Posted by Scott Andrews on October 27, 2000 at 11:57:27:
In Reply to: Re: Olympic Mooring Poles posted by Bruce on October 26, 2000 at 19:11:14:
: Yes, and there were other poles along the side of the ship for keeping the hull at least 12 feet away from the dock for coaling. These are what those cleats are for alomg the side of thee hull. They can be seen, though barley, in the one postcard picture taken of T's bow during Good Friday when she was dressed out in flags. Maybe other Courtney shots also, I don't know.
:
: Bruce
The poles hung from the stern of the ship were protective fenders. Other than for mooring in an unprotected anchorage, they were no longer needed once permanent extensions to the Chelsea Piers had been completed.
The poles you mention used between the ship and the pier for coaling are referred to as "coaling booms", hence the expression "booming the ship out from the pier". As you stated, the socketed cleats in the shell plating are for; the accept a hook or claw affixed to the end of the coaling boom, which is also tied in place. The opposite end of the boom lays in a ledge in the bulkhead of the pier.
The need for these was done away with when ships were converted to oil firing. When coaling, coal had to be bunkered from both sides of the ship in order to facilitate the work of trimming while filling the bunkers. After conversion to oil fuel, the ship could be bunkered from either side with any "trimming" being accommplished by the engineers through the use of fuel transfer piping and pumps, so therewas no need to bring barges along both sides of the ship.
Scott Andrews