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 RHIB Recovery Installation.
Introduction.
The RHIB Recovery Installation is designed to enable fast deployment and recovery of a RHIB vessel
during military operations in (hostile) open waters. The system is placed at the stern of the main vessel
for rear entry.
The RHIB Recovery Installation is capable of catching the RHIB with a relative speed to the main
vessel of 6 knots.

Fig. General overview of the RHIB Recovery Installation.

The RHIB Recovery Installation consists of the following main components:

- Hydraulic power unit (HPU).

- Electric starter cabinet.
- Operation console.
- Cylinder unit.
- Accumulators.
- Catch poles (SB and PS side).
- Wire rope system.

The hydraulic power unit comes as the heart of the system. It will provide for hydraulic power to the
RHIB Recovery Installation that is needed to prepare the system for recovery operations, launch
operations and the operations necessary for returning to stowed position.

The electric starter cabinet arranges for electrical supply to all components of the RHIB Recovery
Installation. The only input needed from the main vessel would be the main power supply.

An operation console is supplied with the system to enable the operator to control the various actions
of the RHIB Recovery Installation. For safety reasons, an indication will be given to notify the operator
what mode the system has entered and what operations can be executed. The console is separated
from the starter cabinet and made to be as compact as possible so that it will fit in almost any space
on the vessel.

As a physical part of the RHIB Recovery Installation, a cylinder unit is placed to form the base of the
operational triangle. This cylinder unit acts as the starting point for the execution of all operations.
During recovery of the RHIB, the two cylinders mounted in this unit will slow down the RHIB
significantly to provide for a safe and comfortable stop. Also they will pay-out and take-in wire rope as
the operation progresses.
During launching operations the cylinders will generate the force required to push the RHIB into the
water and when it is required that the RHIB should go to the stowed position, the cylinders will
generate the force to do so.
The accumulator bottles are installed as a buffer for the hydraulic oil when a RHIB is caught by the
RHIB Recovery Installation during recovery operations. When a RHIB is being recovered, the impact
of the RHIB on the wire rope system causes the cylinders to move at high speed. This causes high
displacement of oil between the cylinders which is “buffered” by the accumulator bottles.

Two catch poles are mounted of which one on the starboard side and one on the port side of the
vessel. The catch poles are provided with various sheaves to guide the wire ropes through to the
cylinder unit.

The wire rope system is designed to distribute the forces generated during recovery, launch and inhaul
to stowed position of the RHIB to the cylinders. Also, the wire rope system is designed to act as a
natural spring to limit the peak forces that will react on the various parts.

Fig. Cylinder unit and accumulator stand.

Fig. Catch poles starboard and port side.

Fig. Wire rope system of the RHIB Recovery Installation.

Fig. Compact hydraulic power unit for the RHIB Recovery Installation.

A typical operation cycle for the RHIB Recovery Installation would be as such:

- A signal is given by mission control for the deployment of the RHIB.

- Crew and operator gather near the RHIB and RHIB Recovery Installation.
- Operator starts up the RHIB Recovery Installation. This only takes a few seconds.
- Crew can embark the RHIB.
- After selecting the launch mode, the operator will get a signal that indicates that the system is
ready to launch the RHIB.
- The operator gives the command to the RHIB Recovery Installation to launch the RHIB.
- The RHIB is deployed into the seawater by our RHIB Recovery Installation.
- After the mission is completed by the RHIB and it’s crew, the command is given to the
operator to prepare for recovery of the RHIB.
- The operator selects the recovery mode on the operator console. This gives the command to
the RHIB Recovery Installation to prepare for recovery. An indication is given to the operator
that the system is preparing for recovery.
- When the system is ready for recovery, an indication is given to the operator that the RHIB
can be recovered from open sea. Operator signals to the mission leader that the RHIB can
enter.
- The RHIB will enter the main vessel from the rear and connects to the triangle of the wire rope
system.
- The system will slow down the RHIB safely to a stand still without any interference of the
operator or crew.
- After the RHIB has come to a stand still, the operator can immediately inhaul the RHIB to the
stowed position and the crew can disembark the RHIB.
- If mission control decides to launch the RHIB before inhaul has begun, this can also be done
immediately after recovery of the RHIB has finished.
RHIB Recovery Installation launch, recovery and inhaul operations.
The RHIB Recovery Installation has three (3) points which define the operations.

- Receiving position point “A”.

- Stop position point “B”.
- Stowed position point “C”.

Fig. RHIB key positions.

To follow the before mentioned typical operation cycle for the RHIB Recovery Installation, we define
the following operations principles.

1. Launching the RHIB.

The RHIB is stowed in position “C” and needs to be launched for execution of a mission. The position
and readiness of the system is indicated on the operation console at the display of the operator.
When the operator controls the button for launching of the RHIB, the recovery cylinder will take-in wire
rope and the inhaul cylinder will pay-out wire rope. This way, the RHIB is forced to move into the water
(point “A”). Basic studies showed that the RHIB often needs no help from the RHIB Recovery
Installation to deploy itself into the water.
The system will move from position “C” all the way to position “A” for launching. If necessary, the
launch procedure can be aborted at any time and the RHIB can be retrieved to stowed position again.
When waterborne, the RHIB catch hook is to be released from within the boat by the crew before
sailing away from the main vessel.

Fig. RHIB launch operation.

 2. Recovery of the RHIB.

After the RHIB has been launched and the mission is completed, the RHIB is to be retrieved from the
open water. To do so, the RHIB Recovery Installation is to be put to the recovery mode (position “A”).
When this position is achieved, the operator receives a signal that indicates that the RHIB Recovery
Installation is ready for retrieval of the RHIB from open water. The RHIB coxswain receives the signal
to bring the RHIB in. During the entry at the rear of the vessel, the RHIB will hit the wire rope system of
the RHIB Recovery Installation at point “A”. From this point it will move to point “B”, loosing speed
along the way, where it will stop. The inhaul wire and recovery wire will follow the movement of the
RHIB. When the RHIB has reached the stop position “B” the operator can choose to either launch the
RHIB again or to inhaul the RHIB to the stowed position. Normally, the operator brings the RHIB to the
stowed position. Before the crew can disembark, it is advised to pull the RHIB to the stowed position
first.

Fig. RHIB recovery operation.

 3. Inhaul of the RHIB to the stowed position.

Assuming the RHIB is in the stop position “B” we can proceed to inhaul the RHIB to the stowed
position “C”. To pull the RHIB to the stowed position, the operator only has to push the inhaul button
on the operation console. The RHIB will now slowly be pulled to position “C” and will come to a stop.
The crew can now disembark the vessel and marine personnel can secure the RHIB. For securing the
RHIB various connection points are provided on the system. After the RHIB is secured the RHIB
Recovery Installation can be shut down (except for motor heaters and cabinet heaters) until further
use is required.

Fig. RHIB inhaul operation.

Base case situation for the RHIB Recovery Installation.

RHIB mass: x.xxx kg (acc. Boat specification)
Slipway slope: 12° Degrees
Main vessel trim: 0° Degrees
RHIB entrance speed: 6 knots
11 Km/h
Effective propulsion force: 0 kN

Please note that the RHIB Recovery Installation can be designed to customer needs.