Computer Mooring Simulation of a Rubber Band Mooring on an 8X26Navigational Buoy and an 8-Foot Diameter OSI Buoy.

摘要

The computer simulation was performed on a rubber band mooring to estimate the extent to which that mooring method can reduce the watch circle of a navigational buoy. The 8X26 navigational buoy and an 8-foot diameter OSI buoy were used in the mooring simulation. The 8X26 buoy is used because it is presently in the aids-to-navigation system; the 8-foot diameter OSI buoy is used because it is a low-drag lightweight plastic buoy that might be used in place of the 8X26 buoy. The rubber band mooring is compared to a one-inch diameter nylon mooring. The rubber band mooring can reduce the watch circle of the 8X26 and OSI buoys when compared to that of the nylon slack mooring. The reduction in the watch circle is most apparent at low currents (approximately 1 knot) and becomes less pronounced as the current approaches 3 knots. The 8-foot diameter OSI buoy shows a smaller watch circle on a rubber band mooring than the 8X26 buoy because of the reduced drag of the OSI buoy. While the rubber band mooring increases the mooring tension, it does not appear to increase the sinker weight over that specified for a conventional chain mooring. Using the results of the simulation, a method was developed for measuring the watch circle of the 8X26 buoy by measuring the angle at the top and bottom of the mooring. Increasing pretension in the mooring (tension in the mooring at zero current) reduces the watch circle.