LAUNCHING INVOLVES THE TRANSFERENCE OF THE WEIGHT OF THE SHIP FROM THE KEEL BLOCKS, SHORES,

ETC., ON WHICH IT WAS SUPPORTED DURING CONSTRUCTION, TO A CRADLE ON WHICH IT IS ALLOWED TO

SLIDE INTO THE WATER. NORMALLY THE VESSEL IS LAUNCHED END ON, STERN FIRST, BUT A NUMBER OF
SHIPYARDS LOCATED ON RIVERS OR OTHER NARROW CHANNELS ARE OBLIGED TO LAUNCH THE VESSEL
SIDEWAYS
END LAUNCHES
ON RELEASE OF A HOLDING MECHANISM THE LAUNCHING CRADLE WITH THE SHIP SLIDES DOWN THE
GROUND WAYS UNDER THE ACTION OF GRAVITY. WHEN THE STERN HAS ENTERED THE WATER THE VESSEL IS
PARTLY SUPPORTED BY BUOYANCY AND PARTLY BY THE GROUND WAYS.
IF THIS BUOYANCY IS INADEQUATE AFTER THE CENTRE OF GRAVITY OF THE SHIP HAS PASSED THE WAY
ENDS, THE SHIP MAY TIP ABOUT THE WAY ENDS CAUSING LARGE PRESSURES ON THE BOTTOM SHELL AND
ON THE ENDS OF THE GROUND WAYS. TO AVOID THIS THE GREATEST DEPTH OF WATER OVER THE WAY ENDS
SHOULD BE UTILIZED, AND THE GROUND WAYS EXTENDED INTO THE WATER IF NECESSARY.
 WHERE THIS PROVES IMPOSSIBLE IT BECOMES NECESSARY TO STRENGTHEN THE WAY ENDS AND
PROVIDE SHORING IN THE BOTTOM SHELL REGION WHICH IS LIKELY TO BE DAMAGED. THESE REMEDIES
ARE OFTEN EXPENSIVE. AS THE VESSEL TRAVELS FURTHER INTO THE WATER THE BUOYANCY BECOMES
SUFFICIENT TO LIFT THE STERN. THE VESSEL THEN PIVOTS ABOUT THE FORWARD POPPETS, I.E. THE FORE
END OF THE LAUNCHING CRADLE. THESE ARE DESIGNED TO TAKE THE LOAD THROWN ON THEM BY THE
PIVOTING ACTION, THE LOAD BEING WIDELY DISTRIBUTED IN ORDER NOT TO SQUEEZE OUT THE
LUBRICANT BETWEEN THE SLIDING SURFACES. SHORING MAY ALSO BE FOUND NECESSARY FORWARD IN
THE SHIP TO PREVENT STRUCTURAL DAMAGE AT THE TIME THE STERN LIFTS.