< I thought they all ocean vessels had to have two screws -from the little
< pots to the supertankers.
Just a shaft coming straight from the 2 stroke diesel -- the cheapest possible thing.
< One on each side of the keel. Not only for prop efficiency by keeping it off the
< central wake, but also as a maritime regulation.
What regulation?
Vessel owners/operators are the cheapest people on the planet.
< A fact not in evidence.
Talk to any Greek sailor.
Check out Lloyds registry. Notice all the names that are missing the last letter to mean something?
That's because you change the name when you buy a vessel and the cheapest way to change the name is to paint over the last letter.
I knew one Miami based charterer of a banana ship who would store bunker in the ballast tanks when the price of fuel was going up. The ship had a pronounced list as a result. You could identify the ship on the horizon because of the tilt.
< Anyway, that would only mean they won't pay for the second screw,
Or even stator blading if it meant relocating the rudder.
< if the had a choice and if they could trade fuel against the cost of money for the
< screw
The owners might be functional enough to look at the tradeoff -- constant overhead vs initial cost.
< and if the ocean vessels don't really have twin screws, which I believe they all
< do.
Visit any deep water port.
Bret Cahill