The most commonly used method of launching a ship is one
that has remained virtually unchanged for thousands of years. It is, perhaps,
the simplest solution to the problem of moving a vessel from Point A on dry
land to Point B much lower in the water.
Basically, it involves transferring the ship's weight
from the blocks that have supported her during construction to the launchways.
These are greased timbers which help the ship to slide down into the water and
consist of slidingways (attached to the bottom of the ship), and standingways
(fastened to the ground).
Everything is held securely in place until the moment of
the launch when traditionally, a bottle is broken to trigger the release. The
ship should then glide down the slipway under her own weight into a floating
position.
Launching Calculations
Greasing the Timbers 1
Greasing the Timbers 2
Attending the Launch
Breaking the Bottle
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