FR2681622A1 - CONTINUOUS FLOATING DAM, CORRESPONDING METHOD AND MANUFACTURING UNIT, AND BOAT FOR CARRYING OUT SUCH A DAM. - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a continuous floating boom, a method, a fabrication unit and a boat for making and setting in place such a boom. Said boom comprises a partially emerged portion (12) and an immersed portion (13) essentially comprised of a weighted skirt (27). The envelope of the partially emerged portion (12) and the weighted skirt (27) are made from a composite plastic film (15, 16) of polyurethane/polyester. At least two weights (20, 21), one at the lower end of the skirt (27), another one at the lower end of the partially emerged portion (12) provide for the positioning of the boom with respect to sea level N. The partially emerged portion (12) of the boom may be configured with a plurality of compartments (50), each enclosing a flotation agent (14) (air, polyurethane, ..., etc). The unit for fabrication of said boom is mounted on a self-contained, automatic, semi-submersible boat and allows the boom to be produced and set on the water directly in the areas where pollution has to be treated. The invention is more particularly intended to combat oil slicks.

Description

CONTINUOUS FLOATING DAM, METHOD AND UNIT
OF CORRESPONDING MANUFACTURE, AND BOAT
ALLOWING THE REALIZATION OF SUCH A DAM.

 The present invention relates to a continuous floating dam, a method and a corresponding manufacturing unit, and a boat for making such a dam.

 The floating dam according to the present invention is more particularly, but not exclusively, intended to combat oil spills, and in general, against any pollution of water.

 For many years, public opinion has been regularly alarmed by the devastation resulting from the so-called oil spill phenomena. Whether these oil spills are due to illegal degassing or any other accidental cause, they generally had disastrous consequences on the flora and fauna of the disaster areas.

In addition, when they reach the coasts, tourism in the affected regions, but also fishing and coastal industries are hit hard.

 In the event of an oil spill, it is already known to try to protect coastal areas, ports, fish farming facilities, etc., with floating dams.

 In known manner, such dams generally consist of inflatable tubes or floating elements intended, by their presence on the surface of the sea, to prevent polluting products from reaching certain installations.

 However, the types of floating dams known to date have many drawbacks. More particularly and in the best of cases, these dams remain "stuck" to the surface of the water, and have no protective action in depth. However, the pollutants that accumulate behind such dams manage to pass underneath, and this in considerable proportions, which minimizes their protective action.

 Another drawback of such continuous floating dams is that, for their production and installation, they require significant manpower and considerable time. In addition, they occupy a large volume of storage when they are not used.

 It is already known a continuous floating dam, the realization of which is carried out at sea, at the very moment of the oil spill, in order to avoid the drawbacks linked to the storage volume. However, there too, several people are necessary for the realization of such a dam, and the manufacturing speed is very low (of the order of 250 m per hour). In addition, maritime conditions are often unfavorable in the event of an oil spill, which leads to increased risks in human lives.

 The present invention aims to overcome all of these drawbacks by creating a continuous floating boom, with deep action, the manufacture of which is carried out at the very place of its use, from an autonomous manufacturing unit and preferably entirely automatic.

 Another objective of the invention is to be able to carry out this dam quickly (from 1 to 5 km / hour). Another object of the invention is to recover this dam after use in order to reuse it as a coastal protection floating dam, or else to incinerate or destroy it.

 Another object of the invention is to provide a floating boom that is economical to manufacture and easy to install.

 Another object of the invention is to clean the coastal areas using a floating dam in order to remove all the more or less natural debris that clogs them. This cleaning can be carried out both on the surface and between "two waters".

 To this end, the present invention relates to a continuous floating dam of the type comprising a flotation element adapted to present an emerged part and an immersed part, said dam being characterized in that it further comprises, a weighted skirt integral with the part immersed in the flotation element and adapted to extend substantially under the flotation element.

 Thanks to such arrangements and in particular to the presence of a weighted skirt located underwater and substantially vertical to the flotation element, pollutants are maintained not only at the surface but also at depth. This prevents part of these products from escaping by passing below the dam.

 Advantageously, the flotation element of the dam according to the invention has a triangular section.

One of the edges is submerged, the other two being emerged and having between them a flat surface forming the upper part of the dam. This triangular section whose position (a submerged edge) is maintained thanks to the ballast of the skirt, makes it possible to easily confine pollutants, whatever the state of the sea is practically. The height of this dam is indeed sufficient to contain polluting products even in heavy seas. There is also no risk that the skirt will not deploy below the flotation element and, therefore, does not act in depth since it is ballasted.

