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 TB 55-1900-201-45/1
to the American Bureau technical office for evaluation. The foregoing provisions apply to vessels on salt water. The
American Bureau Rules contain no mandatory periodical gaging requirements for fresh water vessels, the necessity for
gaging being left entirely discretionary with the surveyor. Where possible, to minimize expense to the owner, the in-
spector should witness such periodic surveys and make use of the results obtained.
f. Belt gaging may clearly indicate that extensive replacements are required. In this event, a requirement to
renew as original with the associated plan approval may or may not be appropriate. Frequently in lieu of renewals,
strapping or partial renewal to heavier scantlings may serve to restore the required strength. This should not be resolved
locally. The record of the gagings and the proposal for repair should be submitted for approval to the Commandant
(MMT) or the field (mmt) branch. It is especially important in such cases that the inspector validate the gagings and
clearly indicate he considers them to be representative of the general condition of the ship. The technical staff can
evaluate the readings which are provided; but only the inspector, who has seen the vessel, can state that the readings
are representative.
g. For belt gaging to be of value in determining the average condition of the vessel, the location of the belts on
the vessel and the points to be gaged within the belts should be selected by the inspector. Experience is required to
make sound judgments in this regard. The following are some of the important factors which must be considered:
(1) The belts should be located in sections of the hull wherein the seaworthiness is most in question.
For example, in a
light products tanker, a belt gaged in way of the machinery space or a cofferdam would probably not be
representative of the condition prevailing in the cargo tanks. Similarly, in a dry cargo vessel, a belt across the double
bottom in way of a salt water tank would be more meaningful than a belt in way of a fuel oil tank.
(2) The locations of the individual readings within the belts should be chosen with a view towards deter-
mining the average remaining plate thickness not towards finding the unique sports of minimum thickness. However, the
worst single spots should be sought out first to determine whether or not more extensive gaging is justified. In many in-
stances, it may be necessary to obtain more than one reading to determine the average remaining plate thickness. In
such cases, the inspector, based on his personal observation, should record only one figure which he feels to be truly
representative of the plate concerned.
(3) Inconsistencies should be explained in the record of gagings whenever possible. For example, a
previously installed local renewal in the belt is not representative of the general condition
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