Page 36: of Marine News Magazine (April 2013)

recently commercialized, is in the process of being developed into full system which will include a self-contained launch-ing system and the BoomVane. In actual practice, the skim- mer is towed at as much as two to three knots, much faster than the 0.75 knots common for lesser skimmers. According to Donnie Wilson, the advantages are many. ?You can stay clutched in and still maintain steerage and not all vessels are set up or equipped for launch and retrieval,? he said. Used in conjunction with the Grooved disc Skimmer, the Swedish designed BoomVane, built speci cally to deal with oil in inland waters, de ects oil to shore where skimmers can ef ciently pick it up. The BoomVane ?holds the boom open? as it is deployed. The entire system could be ready by the end of this year. As a one-two punch, the two constitute per- haps the most powerful (combined) innovation in oil spill re- sponse in more than 50 years. The X-150, with its groove disc system has a capacity of 660 gallons per minute. The Boom vane system corrals the oil, with just one captain in charge of operation whereas other systems or methods need two boats. This represents, in and of itself, signi cant cost savings. The boom vane itself rudders the boom away from the shore. BoomVane: This powerful device allows for rapid boom deployment in a wide range of environments such as riv- ers, canals and estuaries without the use of boats, anchors or  xed installations. The patented BoomVane can also be partnered with a boat to operate a single vessel sweep system without the need for an outrigger arm. A cascade of vertical vanes under the wave-rider  oat allow the BoomVane to advance against the water current at speeds of 0.5 to >5 knots. The system can be operated in waters with heavy traf c and debris. The lightweight design and control rudder allows for easy retrieval and relaunching. BoomVane also folds up for compact storage and transport in boats and utility vehicles. It can be reassembled with- out tools in minutes. Speci cally designed for shore based river operations in shallow waters, it can also deployed off a towing vessel to reach near the shoreline with booms and Hydro Fireboom April 201336 MN