ShipSpotting.com Forum

Shipspotters all over the world => Shipping News and information => Topic started by: Heinu Sch on May 11, 2012, 12:51:42 PM

Title: Rust Pattern on Bows
Post by: Heinu Sch on May 11, 2012, 12:51:42 PM
Hello,

I have noted several ships that a certain pattern, made of what I assume is rust.

Here is an example:
http://www.shipspotting.com/gallery/fullscreen.php?lid=465107

What causes these marks to form and why in a stripe-like pattern? On the photos it looks like the paint around these marks are undamaged.

Can anyone shed some light on this phenomena?

Kind Regards
Heinu
Title: Re: Rust Pattern on Bows
Post by: Jon Godsell on May 11, 2012, 01:15:49 PM
This caused by a tugs towing wire, when tight, scraping across the hull as it moves from one side of the vessel to the other.

Scouse.
Title: Re: Rust Pattern on Bows
Post by: polsteam on May 11, 2012, 08:09:05 PM
In this particular case, and judging from what the pattern itself looks like, it was rather chain, not wire.

This is Rotterdam, wihout active machinery, towed significant distance to another repair yard converting it into floating hotel.

It is quite common practice that a towing line (wire rope) is attached not directly to the ship, but through intermediary chain (usually in configuration, where two chains run from both sides of the bow of the ship and they meet where the wire rope starts or there is a short piece of chain running from the point, where these two pieces meet, and then the end of this short piece of chain is attached to wire rope).
Title: Re: Rust Pattern on Bows
Post by: Heinu Sch on May 15, 2012, 10:48:34 AM
Thank you for the answers!

Based on your answers, I have one more question:

Why are the patterns in lines and not two long 'smudges' of rust either side of the bow? Surely the chain/wire scratched a bigger area the just where the lines patterns are.

Regards,
Heinu
Title: Re: Rust Pattern on Bows
Post by: Peter Karberg on May 15, 2012, 12:35:28 PM
On most ships the pattern is caused at anchorage when a ship over rides the anchor causing the chain to drag across the stem or bulbous bow.

On your example Rotterdam it appears to be caused by a chain rubbing against the stem but too high to be the anchor chain.

Regards

Peter