SHEARWATER

It appeared a day of rest in Granton Harbour for the SHEARWATER, an elderly grab/suction dredger.

The vessel was laid down in 1968 at Hall Russell's of Aberdeen for the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, and originally used for dredging in smaller ports in North East Scotland, such as Portsoy, Buckie and Arbroath.

Recently it has been registered in Leith and has been dredging the smaller ports of the Firth of Forth.

Dimensions
length 112' 3" x breadth 28' 7" x depth 10'
Gross Tonnage: 342 ton

A crane with a bucket grab is situated on the bow which deposits the silt from the harbour into an open holdwell on the starboard side.
A trailing suction pipe is stowed on deck and when required for sandy shingle is lowered over the side. The forward end of the pipe is sleeved through a steel plate which slides into 2 guide rails that go down the ship side to a valve hole at the bilge bottom. Once the pipe is in place the valve is opened, the pumps are switched on and the gravel is sucked into the holdwell.

When the holdwell is full the ship proceeds out to sea to dump its load by opening six hinged doors under the keel.