Syntactic ADCP Buoys & Flotation
For Subsurface Oceanographic Moorings
Mooring Systems, Inc. manufactures spherical shaped subsurface buoyancy for ADCP buoy applications with integral stainless steel instrument mounting frames, or with single strength members for use as primary or back-up mooring flotation.
Spherical buoys with internally mounted instruments will greatly reduce current drag and improve mooring performance.
ADCP transducers and other sensors can be better directed up to the surface when mounted inside the well of syntactic buoys.
Using a fewer number of floats by increasing the diameter of the float will also greatly reduce horizontal drag.
The cross sectional area affected by ocean currents is smaller when using fewer larger floats with equal buoyancy to that of many small floats.
Example:
35" diameter float rated for 1000m and buoyancy of 450 lbs. is equal in buoyancy to (8) 17" diameter floats. As you can see, (1) 35" float will have far less drag than (8) 17" floats.
ADCP Buoy Specifications:
| Model | SB-35 | SB-47 | SB-65 |
| Diameter | 35" (90 cm) | 47" (120 cm) | 65" (165 cm) |
| Instrument Well Diameter | 11" (28 cm) | 11" (28 cm) | 11" (28 cm) |
| Depth | 300 m | 300 m | 300 m |
| Buoyancy | 450 lbs. (204 kg) | 1000 lbs. (453 kg) | 3300 lbs. (1496 kg) |
| Depth | 1000 m | 1000 m | 1000 m |
| Buoyancy | 350 lbs. (159 kg) | 900 lbs. (408 kg) | 2800 lbs. (1270 kg) |
| Depth | 2000 m | 2000 m | 2000 m |
| Buoyancy | 275 lbs. (125 kg) | 800 lbs. (363 kg) | 2200 lbs. (998 kg) |
Spherical Float Specifications:
| Model | SF-30 | SF-35 | SF-47 | SF-65 |
| Depth | 300 m | 300 m | 300 m | 300 m |
| Buoyancy | 350 lbs. (158 kg) | 600 lbs. (204 kg) | 1150 lbs. (453 kg) | 3400 lbs. (1542 kg) |
| Depth | 1000 m | 1000 m | 1000 m | 1000 m |
| Buoyancy | 270 lbs. (122 kg) | 450 lbs. (159 kg) | 1050 lbs. (408 kg) | 2900 lbs. (1315 kg) |
| Depth | 2000 m | 2000 m | 2000 m | 2000 m |
| Buoyancy | 250 lbs. (113 kg) | 370 lbs. (125 kg) | 900 lbs. (363 kg) | 2300 lbs. (1043 kg) |
| Depth | 3000 m | 3000 m | 3000 m | 3000 m |
| Buoyancy | 215 lbs. (97 kg) | 300 lbs. (762 kg) | 775 lbs. (1968 kg) | 1730 lbs. (794 kg) |
- Features:
- Syntactic Composite Buoyancy Material
- Standard & Custom Instrument Frame Designs
- Unobstructed Transducer Beams (Doppler Profilers)
- High Strength, 5,000 & 10,000 lbs.
(2,273 kg & 4,545 kg) - Integral Pressure Case Clamping Bands
- Type 316 Stainless Steel Frame Construction
- Corrosion Resistant with Isolation Bushings & Anodes
- Electro-Polished Stainless
- Single Strength Members in Stainless or
Galvanized Steel
If you have any questions, feel free to contact us.
Above: 35" float during recovery
Above: 35" floats
Above: 35" AWAC buoy
Above Left: Battery housing "bottom"
Above Right: Transducer "top"
Above Left: 65" ADCP buoys
Above Right: 47" ADCP buoys & frames
Ellipsoid Shaped Low Drag Buoys
For Subsurface Oceanographic Moorings
Mooring Systems, Inc. manufactures an ellipsoid shaped subsurface buoy that provides a lower drag coefficient than traditional shaped spherical buoys.
The ellipsoid buoy improves mooring performance by reducing lay down caused by water currents.
Ellipsoid shapes are more predictable and have lower risk than other non-spherical buoyancy modules.
Configurations are offered with single strength members as general mooring flotation, or with integral stainless steel instrument frames.
During mooring recovery operations, ellipsoid shaped buoys provide excellent vertical position of beacons unlike spherical buoys with unbalanced instrument payloads that roll in ocean waves.