 Advantageously, the production of the floating dam according to the invention makes it possible, by enclosing the flotation element and the ballast inside an enclosure sealed against pollutants and water, to ensure perfect consistency of the dam. This avoids untimely separations of the various elements constituting the dam, which would lead to leaks of polluting products.

 In addition, the entire floating boom (apart from the ballast) can be incinerated after use. Ballast is directly recovered for reuse.

The present invention also relates to a method for producing a floating dam, characterized in that it consists of
- unroll simultaneously and continuously two strips of plastic film impermeable to pollutants and water, each of these strips being wound on a reel with substantially vertical axis of rotation, so that each strip continues, once unrolled, either parallel to each other in the vertical plane,
- continuously carry out a first weld between the lower parts of the two strips in order to produce a continuous sealed enclosure having two raised edges facing each other,
- continuously deposit a ballast on the lower weld,
- pinch the two edges of the sealed enclosure against each other along an intermediate line located above the ballast,
- flow continuously above the intermediate line and between the two edges of the sealed enclosure a quick-setting liquid material,
- continuously carry out a second weld at the upper part of each of the edges of the enclosure so as to create a closed enclosure trapping ballast and a fast-setting liquid material, and
- Passing inside a shaping device, at least the part of the enclosure enclosing the liquid material so as to give it a predetermined shape and to support it during the solidification of the material.

 Thus, the floating dam according to the invention is essentially produced by the imprisonment, between two strips of continuous plastic film, of a ballast and a flotation element.

 All of the elements of this dam are held in place by appropriate welds of these strips of plastic film.

 Advantageously, the flotation element is produced by injection of a liquid material, consisting of several components mixed only at the time of injection and solidifying rapidly after mixing.

Thus, the liquid components can be stored, before their use, in simple tanks and therefore require little space. Similarly, the two strips of plastic film intended to make the envelope of the dam and the ballast are simply stored wound on reels, and, therefore, do not occupy, either, a large storage volume.

The present invention also relates to a unit for manufacturing a floating dam, characterized in that it successively comprises
- ballast storage means,
- ballast guiding means,
- two substantially vertical spools on which two continuous strips of plastic film are wound,
means for guiding and unwinding the continuous strips and the ballast adapted to arrange the ballast between the two strips,
means for pinching and welding the lower parts of each strip, in order to produce an enclosure having two raised edges,
means for depositing the ballast on the lower weld produced, and for driving the enclosure provided with its ballast,
means for pinching the two edges along an intermediate line situated above the ballast,
means for storing liquid products, arranged to bring said products to a casting means,
- pouring means above the intermediate line and between the two edges of a quick-setting liquid material,
means for pinching and welding the two edges at their upper part adapted to create a closed, sealed enclosure containing the ballast and the fast-setting liquid material, and
- Conformation means adapted to give the envelope containing the fast-setting liquid material a predetermined shape.

 Such a unit, intended for manufacturing the dam according to the invention, uses means of small volume and does not use a complex device. It is therefore easy to make and maintain. This unit can even be carried on a ship. Its handling remains simple and can be fully automated. Thus, the production of the floating dam according to the invention can be carried out on the very places where it will be used. The replenishment of the product reservoirs intended to form the fast-setting liquid material, and the reels of plastic film and ballast, makes it possible to produce a floating dam of indefinite length and adapted to each case.

 The present invention finally relates to a marine craft suitable for automatically and automatically depositing a floating boom, characterized in that it comprises, inside a hull, a manufacturing unit.

 Such a boat makes it possible to continuously carry out, on the very sites of the oil spill or of pollution, a floating dam adapted to contain the polluting products within a circumscribed perimeter. In addition, as such a boat is autonomous and automatic, it is not linked to the fate of the ship whose damage caused the oil spill or pollution. Thus, the fight against the spread and spread of the oil spill can be carried out even if the vessel causing the pollution is seriously damaged.

 Advantageously, such a boat makes it possible to set up a floating protective dam from the start of the damage, that is to say even before the oil spill spreads over a large area. Indeed, such a boat can be carried on each "at risk" vessel and be launched as soon as damage occurs or threatens to do so.

 This boat is faired and designed to allow the autonomous and automatic operation of the manufacturing unit it transports. For this purpose, it is waterproof and very stable, which allows it to manufacture and set up the floating boom according to the invention, whatever the sea level. Advantageously, this boat is remote-controlled or remotely controlled from the damaged vessel, or from any other vessel.

 The transported manufacturing unit is also designed to support a high heel without disturbing the production of the floating boom.

 It will be noted that such a boat makes it possible to produce floating dams of undetermined perimeter, as a function of the reserves of plastic film, ballast and of fast-setting liquid material which it contains.

