HERBI towing system using a Vehicle Side-Swinging boom

• Price: Price on application

A very effective way of surveying channels with HERBI where channel bank access is maintained is to use a swing-out boom extending sideways from a vehicle travelling along a bank. The weight of a 4wd readily supports towing with a 6m long fibreglass or aluminium boom. A special bracket should extend out the rear lower corner of the vehicle onto which the boom may be fixed and ropes from its tip extend to HERBI (in the water), to the front bar on the 4wd and to a high point on the rear of the 4wd. This allows the boom to swing forward when HERBI is not being trawled. Every time an obstacle is encountered driver pulls the boom forward to a plane parallel to the side of the car, drives past the obstacle and then lets the boom get pulled outward again as they continue driving. On some occasions the rope extending to HERBI-USV will pass over the obstacle, on some HERBI-USV will need to be pulled up onto and along the bank, and on others HERBI-USV trawling rope can be detached passed under or through an obstacle dragging HERBI-USV with it and then reattached to the tip of the boom.