Mooring systems and methods

Abstract

A method of mooring a floating vessel having a fairlead stopper coupled thereto is provided. The method includes retrieving a line pre-reeved on the fairlead stopper, connecting the line to an upper end of a mooring line, retrieving a second end of the line, connecting the second end to a winch of the AHV, and hauling in the mooring line to apply tension thereto Also disclosed are mooring lines and systems, including lines having tensioning connectors thereon, such as tri-plate connectors, for stretching lines.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A fairlead stopper, the fairlead stopper comprising:
 a housing assembly;   latches movably coupled with the housing assembly;   a chainwheel rotatably coupled with the housing assembly;   at least one chain retaining arm coupled with the housing assembly, wherein the at least one chain retaining arm is movable between an open position and a closed position, wherein in the closed position the at least one chain retaining arm is positioned to secure mooring line passing through the fairlead stopper.   
     
     
         2 . The fairlead stopper of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a chain table coupled with the housing assembly, wherein the chainwheel is positioned to direct mooring line to the chain table; and   a chain deflector coupled with the housing assembly, wherein the chain table is positioned to direct mooring line to the chain deflector, and wherein the chain deflector is configured to deflect mooring line to one side of the fairlead stopper.   
     
     
         3 . The fairlead stopper of  claim 2 , wherein the chain table comprises a first chain plate coupled with a second chain plate, wherein the first and second chain plates define a trough that is positioned to receive mooring line from the chainwheel. 
     
     
         4 . The fairlead stopper of  claim 2 , wherein the chain deflector comprises a baffle, wherein the baffle defines at least one chain deflector trough, and wherein the at least one chain deflector trough is positioned to deflect mooring line to one side of the fairlead stopper. 
     
     
         5 . The fairlead stopper of  claim 4 , wherein the at least one chain deflector trough comprises a first chain deflector trough positioned to deflect mooring line to a first side of the fairlead stopper and a second chain deflector trough positioned to deflect mooring line to a second side of the fairlead stopper. 
     
     
         6 . (canceled) 
     
     
         7 . The fairlead stopper of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one chain retaining arm comprises:
 a first chain retaining arm coupled with the housing assembly, wherein the first chain retaining arm is movable between an open position and a closed position, wherein in the closed position the first chain retaining arm is engaged over the chainwheel to secure mooring line passing over the chainwheel; and   a second chain retaining arm coupled with the chain table, wherein the second chain retaining arm is movable between an open position and a closed position, wherein in the closed position the second chain retaining arm is engaged over the chain table to secure mooring line positioned on the chain table.   
     
     
         8 . The fairlead stopper of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one chain retaining arm is pivotably coupled with the housing assembly, and is pivotably movable relative to the housing assembly between the open and the closed positions. 
     
     
         9 . (canceled) 
     
     
         10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . (canceled) 
     
     
         12 . The fairlead stopper of  claim 1 , further comprising a sea-fastening bracket, wherein the sea-fastening bracket is selectively couplable with the housing assembly to secure the fairlead stopper to a vessel. 
     
     
         13 . A method of handling a mooring line coupled with a fairlead stopper, the method comprising:
 providing a fairlead stopper comprising a housing assembly, latches coupled with the housing assembly, a chainwheel coupled with the housing assembly, and at least one chain retaining arm coupled with the housing assembly;   latching a mooring line with the latches, wherein the mooring line extends from the latches to the chainwheel and over the chainwheel, and wherein the mooring line extends from the chainwheel; and   moving the at least one chain retaining arm into a closed position such that the mooring line is secured between the at least one chain retaining arm and another portion of the fairlead stopper.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 directing the mooring line from the chainwheel to a chain table that is coupled with the housing assembly;   directing the mooring line from the chain table to a chain deflector that is coupled with the housing assembly; and   deflecting the mooring line to one side of the fairlead stopper with the chain deflector.   
     
     
         15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein moving the at least one chain retaining arm comprises:
 moving a first chain retaining arm coupled with the housing assembly into the closed position such that the first chain retaining arm is engaged over the chainwheel to secure mooring line passing over the chainwheel; and   moving a second chain retaining arm coupled with the chain table into the closed position such that the second chain retaining arm is engaged over the chain table to secure mooring line positioned on the chain table.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising locking the at least one chain retaining arm into the closed position. 
     
