Mooring System

Abstract

A mooring system for a floating aquatic structure includes a harness, a primary weight, and a first anchor. The harness has first and second ends. The first end is pivotally attached to the structure. The primary weight is removably attached to a connecting line and suspended from the second end of the harness. The anchor is removably attached to the primary weight to resist movement of the structure in a first direction.

1 . A mooring system for a floating aquatic structure, the system comprising: a harness having first and second ends, the first end being adapted to be pivotally attached to the structure; 
 at least one primary weight removably attached to a connecting line, and suspended on the connecting line from the second end of the harness; and    at least one first anchor removably attached to said primary weight by at least one first anchor line, wherein the first anchor is adapted to resist movement of the structure in a first direction.    
   
   
       2 . The mooring system of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one second anchor removably attached to the connecting line by at least one second anchor line, wherein the second anchor is adapted to resist movement of the structure in a second direction substantially opposite to the first direction.  
   
   
       3 . The mooring system of  claim 2 , further comprising a support line having one end adapted to be removably attached to the structure and its other end removably attached to the second anchor line, the support line adapted to restrict yaw motion of the structure.  
   
   
       4 . The mooring system of  claim 2 , further comprising one or more secondary weights attached to one or more of the first and second anchor lines.  
   
   
       5 . The mooring system of  claim 2 , wherein the system comprises at least two first anchors removably attached to said primary weight by respective first anchor lines, wherein each first anchor is adapted to resist movement of the structure in the first direction.  
   
   
       6 . The mooring system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one primary weight comprises a frame member and one or more chain links suspended from said frame member.  
   
   
       7 . The mooring system of  claim 6 , wherein the frame member includes at least two first mechanical attachment means adapted to removably attach the connecting line and at least one first anchor line thereto.  
   
   
       8 . The mooring system of  claim 7 , wherein the first mechanical attachment means are universal joints having detachable pin members.  
   
   
       9 . The mooring system of  claim 1 , further comprising: first and second primary weights attached to first and second connecting lines, respectively, and suspended on the connecting lines from the second end of the harness; and a pair of first anchors having respective first anchor lines, one of the first anchors removably attached to the first primary weight by one first anchor line and the other first anchor being removably attached to the second primary weight by the other first anchor line, wherein the first anchors are adapted to resist movement of the structure in a first direction.  
   
   
       10 . The mooring system of  claim 9 , wherein the system further comprises a third primary weight attached to a third connecting line and suspended on the third connecting line from the second end of the harness; and at least one second anchor removably attached to the third connecting line by at least one respective second anchor line, wherein the second anchor is adapted to resist movement of the structure in a second direction substantially opposite to the first direction.  
   
   
       11 . The mooring system of  claim 10 , further comprising a support line having one end adapted to be removably attached to the structure and its other end removably attached to the second anchor line, the support line adapted to restrict yaw motion of the structure.  
   
   
       12 . The mooring system of  claim 9 , wherein the system further comprises a pair of second anchors 
 each having respective second anchor lines, one of the second anchors being removably attached to the first primary weight by one second anchor line and the other second anchor being removably attached to the second primary weight by the other second anchor line, wherein the second anchors are adapted to resist movement of the structure in a second direction substantially opposite to the first direction.    
   
   
       13 . The mooring system of  claim 12 , further comprising first and second support lines, each support line having one end adapted to be removably attached to the structure and its other end removably attached to one of the second anchor lines, the support lines adapted to restrict yaw motion of the structure.  
   
   
       14 . The mooring system of  claim 1 , wherein the harness comprises first and second arm members and a shaft member, wherein the arm members have first and second ends and the shaft member is connected between the respective first ends of the arm members to form the first end of the harness, and wherein the shaft member has an axis of rotation about which the harness pivots.  
   
   
       15 . The mooring system of  claim 14 , wherein the harness is adapted to apply roll restraint to the structure.  
   
   
       16 . The mooring system of  claim 14 , wherein said shaft member and at least one of said arm members are hollow, the harness further comprising at least one conduit that is at least partially located in the hollow arm member and the shaft member.  
   
