THE C. A. LARSEN

Evening Star, Issue 19804, 1 March 1928, Page 9

THE C. A. LARSEN

; PROSPECTS OF REFLOATING OPINION OF PRACTICAL MAN “ IT CAN BE DONE.” “ Gun the C. A. Larsen be successfully refloatedr 1 ” a 'Star’ ,’eportcr today asked Mr R. C. Miller, of Port Chalmers, who is a well-known diver, and holds the dominion’s record for salvaging damaged and wrecked ships. Mr Miller has been at Paterson Inlet and has inspected the whaler under the water line.

“it can be done,” replied Mr Miller, whoso opinion is worth while from a practical standpoint, and who was not averse to answering further questions in regard to the stranded whaler. In regard to the practical experience which adds value to aptitude and skill, it may bo recalled that Mr Miller’s record includes salvaging at the Waikare, in the West Coast Sounds; the Tyrone, at Wahinc Point; the Kowhai, holed at the Spit; the Konini, stranded at Ocean Beach; the Marama, when she arrived “on her tank tops” from Bluff; tho Blackwall, which had to be coffer-dammed in Lyttelton Harbor; dredge 222, sunk at the Spit); and the refloating of several gold dredges in Central. Prior to that Mr Miller had lour years’ salvaging experience on the African coast, and before that again lie learned tho game on the nigged coasts of Great Britain, where ship salvaging sets tho world’s standard on the most hazardous of maritime enterprise. Mr Miller, accompanied by Diver Arthur, made a careful survey of the forward starboard side of the C. A. Larsen on the first day they were down. Next morning the survey was continued, Mr Miller inspecting the damage to tho deep tank near the forward end of tho vessel, also inspecting tho “ coffer dam ” immediately abaft the tank. There are two such coffer dams in the ship, the one forward and the other well aft, the latter separating tho bunker and boiler and engine department from the cargo-carrying portion of tho ship. The engine room is close to the stern, with the boilers and bunkers immediately forward of it. Two parallel steel bulkheads about 6ft apart constitute the coffer dams. The coffer dam aft and the other coffer dam near the bow thus effectually separate both ends of the ship from the cargo carrying space, consisting of a series of oil tanks in between. The vessel had evidently struck first at the deep tank forward, for tho hull was holed there, tho surrounding indentation measuring 10ft foro and aft and Bft deep ; the plating being “ set in ” about 2ft. The adjoining coffer dam frames were set in and the planking dented. The indentation extended tho whole width of the coffer dam fore and aft, and disclosed a hole about 3ft by 2ft. There were also two small holes lower down at the round of the bow. The two larger holes were above tho curve of the bilge. Continued examination showed that further aft along the starboard side the hull had been ripped and more or less holed for a distance of over 2Uoft as tbo_ big ship had crunched against the projecting rocks. The latter damage was under the round of the bilge, and as the vessel was only 18in off the bottom tho examination was carried ont with great difficulty, one diver pushing tho other under the ship’s bottom in an exhaustive endeavor to obtain all tho details possible. _ At No. 12 tank the hull plate adjoining tho bilge was ripped and holed, and Gio frames “set up” along tho plate. No. 11 tank was similarly damaged, but tiro divers could not push under there as far as the keel, because at that place the hull was resting on the sandy bottom. No. 10 tank was ripped and holed, and the frames “set up.” No. 9 tank was also “set up” and ripped. The. pump room plates nearest to fhe bilge were “set. up,” burst in, and ripped for the whole length. From there, going aft, the bilge keel bad been ripped off the hull, and a length of it, which was projecting outwards would have to be cut off before the vessel went into dock. Tanks Nos. 7, 0,5, 4,3, 2, and 1 were also more or loss damaged. The bulkhead dividing tanks Nos. 6 and 7 had suffered, tho plates being badly set up and burst athwartships. Further examination showed that tho sternpost, rudder, and propeller wore fortunately intact. Tho port side of the vessel was also inspected, but tho divers were unable to get underneath the bottom owing to lack of space. Underneath the forepeak the sand had been scoured away by tho tide, and an examination was made, the divers crawling under the After the examination had been carried out Mr Miller reported to Captain Neilsen that he had considered the best means of effecting temporary repairs, and that he had decided that ho could carry the repairs out in a satisfactory manner within a period of three weeks, provided every required assistance was given on deck and the weather conditions continued as at the time the examination was made.

Surveyors, agents, and representatives of various interests were associated with the captain of the whaler. They did not accept Air Aliller’s offer. They appeared to think that by engaging a number of divers they could carry out tbo repairs without tbe export assistance proffered. lu addition to being an expert diver, Mr Miller is also a practical shipwright, and in under-water repair work not only knows what is required, but bow to affix patches effectively after they have been made to his order. The C. A. Larsen, ho says, could be very quickly refloated by temporarily filling in the hole in the hull. Bunt the >•'>- pairs ho had view were of a substantial nature, and such as w«, withstand the strain of possible bad wentber on tbe way from Stewart Island to the dock at Port Chalmers. U was the more solid class of repair Air Afillcr contemplated in concluding that the ship could be refloated in three weeks.

It is anticipated that keen tendering will take place for repairing the vessel after she is in dock. The do n k at Port Chalmers is being specially lengthened to accommodate the C. A. Larsen.