (LCUs) and other flat-bottom craft. Docking the round-bottom dive boat could lay the groundwork for Dynamic to potentially broaden its docking capabilities in the future. Dive Support Boat 1103, attached to the MARMC's Dive Locker, will undergo emergent repairs in Dynamic, ensuring the boat will be operational again in the most efficient timeframe. To prepare for the docking, stakeholders worked together to provide measurements and dimensions in order to create blocks that fit the contours of the round-bottom dive boat to ensure stability while in the dock. "We had to disassemble our original block build that we use for LCUs, tear down the hard wood towers and rebuild six towers from scratch for the round-bottom vessel to make sure they were beveled to fit the bottom of the dive boat." said Dynamic's 1st Lt., Boatswain's Mate 2nd Class (SW/AW) Jeffrey Devlieger.