Other objects, characteristics and advantages of the invention will emerge from the description which follows, by way of nonlimiting example, with reference to the appended drawings in which
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a continuous floating dam according to the invention,
FIG. 2 is a top view of a boat suitable for manufacturing the floating boom according to the invention,
FIGS. 3 to 7 are cross-sections of the boat of FIG. 2, respectively along lines III-III to VII-VII of FIG. 2, and
- Figure 8 is a side view of the boat shown in Figure 2.

 According to the embodiment shown in Figure 1, the floating boom 10 according to the invention consists of two main parts, namely a flotation element 12 and a weighted skirt 13. The flotation element has inside d a casing 18, made of plastic material impermeable to pollutants and to water, a spongy body 11. This spongy body is a solidified synthetic foam (for example polyurethane) of which at least 10% of the cells remain open in order to present a some flexibility.

 The waterproof envelope 18 is, for example, made of a composite material having good tensile and tear strength, total sealing against pollutants, great flexibility and ease of welding. For example, such an envelope is made of a polyester film laminated to a polyethylene film.

 The spongy body 11 is thus enclosed in this envelope to which it adheres between an upper weld 17 and a pinch and lower bonding 16.

 It should be noted that the terms lower, upper, vertical, etc. are used with reference to the drawings. Of course, it is obvious that such a dam, intended to be put in place on the sea, moves and deforms according to its movements and that the lower, upper, vertical ... terms are sometimes no longer appropriate.

 The buoyancy element 12 has a triangular shape, one of the edges 40 being submerged and the other two, 41 and 42, forming between them an emerged surface 43.

 In FIG. 1 is shown, at A, the sea level when it is not rough.

 The skirt 13 is directly formed by the downward extension of the envelope 18 and contains, at its lower part, a ballast 14. This ballast is, for example, constituted by a cable disposed above a lower weld 15 of envelope 18.

 The envelope 18 thus constitutes a sealed enclosure inside which the various elements of the dam are arranged, namely a spongy body 11 and a ballast 14.

 This enclosure 18 is in fact produced by the welding of two continuous strips of plastic material (polyester and polyethylene for example), according to an upper weld 17 and a lower weld 15.

 The intermediate zone 16 delimits the separation between the flotation element 12 and the skirt 13.

 Preferably, the height of the flotation element is of the order of 0.6 m and the height of the skirt of the order of one meter.

 The unit and the method of manufacturing such a dam are described below, with reference to FIGS. 2 to 8.

 The manufacturing unit shown in these figures is put in place in a boat specially careened to receive it and thus constitutes an autonomous and automatic boat. However, this same unit could very well be placed on a boat not exclusively reserved for this use, or constitute a fixed or mobile installation on land.

 According to the invention, the boat 20 is a boat having a hull 21 with a bow 44 and a stern 45 of known type.

 Inside this hull, in addition to known propulsion and remote control devices (not shown), there is a unit for manufacturing the floating boom according to the invention.

 Significantly at the center of gravity of the boat, there is first of all a reel 23 whose axis of rotation 39 (FIG. 6) is vertical and on which a ballast cable 14 is wound.

 The lower part 36 of the hull 21 of the boat is specially designed to receive, in its center of gravity, the ballast reel 23. The cable 14 which is wound on this spool is guided by a system of rollers 25 towards the bow 44 of the boat. A return pulley 24 then drives this cable towards the stern of the boat. Rollers 25 then pass the ballast cable between two coils 22 whose axis of rotation 35 is substantially vertical. These reels each support a strip of composite plastic film (polyester and polyethylene) 37 (Figures 3 and 8) driven downstream of the boat by a guide system with rollers. Each strip of continuous plastic film is thus unwound parallel to the other in a substantially vertical plane (in the absence of any agitation from the sea).

 The lower part of each of the strips is pinched and then welded by a welding device 28 (performing a heat seal for example). As can be seen in FIG. 4, a sealed enclosure is thus produced, having a lower weld 15 and two raised edges 18a, 18b facing each other. The ballast 14 is then deposited on this lower weld using the rollers 25.

 Rollers 33 pinch these two edges against each other, along the intermediate zone 16 (FIG. 8). The two edges of the sealed enclosure 18 are then moved apart above the intermediate line in order to create a free space and to cause an injection head 32 to penetrate into this space (FIGS. 5 and 8).

 As is more visible in Figure 2, the dam manufacturing unit according to the invention comprises three tanks 29, 30 and 31 respectively containing the products to be mixed and a hardener. In FIG. 5 is shown in particular a pipe 47 connecting the injection head to the tank 29. For example, the tank 29 contains in particular a catalyst used as hardener, and the tanks 30 and 31 mainly an isocyanate and a polyol.

