A vessel for log rafting
The problem of improving log rafting effectiveness cannot be put off. Modernization and putting into operation new types of equipment will allow solving of a number of important problems in the process of log rafting. The article proposes resources to increase the log rafting effectiveness by means of a special kind of tugboat adoption to realize log rafting that can reduce tractive hydrodynamic resistance. To put this into practice is our major task. We have developed a tug-trimaran having mobile side hulls, with a hydrodynamic fairing consisting of several inflatable sections fixed between them. To produce the inflatable hydrodynamic fairing certain types of materials have been suggested as well. The proposed type of a tugboat will enable to improve the effectiveness of log rafting and stop using both standard tugboats and long towing cables. Placing this type of a vessel at the head of a float will make it possible to improve its maneuvre characteristics that will have an effect on the maximum permissible rotation angle and the width of a transportation route on the difficult sections