   
       17 . The mooring system of  claim 16  wherein the harness further comprises connecting means for connecting one or more utility supplies to the harness.  
   
   
       18 . The mooring system of  claim 17 , wherein said connecting means comprises a junction box having one or more connectors therein, the junction box being in communication with the at least one conduit, and the conduit carrying utility supply through the harness to the structure.  
   
   
       19 . The mooring system of  claim 1 , wherein the harness further comprises retrieval means to facilitate retrieval of the harness from a body of water.  
   
   
       20 . The mooring system of  claim 19 , wherein the retrieval means comprises one or more slots provided on the harness.  
   
   
       21 . The mooring system of  claim 20 , wherein the retrieval means further comprises one or more roller members provided on the harness.  
   
   
       22 . The mooring system of  claim 1 , wherein the harness further comprises a second mechanical attachment means for removably attaching the connecting line thereto.  
   
   
       23 . The mooring system of  claim 22 , wherein the second mechanical fixing means is a universal joint having a detachable pin therethrough.  
   
   
       24 . The mooring system of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one connecting line includes a linking plate member, and wherein the at least one second anchor line is removably connected to the connecting line by the linking plate member.  
   
   
       25 . The mooring system of  claim 24 , wherein the linking plate member includes: retrieval means adapted to allow the mooring system to be retrieved from the water; and stabilising means adapted to hold the plate member in substantially the same plane during retrieval.  
   
   
       26 . The mooring system of  claim 25 , wherein the linking plate member further includes locking means adapted to secure the plate member to a marine vessel.  
   
   
       27 . The mooring system of  claim 1 , wherein the floating aquatic structure is a wave energy converter.  
   
   
       28 . A weight for a mooring system, the weight comprising a frame member and at least two chain links suspended from said frame member.  
   
   
       29 . The weight of  claim 28 , wherein the weight comprises a plurality of chain links suspended from the frame member.  
   
   
       30 . The weight of  claim 28 , wherein the frame member includes at least two mechanical attachment means adapted for removably attaching components of a mooring system thereto.  
   
   
       31 . The weight of  claim 30 , wherein the mechanical attachment means are universal joints having detachable pin members.  
   
   
       32 . A recovery apparatus for a marine vessel, the apparatus comprising: a rotatable drum; 
 a recovery line having a first end adapted to be removably attached to a portion of an object to be recovered and a second end adapted to be removably attached to the rotatable drum;    a retention means comprising a base member and a retaining member attached to the base member by a spherical bearing, the retaining member being adapted to have a portion of the recovered object removably attached thereto; and    a guide means adapted to guide the recovery line over the retaining member during winding and unwinding of the line.    
   
   
       33 . The recovery apparatus of  claim 32 , wherein said guide means is a ramp having an inclined surface lying in a ramp surface plane, and wherein the retention means is housed on the ramp.  
   
   
       34 . The recovery apparatus of  claim 33 , wherein the base member is adapted to permit longitudinal movement of the retention means relative to the ramp.  
   
   
       35 . The recovery apparatus of  claim 34 , wherein the ramp further comprises a guide track in which the base member is located.  
   
   
       36 . The recovery apparatus of  claim 35 , wherein the guide track has first and second portions, wherein the first portion lies at a greater angle relative to the horizontal than the second portion.  
   
   
       37 . The recovery apparatus of  claim 36 , wherein the first guide track portion lies at an angle relative to the ramp surface plane and the second guide track portion is substantially parallel to the ramp surface plane.  
   
   
       38 . The recovery apparatus of  claim 35 , wherein the guide track includes locking means adapted to lock the retention means in one or more positions on the guide track.  
   
   
       39 . The recovery apparatus of  claim 32 , further comprising a tensioning roller member adjacent a first end of the guide means for tensioning the recovery line.  
   
   
       40 . The recovery apparatus of  claim 32 , wherein a second end of the guide means terminates adjacent the stem of the marine vessel, and the apparatus further comprises a recovery roller member adjacent the stern of the vessel, the recovery roller member adapted to assist in the recovery of an object onto the guide means.