     
         18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the bitter end of the mooring line extends from the chain deflector to a position below and to one side of the fairlead stopper. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising cutting a portion of the bitter end below the fairlead stopper. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising, prior to latching the mooring line, transporting a vessel including the fairlead stopper to a site, wherein during transport of the vessel, the at least one chain retaining arm is locked in the open position. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein during the transport of the vessel, the fairlead stopper is secured to the vessel with a sea-fastening bracket. 
     
     
         23 . The fairlead stopper of  claim 1 , wherein the fairlead stopper is coupled with a hull of a vessel, the fairlead stopper further comprising:
 a sea-fastening brace coupled with the housing assembly;   wherein the sea-fastening brace positions the fairlead stopper at an angle relative to the hull.   
     
     
         24 . (canceled) 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising: 
 coupling the fairlead stopper with a vessel;   coupling a sea-fastening brace between the fairlead stopper and the vessel or between the a first portion of the fairlead stopper and a second portion of the fairlead stopper;   wherein the sea-fastening brace extends to position the fairlead at an angle relative to the vessel.   
     
     
         26 . The fairlead stopper of  claim 1 , wherein the fairlead stopper is coupled with a hull of a vessel, the fairlead stopper further comprising:
 a wave-reaction bar coupled with the housing assembly;   wherein the wave-reaction bar reacts to forces imparted onto the fairlead stopper.   
     
     
         27 . The fairlead stopper of  claim 26 , wherein the wave-reaction bar comprises a strut. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 coupling a wave-reaction bar with a vessel;   coupling the fairlead stopper with the wave-reaction bar; and   reacting forces imparted onto the fairlead stopper with the wave-reaction bar.   
     
     
         29 . (canceled) 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 28 ,wherein the fairlead stopper is coupled with the wave-reaction bar during transport of the vessel. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 45 , further comprising:
 retrieving a pre-laid mooring line off a sea bed with the AHV and securing the pre-laid mooring line on deck of the AHV;   connecting a hold back line between a winch on the AHV and a tri-plate connector coupled with a top chain of the pre-laid mooring line;   transferring two ends of the pre-messenger line from the vessel to the AHV, wherein the two ends include the first end and the second end;   connecting the top chain of the mooring line to the second end of the messenger line that extends from the AHV into a chain guide of the fairlead, wherein a winch on the AHV is connected to the first end of the messenger line that extends from a chainwheel of the fairlead stopper to the AHV;   over-boarding the connected top chain and messenger line;   hauling in the messenger line until the top chain of the mooring line enters the fairlead stopper and until a first tension is on the mooring line; and   disconnecting the messenger line from the top chain.   
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the pre-messenger line has at most two LLLC links. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the pre-messenger line is reeved through the fairlead stopper at a shipyard, prior to transport of the vessel to a mooring site. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 31 , further comprising using the messenger line to moor multiple different mooring lines of the vessel. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the pre-messenger line comprises rope or wire. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein the pre-messenger line comprises steel wire. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 31 , further comprising cutting a length of a bitter end of the mooring line. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 37 , further comprising reconnecting the cut length of the bitter end to the mooring line to lengthen the mooring line. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein the cut length of the bitter end is reconnected to the mooring line with an LLLC link. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the pre-messenger line, the messenger line, the top chain of the mooring line, and the hold back line are simultaneously positioned on the AHV for at least a discrete period of time. 
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 31 , further comprising, while hauling in the mooring line, hauling in the hold back line. 
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the pre-messenger line comprises a Dyneema. 
     
     
         43 . (canceled) 
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 45 , further comprising:
 connecting a mooring line to the second end of the messenger line that extends from the AHV into a chain guide of the fairlead, wherein a winch on the AHV is connected to the first end of the messenger line that extends from a chainwheel of the fairlead stopper to the AHV;   over-boarding the connected mooring line and messenger line;   hauling in the messenger line until the mooring line enters the fairlead stopper and until a first tension is on the mooring line; and   disconnecting the messenger line from the mooring line.   
     
     
         45 . A method of connecting a messenger line to a fairlead stopper, the method comprising:
 reeving a pre-messenger line through a fairlead stopper coupled with a vessel;   connecting a first end of the pre-messenger line with a first end of a messenger line on an AHV;   over-boarding the connected ends of the pre-messenger line and the messenger line, wherein a second end of the messenger line is secured on the deck of the AHV;   hauling in on a second end the pre-messenger line onto the AHV to pull the connected pre-messenger line and the messenger line through the fairlead stopper until the first end of the messenger line passes through the fairlead stopper and is pulled onto the deck of the AHV;   disconnecting the pre-messenger line from the messenger line.