Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) selected Rapp Hydema to supply an electric ROV winch. The order adds another UNOLS entry to Rapp’s backlog, including a complete deck machinery outfitting on the Alaskan Regional Research Vessel (ARRV) that includes winches as well as load-handling systems. The Active Heave Compensation (AHC) capable winch accommodates 7350m of .681 EM cable, or 7500m of 9/16” cable. The winch powering scheme retains Rapp’s redundancy approach, with three electric motors mounted on the gearbox; management is through VFDs (variable-frequency drives). One of Rapp’s newest winch control systems, the Pentagon Research system, will provide controls for the Active Heave Compensation (AHC).
“Rapp displayed a methodical approach to some complex problems on deck,” said Matt Heintz, a Mechanical Engineer at WHOI, who first approached Rapp about the winch at the Underwater Intervention exhibition in February 2010, and subsequently in 2011 was one of several attendees of a UNOLS delegation that visited Seattle to witness a test of the LARS (launch-and-recovery system) for the ARRV “I was impressed with technological choices and Rapp’s adaptability to evolving requirements. We executed several revisions of the specification in order to achieve a best fit.”
Rapp will be delivering the winch in February 2013.