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Old 20-02-2017, 21:13   #1
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What was that unusual commercial ship?

Sunday, Feb 12 I was sailing around San Francisco Bay and noticed a commercial vessel that looked unusual.

The vessel was maybe 300-400 ft long, with a low freeboard and had what looked like a conveyor belt running down the centerline of the ship. The conveyor belt was inclined at about 15 degrees with the high point of the conveyor belt near the bow. Water was regularly splashing over the side of what I presume was a conveyor belt.

Does anyone know what this ship was? I haven't found any pictures of similar ships online.
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Old 20-02-2017, 21:23   #2
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Re: What was that unusual commercial ship?

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Originally Posted by mrichmon View Post
Sunday, Feb 12 I was sailing around San Francisco Bay and noticed a commercial vessel that looked unusual.

The vessel was maybe 300-400 ft long, with a low freeboard and had what looked like a conveyor belt running down the centerline of the ship. The conveyor belt was inclined at about 15 degrees with the high point of the conveyor belt near the bow. Water was regularly splashing over the side of what I presume was a conveyor belt.

Does anyone know what this ship was? I haven't found any pictures of similar ships online.
If is was a barge and tug it was a dredge, the conveyor is a sluice, there is a vacuum pipe to the sea floor. The sluice separates sand from the mud. it's then barged to several locations to use in making cement. Lind runs several barges like that between the bay and delta. They are always about and I see them everywhere.
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Old 20-02-2017, 21:42   #3
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Re: What was that unusual commercial ship?

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If is was a barge and tug it was a dredge, the conveyor is a sluice, there is a vacuum pipe to the sea floor. The sluice separates sand from the mud. it's then barged to several locations to use in making cement. Lind runs several barges like that between the bay and delta. They are always about and I see them everywhere.
Could have been a large barge, but no tug in sight. I was guessing a dredger, but it was immediately north-west of Alcatraz and motoring towards the GG. I thought it would have been too deep there to dredge.

Thanks for the detailed response. The more I get out on boats, the more there is to learn.
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Old 20-02-2017, 21:47   #4
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Re: What was that unusual commercial ship?

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Could have been a large barge, but no tug in sight. I was guessing a dredger, but it was immediately north-west of Alcatraz and motoring towards the GG. I thought it would have been too deep there to dredge.

Thanks for the detailed response. The more I get out on boats, the more there is to learn.
They go toward the GG to help dredge the sides of the shipping lanes. Always something to see/ dodge on the bay...
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Old 20-02-2017, 22:42   #5
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Re: What was that unusual commercial ship?

And they must go somewhere to dump the spoils... perhaps that is what you saw.

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Old 20-02-2017, 23:39   #6
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Re: What was that unusual commercial ship?

Likely a dredge but unlikely they use the spoils for cement as salt is not good for concrete (except in certain special situations).
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Old 21-02-2017, 08:55   #7
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Re: What was that unusual commercial ship?

its the army corp of engineers debris boat


I survey regularly all the dredeges and this is one of them.
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Old 21-02-2017, 13:27   #8
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Re: What was that unusual commercial ship?

Clearly a UFO (floating, not flying), unless bsurvey's explanation is correct, and it does have the ring of authority. Tug attached to the far side, and not visible because of the barge itself?
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