RP FLIP

RP FLIP
History
United States
OwnerOffice of Naval Research (former)
OperatorScripps Institution of Oceanography (former)
Builder
CostApproximately US$600,000[1]
Launched22 June 1962[1]
Completed23 July 1962[1]
In serviceSeptember 1962 [1]
Out of serviceAugust 2023
Identification
StatusTo be scrapped
General characteristics
TypeResearch platform
Tonnage700 GT[2]
Length108 m (355 ft)[2]
Beam7.93 m (26.0 ft)[2]
Draught
  • Towed: 3.83 m (12.6 ft)[2]
  • Deployed: 91.4 m (300 ft)[2]
Installed power
  • 2 × 150 kW (200 hp) diesel generators[4]
  • 1 × 40 kW (54 hp) aux generator[4]
PropulsionNone
SpeedTowed: 7–10 kn (8–12 mph; 13–19 km/h)[2]
Endurance35 days[2]
Capacity
  • Fresh water: 5,680 L (1,500 US gal)[3]
  • Water generation: 120 L/h (31 gal/h)[3]
Complement5 crew, 11 researchers[2]

R/P FLIP (floating instrument platform) was an open ocean research platform[3][5] owned by the U.S. Office of Naval Research (ONR) and operated by the Scripps Institution of Oceanography.[6] The platform was 108 meters (355 ft) long and was designed to partially flood and pitch backward 90°, resulting in only the front 17 meters (55 ft) of the platform pointing up out of the water, with bulkheads becoming decks. When flipped, most of the buoyancy for the platform was provided by water at depths below the influence of surface waves, hence FLIP was stable and mostly immune to wave action, similar to a spar buoy. At the end of a mission, compressed air was pumped into the ballast tanks in the flooded section and the platform, which had no propulsion, returned to its horizontal position so it could be towed to a new location.[7] The platform was frequently mistaken for a capsized ocean transport ship.[8]

FLIP's last research cruise was in late 2017, with ONR ending its support of the vessel in 2020.[9] It was berthed at the Nimitz Marine Facility pier (Scripps) in Point Loma until being towed away to be scrapped on August 4, 2023.

  1. ^ a b c d Cite error: The named reference flip-history was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h Cite error: The named reference onr-resves was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ a b c Cite error: The named reference flip-description was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference flip1985 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference onr20120622 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference onr-surface1 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference whoi-flip was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ Cite error: The named reference SIO-youtube was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  9. ^ Ortiz-Suslow, D. G. (23 September 2021). "Remembering FLIP, an Engineering Marvel for Oceanic Research". Eos. Archived from the original on 5 August 2023. Retrieved 5 August 2023.