during my career as a Marine Surveyor one of my accounts was Scripps institute the owner and operators of the FLIP. I have been aboard here for periodic surveys and actually went to sea on it being towed by a Navajo class tug.
when the tow was set up they would shoot a messager over with a lyle gun then pass a rope hawser. The entire interior is set up on gimbles and there were quarters on board along with a genset the exhaust of which was change manually from horizontal to vertical. but the bunks refrigeration and sinks and head were all gimbaled. it was shaped like a baseball bat with the house on the tapered end. a unique vessel and well worth saving. it was always maintained in good condition and as recall was refitted in dry dock in the 90’s
2 Likes
4 Likes
Post from the Old Salt Blog - includes a short video of the ship ‘flipping’.
1 Like
More video footage of the Flip in operation:
From 0:00 - 9:00, (Followed by introduction of the Ramform seismic vessels)
1 Like