Research Project Summary

Year Funded: 2010 Budget: 56,550 Funding Agency: WorkSafeBC
Title: FIT – Fishboat Inclinometer Testing (Commercial Fishing Vessel Behavior: Predicted vs. Actual)
Category: Changing Nature of Work and Work Environment
Subcategory: Changing Nature of Work and Work Environment
Keywords: Vessel, stability, dynamic
Link to research website:

Issue:

The commercial fishing industry is one of Canada’s most dangerous industries. Reasons for this include the fact that fishing vessels are moving continuously, irregularly and unpredictably, resulting in a variety of accidents and injuries. This project addresses this issue through the application of recently developed technology that will permit researchers to acquire and analyze data about vessel stability behavior (for vessels under 24 meters), allowing for an analysis of movement predictability.

Objectives:

Researchers will design, build, integrate and install a unique assemblage of high-tech devices to acquire, log and transfer real-time vessel behavior data via the internet (when accessible) during actual working conditions that will be used to compare with the theoretical calculations made by naval architects in stability books. Software unique to the requirements of this undertaking will be written. On board video records will also be obtained and synchronized with the recorded data in order to provide a visual as well as statistical view of the vessel’s dynamic motion.

Anticipated Results:

It is anticipated that the research will determine whether the new technology is effective in informing and defining minimum safe operation stability criteria for commercial fishing vessels under 24 meters .

Investigators:

Steven Threadkell (PortShip Consulting Inc.)