DREDGE KAIONE ARRIVES

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 259, 29 July 1919, Page 8

DREDGE KAIONE ARRIVES

An arrival in Wellington jeßterday was tlie Wanganui Harbour Board's now drcdgo Kaionu, from Paisley, via Portsmouth, Suez, Java, and Newcastle. Tlie Kaionc was built by 'Messrs. Fleming anil Ferguson, Ltd., who built the Hapai, Paritutu, and the Kileen Ward. The order for the dredge was placed only a few months before the commencement of the war, but slio was only completed about two years dgo. The Admiralty would not tallow tho vessel to proceed to New Zealand 1 at the time owing 10 the submarine menace, and the delivery was in consequcilce delayed. When tne war terminated tlie dredge was allowed to proceed on her voyage. » The following arc sume particulars of this interesting vessel, which is classed A 1 at Lloyds:—The Kaionc is of the trailing •suction stern well type, having self-dis-charging hopper trailing suction frami! with suction head, which is about 10ft. wido and is iitted with water jclß for breaking up the sand, and is also litted with cutters for use when etiffer material is being dealt with. Tlie Kaiono is fitted with four sets of engines arranged so as to be available for pumping or. propelling, independently or conjointly. She is fitted. Willi two independent centrifugal snc'iiou pumps, each having a 16in. diameter suction pipe capable of dredging to a depth of 40ft. below water level. The trailing suction frame is iitted so that the vessel can Bteam Blowly ahead while dredging, and 111 this respect differs from tho usual type of dredgers in New Zealand, which are moored -when carrying on the operation of dredging. The Kaione is also fitted with the necessary winches for dredging moored, so lhat sho can be usod in either way. The hopper has a capacity of 600 cubic yards, and the dredge i» capable of lifting ECO lons ol' sand per hour, Tho great? advantage of the trailing suction typo of dredger where the dredging is ■ carried on by the , vessel steaming slowly ahead is that where lona channels are to be deepened, and the material to be dredged is of suitable character, tho deepening process can be carried on gradually over the -whole channel, and therefore the port to be serred at-oncc begins to feel the advantage of tlic._ gradually deepening channel instead of laving to wait a considerable period, a a is generally the case where the moored typo of dredge is used, before vessels of increased draught .can reach the port. Another feature of this plant is the provision made for steering, which iB carried out by means of a propeller placed in a tunnel athwart tho' vessel near the bow, this being iu addition to the ordinary rudtfar. With regard to disposing 'of tho spoil that has been dredged, provision is made {or discharging tilirough the ordinary hopper doors in the bottom of the vessel or 1 by pumping it inshore so that it can .be ■used for reclamation purposes. Following are the Kaiono's principal dimensions:—Length, 190 ft.; beam, 35ft.;. moulded depth,-ltflt. tin.; hopper capacity,. COO cubic yards; maximum dredging dopth, 40ft. The vesseP'o speed when fully loaded, is B'knots. > 1 The dredge is to be overhauled at Wellington prior to proceeding to Wanganui, and will probably be here for about throe weeks. The officers and crew who brought the vessel but to New Zealand will bo paid olf here. The chairman of the Wnngaliui harbour Board (Mr. Bigncll) is visiting Wellington in conncction with tile Mural, «f th(J dr.cdgo.