Video of Destroyer being transferred to barge for launch

[mrmr96]

I saw a documentary on Discovery (or similar) recently which showed how Destroyers were being built in sections, and then the sections welded together to build the full ship on a dockside. Then it was rolled on two special rails onto a massive submersible barge which parked dockside. That floated out into deeper waters before submerging itself and thereby lowering the newly build destroyer into the water. I'm looking for a video online which demonstrates the process, but I don't know what exactly to search for. I've had a bit of a go, but not found what I want so far. Anyone help?

Cheers

[slinky]

Google "Mighty Servant", is that the sort of thing you're looking for?

[mrmr96]

Mighty Servant featured on the same program actually, but it wasn't the one which was specifically used for these military boats. The one I'm thinking of uses the same submersibility system, but it also had rails on it which lined up with the ones on the dockside. It also had a specially built platform underwater which it rests on whilst dockside. This means that it can't move as the weight of the Destroyer is transferred to it. Thanks for posting, but it's not quite the one.

[paulrussell]

All of those type of ships require work to there decks for each load they carry. The structures you saw on the ship, would of been built by the crew, and are only temporary. I can't find the video you're looking for.

[mrmr96]

OK, thanks for looking.

[Steve_D]

I think I remember the vid.
It was not a sea going 'servant' type it was a floating dry dock. I think the tracks were an integral part of the deck rather than something added for the task.

Steve

[MBBlat]

Not using a floating dock but this Indian example shows the principal http://youtu.be/yl9fMRRzgWA

Despite the video its an incredibly slow process - speeds are a couple of meters per hour, but incredibly smooth, so much so that the crew on-board can't tell when they're afloat.

[mrmr96]

Thanks for your help chaps. It seems 'floating dry dock' was the combination of words I needed to search for.

I found this video, and it's stty quality and features a sub not a destroyer but it's the exact same floating dry dock which was used in the boat video I was looking for, so it demostrates the principal I wanted.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hfj3jSa4htc

Cheers all