- Features:
- Diameter 33" (84 cm), Height 16" (41 cm)
- Syntactic Foam for Deep Water
- Internal Plastic Floats for Shallow Water
- Standard and Custom Instrument Frame Designs
- Unobstructed Beams (Doppler Profilers)
- High Strength, 5k & 10k lbs. (2.3 kg & 4.5 kg)
- Type 316 Stainless Steel Frame Construction
- Electro-Polished, Isolation Bushings
- Galvanized or SS Single Strength Members
Ellipsoid Subsurface Buoy Specifications:
| Model | Configuration | Depth | Net Buoyancy (w/ Steel) |
| EB-S-P6 | Single Strength Member | 300m | 110 lbs. ( 50 kg) |
| EB-S-S1km | Single Strength Member | 1000m | 195 lbs. (88 kg) |
| EB-S-S2km | Single Strength Member | 2000m | 150 lbs. (68 kg) |
| EB-S-S3km | Single Strength Member | 3000m | 125 lbs. (56 kg) |
| EB-F-P5 | Instrument Frame | 300m | 80 lbs. (36 kg) |
| EB-F-S1km | Instrument Frame | 1000m | 150 lbs. (68 kg) |
| EB-F-S2km | Instrument Frame | 2000m | 110 lbs. (50 kg) |
| EB-F-S3km | Instrument Frame | 3000m | 90 lbs. (41 kg) |
If you have any questions, feel free to contact us.
Above: Ellipsoid recovery buoy (shown with flasher)
Mounting for ARGOS, VHF, strobe together
Above: Ellipsoid ADCP buoy (shown with Workhorse ADCP)
Mounting for Aquadopp, AWAC, RDCP, ADP
Above Left: Plastic floats 300m depth
Above Right: Syntactic foam to 3km depth
Plastic Subsurface Floats
Mooring Buoyancy
Mooring Systems, Inc. utilizes plastic commercial fishing floats for use in a variety of instrument mooring applications.
Configurations include; subsurface mooring flotation, instrument frame buoyancy, and pop-up recovery buoys for bottom mounts.
The basic configuration of placing floats in series on a single strength member provides an inexpensive buoyancy alternative in relatively shallow water applications.
Galvanized steel strength members and shackle attachment eyes provide 5,000 pounds of strength.
Neoprene washers are used to protect the plastic when secured tightly on the steel rod. Floats are available in single double or triple assemblies.
Floats are also attached to instrument frames to provide the mooring with added lift at the precise instrument location depth. This may be crucial in maintaining instrument depth and attitude.
Our trawl resistant bottom mounts have used these floats for over a decade as pop-up recovery buoys when used in conjunction with acoustic releases and recovery line canisters.
Float Specifications:
| Float Diameter | 11" (280 mm) | 14" (360 mm) |
| Buoyancy | 19 lbs. (8.8 kg) | 39 lbs. (17.6 kg) |
| Depth Rating | 400 m | 800 m |
| Weight (Air) | 5 lbs. (2.4 kg) | 15.7 lbs. (7.1 kg) |
If you have any questions, feel free to contact us.
Above: Double (14") float configuration
Buoyancy: 75 lbs. (34 kg)
Above Left: Plastic floats used on instrument frames
Above Right: Plastic floats packaged with optional yellow paint
Steel Subsurface Floats, Steel Flotation Spheres, & Mooring Buoyancy
Mooring Systems, Inc. manufactures steel flotation spheres for use as in shallow water oceanographic mooring applications.
Steel spheres have been in use for over 30 years and continue to provide benefits to oceanographers and marine engineers for long term deployment of instrumentation and sample collection apparatus.
Improve Mooring Performance
Steel floats are larger in volume than alternative plastic and glass floats, providing greater buoyancy per float.
This advantage translates to better mooring performance as fewer floats for the same given buoyancy will result in lower drag.
- Features:
- Internal Steel Strength Member
- Two Mooring Attachment Points
- Lifting Point with Large Ring for Easy Pick-Up
- Zinc Anodes for Corrosion Protection
- Sandblasted Prior to Applying Coating
- Coated with Zinc Rich Primer
- Top Coated with Marine Epoxy Paint
Steel Flotation Sphere Specifications:
| Model | SSF-30 | SSF-37 |
| Size | 30" (76 cm) | 37" (94 cm) |
| Buoyancy | 370 lbs. (168 kg) | 700 lbs. (317 kg) |
| Depth Rating | 1,250 ft. (380 m) | 1,250 ft. (380 m) |
| Weight (Air) | 165 lbs. (75 kg) | 302 lbs. (137 kg) |
If you have any questions, feel free to contact us.
Above: SSF-30 shipment for Arctic moorings
Above: Subsurface float product shipments at our Cataumet, MA facility
