Page 4 - NSRI_ORC140 USER MANUAL

1.GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF

THE ORC 140 RESCUE VESSEL

The ORC 140 Rescue Vessel has been introduced to replace the 10 m Brede, 12 m Lochin and
the Rodman vessels in the fleet. The 10 m and 12 m Lochin vessels were all built in the mid
1980’s and are nearing their retirement age of 40 year.

The ORC 140 design was developed by Pantocarene Naval Architects in France with the aim of
improving the sea keeping capabilities and speed of planing hulls in rough seas. The ORC 140
hull is designed to cope with rough seas, and the craft is self – righting if it is capsized, provided
that the watertight doors are closed.

The ORC 140 designs are used by pilot
services around the world and by the
French sea rescue service (SNSM).

The hull, main deck and superstructure of
the ORC 140 Rescue Vessel are made of
Glass Reinforced Plastic (GRP). GRP is
a composite material consisting of isoph-
thalic polyester resin with E–glass fibre
and carbon fibre reinforcement in all the
vessel’s main beams and ribs.

The bulkheads, deck and superstructure are of a sandwich type laminate, and laminated with
PVC foam added as a core material. The interior of the hull is moulded with 16 transverse frames
and 4 longitudinal beams, which together with the moulded deck gives the hull its structure and
strength. The hull structure is designed for a scantling of 2g, and the superstructure is reinforced
to bear the hydrostatic forces in case of a capsize at sea.

The ORC 140 has very good sea-keeping qualities, thanks to the vessel’s hull with its characteris-
tic beak, double chine including the inversion of the intermediate bilge, and the longitudinal spray
rails that facilitate the water streams in planing mode.

Hull qualities include:
• Reduced slamming at sea
• Decreased rolling or pitching
• Smoother navigation at higher speed
• High speed maintained in rough seas, with seas from both ahead and astern.
• Improved stability
• Acoustic comfort in the wheelhouse: There are reduced noise levels because of the wheelhouse
mounting system

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