* * *
"We have just enough time to get under way." "Then we should hurry up."
* * *
"Get the heaving line ready!" "Heaving line ready, sir!"
"Bend on (= Secure it to) the head-rope. Now, pay it out"
IV. Listen to each of the long dialogues again and retell briefly their contents from the point of view of: (a) one speaker, (b) the other speaker, (c) an onlooker.
Make your partner ask you about some details which you missed.
V. Write the dictation:
When a ship approaches her berth she must proceed at slow speed. Heaving lines, mooring ropes and fenders should be ready for use. Both anchors must be ready to let go.
The third mate is usually on the forecastle deck and the second mate is on the after deck. They both attend to the berthing of the ship. The captain directs the work from the bridge.
At an appropriate distance from the berth the engine is stopped. The ship's headway is used to bring the ship alongside the quay. The engine and the rudder are used from time to time to help the ship to do so. The off-shore anchor is sometimes dropped for the same purpose. When the ship is near her berth, heaving lines and mooring ropes are passed ashore. The mooring ropes are secured to the shore bollards.
Ships make fast either alongside the quay or stern to. In both cases the mooring ropes should be constantly watched.
VI. Practise in pairs enacting the following situations. You act as the captain, your partner — as the pilot in (a) and as a member of the crew in (b). Then you change your parts.
(a)Your ship is leaving the anchorage and is proceeding to her allocated berth. You discuss with the pilot the situation. He recommends you to take a tug because there is a heavy traffic in the port. You discuss with him all the details of mooring and ask him about the depth and character of ground near the berth. He answers all your questions and suggests what preparations should be made for effective mooring.
(b)Your ship is mooring. You give your crew commands for approaching the berth and for making the ship fast to shore bollards.
VII. Translate into English:
Я хочу рассказать вам, как мы швартовались однажды в речном порту. Портовый лоцман поднялся на судно еще в устье реки. Капитан начал расспрашивать его об условиях швартовки в этом порту. Лоцман рассказал, что течение там очень сильное, 7—8 узлов. Высота прилива тоже очень большая — до 5 метров. Глубины на
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входе малые, фарватер узкий. Судно может входить в порт только в полную воду. У причала глубины 8—8,5 метров. Судно должно швартоваться лагом левым бортом носом против течения. По правилам порта взятие буксира является обязательным. При швартовке судно должно подрабатывать своей машиной. Судно должно иметь наготове бросательные концы, носовые и кормовые продольные концы, шпринги и прижимные концы. Судно должно иметь свои кранцы (10—12 штук). К причалу мы подходили очень осторожно на малом ходу. Застопорили машину, затем дали самый малый назад, чтобы погасить инерцию судна. Отдали правый якорь, судно развернулось на якоре. Начали потравливать якорь-цепь и приблизились к причалу. С бака подали бросательный конец и носовой шпринг. Буксир помог прижать корму к причалу. Затем подали на берег все остальные концы и закрепили их на пушках.
LESSON 5
TOWING
Words and Word Combinations
to require - требовать to tow - буксировать
to shift - перешвартовываться, переводить на другой причал job - работа
to happen - случаться, происходить bottom - дно, днище, подводная часть судна repairs - ремонт
hull - корпус судна
tow-line - буксирный трос, конец steel wire - стальная проволока length - длина; отрезок, конец (троса) to afford - предоставлять, давать
to communicate (with) - сноситься (с кем-л.), поддерживать связь order - порядок, последовательность
to be going - собираться, намереваться to fix - устанавливать, улаживать beforehand - заранее
exact - точный
to settle - устраивать, урегулировать, договариваться to advise - советовать
to charge - назначать цену to shorten - укорачивать spare - запасной
port quarter - с кормы по левому борту fo'c'sle ['fouksl] = forcastle - бак, полубак
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to order - заказывать
Expressions
in a number of cases - в ряде случаев
the ship is disabled - судно потеряло управление
to make arrangements - уславливаться, договариваться, делать приготовления, принимать меры
I'll let you know - я вам сообщу (дам знать)
I'll take your advice - я последую вашему совету to take in tow - брать на буксир
tо leave the port - выйти из порта
to get into touch - связаться, установить контакт (с кем-л.) to rig the bridle - завести брагу
TEXT
Ships may need towing in a number of cases. When in port, tugs may be required to take ships to or from their berths. Sometimes it may be necessary to shift the ship from one berth to another and the port tug is usually ordered to do this job.
It may also happen that the ship will need dry docking for cleaning the bottom and repairs to the hull. A tug-boat will then be required to manoeuvre the ship into the dock.
A ship may become disabled at sea and in this case she will need some other vessel or a tug to tow her to the nearest port.
Big ships require big tow-lines. Most modern vessels are provided with steel wire tow-lines of sufficient length. It is advisable to use wire hawsers connected with a good length of manila rope, as this will afford the necessary elasticity to tow-lines. Tug-boat towing the vessels may either pull them or push them ahead.
The towing and towed vessels communicate with each other to coordinate their actions. Nowadays they usually do it by VHF radiotelephone.
