LAUNCHING LUBRICANTS

ANYONE who has watched the launching of a A vessel, whether large or small, cannot fail to have been impressed by the way in which the ship commences to move immediately it is freed and by the smooth manner in which it slips down the slipways into the water. This would not be possible unless the slipways and cradles were correctly lubricated. If no lubricant or an incorrect lubricant were employed on the slipways, the vessel would plough them up instead of sliding smoothly down them and, apart from damaging them so as to render them unfit for future work, the ship might stick on the ways and be difficult to move again.