Wash attenuator for a moored vessel

Abstract

A wash attenuator for a moored vessel includes a buoyant member adapted to extend along at least a portion of the waterline of the vessel to isolate the portion of the waterline of the vessel from the wash. The buoyant member includes a first section extending above the water line and a second section extending below the water line. The wash attenuator further includes a barrier extending from the buoyant member and below the waterline for providing lateral stability to the buoyant member.

1 . A wash attenuator for a moored vessel, the wash attenuator comprising: 
 a buoyant member adapted to extend along at least a portion of the waterline of the vessel to isolate said portion of the waterline of the vessel from the wash, the buoyant member including a first section extending above the water line and a second section extending below the water line; and,    a barrier extending from the buoyant member and below the waterline for providing lateral stability to the buoyant member.    
   
   
       2 . A wash attenuator as defined in  claim 1  wherein the barrier extends downwardly from the second section of the buoyant member.  
   
   
       3 . A wash attenuator as defined in  claim 1  wherein the barrier extends substantially vertically downwardly from the second portion of the buoyant member.  
   
   
       4 . A wash attenuator as defined in  claim 1  wherein the barrier is rigid.  
   
   
       5 . A wash attenuator as defined in  claim 3  wherein the barrier is constructed of a flexible material and is provided with one or more weights arranged to maintain substantial verticality of the barrier relative to the buoyant member in use.  
   
   
       6 . A wash attenuator as defined in  claim 5  wherein the one or more weights are arranged along a lower edge of the barrier.  
   
   
       7 . A wash attenuator as defined in  claim 1  wherein the buoyant member extends along at least a portion of the waterline of the vessel to either side of the bow section of the vessel.  
   
   
       8 . A wash attenuator as defined in  claim 1  wherein the buoyant member extends along at least a portion of the waterline of the vessel to either side of the bow section of the vessel and along at least a portion of the sides of the hull of the vessel.  
   
   
       9 . A wash attenuator as defined in  claim 1  wherein the buoyant member is arranged to extend along a portion of one or both sides of the hull of the vessel  
   
   
       10 . A wash attenuator as defined in  claim 1  wherein the buoyant member is arranged to extend around a portion of the rearward section of the vessel.  
   
   
       11 . A wash attenuator as defined in  claim 1  wherein the vessel is a multi-hull vessel, each hull of the vessel including a bow section, and the buoyant member is arranged to extend along at least a portion of the waterline of the vessel to either side of the bow section of each hull.  
   
   
       12 . A wash attenuator as defined in  claim 1  wherein the vessel is a multi-hull vessel, each hull of the vessel including a bow section, and the buoyant member is arranged to extend along at least a portion of the waterline of one or both outermost hulls of the multi-hull vessel.  
   
   
       13 . A wash attenuator as defined in  claim 1  wherein the buoyant member comprises a plurality of buoyant member sections releasably coupled to each other in series to form the buoyant member.  
   
   
       14 . A wash attenuator as defined in  claim 1  wherein the buoyant member is inflatable.  
   
   
       15 . A wash attenuator as defined in  claim 1  wherein the buoyant member is of fixed shape and is hollow.  
   
   
       16 . A wash attenuator as defined in  claim 1  wherein the buoyant member terminates in first and second opposed ends and the cross-sectional area of the buoyant member tapers towards one or both of the first and second ends.  
   
   
       17 . A wash attenuator as defined in  claim 14  wherein the inflatable buoyant member further comprises one or more nested liners.  
   
   
       18 . A wash attenuator as defined in  claim 1  further comprising one or more attachment points for securing the position of the buoyant member relative to the vessel, a pen or a mooring.  
   
   
       19 . A wash attenuator as defined in  claim 1  wherein the buoyant member is provided with one or more spacing means for holding the buoyant member in a spaced apart relationship to the vessel.  
   
   
       20 . A wash attenuator as defined in  claim 1  wherein the buoyant member is held in a spaced apart relationship away from the vessel indirectly using a spacer applied to a mooring rope extending from the vessel to a mooring or a pen.  
   
   
       21 . A wash attenuator as defined in  claim 1  in combination with a pen within which a vessel may be moored.