It should be added here that ships communicate with each other and with shore in a number of ways: by radio, by flags, by-light and sound signals and by semaphore. The International Convention adopted a uniform system of International Code Signals which is widely used by all the countries. In this system a single letter or combination of letters signifies a whole sentence.
When the ship receives these signals the watch officer (translates them into letters (or their combinations) and finds their meaning in the code book, where they are grouped in pertain order.
Single-letter signals are used to denote urgent or very common messages. For instance, signal "G" means: "I require a pilot". As it was mentioned above, they also have a special meaning when used between towing and towed vessels. For example, the same signal "G" in this case
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means: "Cast off the towing hawser", the signal "A" signifies: "The towing hawser is fast", etc.
DIALOGUES
1
CAPTAIN. I shall require a tug tomorrow to take my ship to another berth.
AGENT. At what time are you going to shift? CAPTAIN. We'll be ready to start at about 5 p.m. AGENT. Shall I order the tug for 5 p.m.?
CAPTAIN. Yes, that's what I was going to ask of you. So, please order the tug to be here by 5 p.m. tomorrow.
AGENT. Well, the time is fixed then. Shall I also order the tug beforehand to take you out of the port?
CAPTAIN. Yes, kindly make preliminary arrangements with the tug company for Friday this week. I am leaving your port on that day.
AGENT. What hour shall I order the tug for?
CAPTAIN. I cannot tell you the exact hour as yet, I think I'll let you know the exact time on Wednesday.
AGENT. Good, that's settled then. I would advise you to order two tugs, because there is a very strong current in the entrance and the port tugs are not very powerful.
CAPTAIN. How much do they charge for towage?
AGENT. They charge £ 15 for each tug to take the ship out of port. CAPTAIN. All right. I'll take your advice. Thank you. So, please order
two tugs for Friday.
2
CAPTAIN. Look over there, what's the matter with that ship? They have hoisted the Code Flag. Evidently they are going to signal something to us. (To the signalman). Hoist the answering pendant!
PILOT. Oh, it's rather too far away. I can't see as far as that. Let me take my binoculars. Well, now I see the ship quite clearly. Yes, you are right, they have hoisted the International Code Flag. If I am not mistaken, that's a Norwegian ship, and the ship is evidently aground.
CAPTAIN. How do you know that the ship is aground?
PILOT. There is a small shoal in that vicinity and they must have run aground. Yes, that's it. Do you see three black balls one over the other?
CAPTAIN. Oh, yes, now I see the balls too. You are right. But how on earth could they have run against that shoal!. So far as I remember the
chart, there's but one shoal in that area, and it is well off the usual track.
PILOT. I think we'll soon learn about it. See, they hoisted two other flags below the Code Flag.
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CAPTAIN. I can see the flags but I can't distinguish them. I am afraid I must take my binoculars too.
PILOT. To my mind, that's a two-letter signal "AV".
CAPTAIN. Yes, there is no doubt about that any more. I can clearly see the flags now. These are the flags "A" and "V". Let me see the code book. Oh, here you are. This group means: "I am aground. Will you endeavour to tow me off?"
PILOT. So they ask you to help them. What are you going to do about that?
CAPTAIN. Well, I think we must help them. Soviet seamen are always ready to help anyone in trouble. "A friend in need is a friend indeed", as the saying goes. Where's that code book? Oh, here it is. Thank you.
PILOT. What are you going to signal to that ship?
CAPTAIN. We'll hoist now the group "DN" meaning: "I am coming to your assistance".
PILOT. Shall we alter the course right away?
CAPTAIN. Yes, certainly. (To the helmsman). Port 5°! Steer for that ship on our port bow. Better port! Steady so!
3
CAPTAIN. Unfortunately, I cannot understand them. Evidently they are speaking Norwegian. You told me you know the Norwegian language, didn't you? Now, can you act as an interpreter?
PILOT. I'll try to.
CAPTAIN. Take this megaphone. Ask them, what's the matter with their ship?
PILOT. The captain says that their engine was disabled and they were drifted to that shoal.
CAPTAIN. I see. Ask them, please, what they want us to do.
PILOT. They ask you to tow them off the ground and then to tow them to Rotterdam. They say they are not very deep in the ground and the hull is not damaged.
CAPTAIN. All right, tell them we'll manoeuvre our ship now so as to come as close as possible with our stern to their ship. It will take us about an hour or so before we rig the bridle from our ship's quarter.
PILOT. Well, I've told them as you said. The captain says that meanwhile they are preparing the towing hawser at their stern. The captain wonders how you are going to pick the towing line up.
CAPTAIN. Tell him that we'll try to pass a heaving line from our stern. In case the distance won't allow us to do so, they will have to lower the boat to run the hawser to our stern.
PILOT. The Norwegian captain thanks you for your arrangements. He wants to know also in what manner you will signal him while towing off.
CAPTAIN. We'll use single-letter signals in the usual way, that is either by flags or by sounding on the ship's whistle.
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