 When the different components are mixed, they are injected into the free space between the edges of the envelope.

 Preferably, an overpressure is produced in this free space. In addition, the injection is carried out by a nozzle 38 directed downstream of the manufacturing unit.

Thus, the material does not tend to obstruct or block the injection head or the devices placed upstream of it. The overpressure thus created promotes displacement towards the stern of the sealed enclosure provided with its ballast and the liquid material being solidified. The upper parts of each of the raised edges are then folded against each other and pinched by pairs of rollers 25 disposed upstream of a welding device 27 sealing these two edges together (Figures 6 and 8).

 The flotation element 12 consisting of the quick-setting liquid material enclosed in the envelope 18 between the upper weld 17 and the intermediate line 16 is then brought to a shaping device 34. The skirt and the ballast secured to the flotation element are left free and pass for this purpose through a longitudinal slot 48 made at the base of this shaper (Figures 7 and 8).

 The fast setting liquid material tends to solidify gradually in the form of a foam under the effect of an exothermic reaction. In order to give the buoyancy element its triangular shape, the former has a hollowed out triangular shape inside 49 in which the buoyancy element is forced to pass.

 When the liquid material is in the foam state, it pushes the sealed enclosure against the walls of this triangular hollow shape 49 which thus limits its expansion. The reaction time and heat then cause the liquid material to solidify in this triangular shape. It should be noted that, during this solidification of the foam (or spongy element), the liquid material strongly adheres to the walls of the sealed envelope which surrounds it.

This adhesion also has the effect of bonding the two edges 18a and 18b of the envelope against each other, all along the intermediate line 16.

 Throughout its journey inside the shaper, the fast-setting liquid material is supported and guided until it is finally deposited on the surface of the water.

 In order to properly control the solidification time of the liquid material, an air conditioning unit surrounds at least the shaper. This air conditioning unit is suitable for conditioning the ambient air to a temperature of the order of 210 C and to a degree of hygrometry of the order of 70%. These conditions allow a correct and homogeneous solidification of the fast-setting liquid material.

 The shaping device according to the invention is externally in the form of an extensible tube projecting towards the stern of the boat, to reach the sea level. Thus, when the flotation element leaves this shaping device, it is set up without impact on the sea, and the weighted skirt is already deployed under it.

 It is easy to see that by remotely controlling the boat according to the invention as well as the head of the dam deposited at sea, one can circumscribe an oil slick at its very birth.

 Thus, as soon as an oil slick is in formation, the ship at the origin of this slick launches the boat according to the invention, by controlling it from the edge of the boat.

 The boat according to the invention thus constitutes a means of rapid and effective fight against oil pollution, and is therefore simply an on-board security system.

 It should be noted that the floating dam according to the invention is suitable for encircling on the surface of the water, any product and not only an oil slick. It can, in fact, be any pollution or marine object. Such a dam is, for example, adapted to be pulled by a boat to "rake" the water at the edge of the beaches and thus clean it.

 The dam built is a continuous dam and not made of juxtaposed elements, which reduces the possibilities of escape.

 Likewise, the dam according to the invention can be ballasted with any cable, and in particular with a cable serving as a conduit for products attacking the oil slicks.

 Note that the manufacturing unit according to the invention uses a low storage volume. The liquid products to be mixed take up little space, while the foam resulting from their mixing occupies a large volume.

 Alternatively, the dam according to the invention is also adapted to play the role of a reservoir. Oil or any other polluting product is then pumped directly into this tank. Likewise, the oil contained by the dam can be treated with a view to its destruction by all appropriate means (seeding with bacteria, emulsifiers, dispersants, gelling agents, etc.).

 It should also be noted that once used, such a dam can be incinerated, destroyed or re-used for coastal protection of port areas, fish farming, etc.

 In the case where the dam is incinerated or destroyed, the ballast cable is recovered and the manufacturing unit according to the invention is provided with a rewinding winch (not shown) adapted to rewind the ballast on the reel 23.

 It will also be noted that the extendable tube 34 constituting the shaper can be a telescopic tube.

 The entire manufacturing unit is waterproof, especially when this unit is on board or is an autonomous and automatic boat.

 Of course, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described, and encompasses any variant within the reach of ordinary skill in the art. In particular, the triangular shape of the flotation element can be more or less softened or even modified. Similarly, as a variant, the dam according to the invention can be produced from a single strip of waterproof plastic material receiving the ballast in its middle, pinched in an intermediate line 16, and welded at its upper part.

Claims (34)

 1 / - Continuous floating dam of the type comprising a flotation element (12) adapted to present an emerged part and an immersed part, said dam being characterized in that it further comprises, a weighted skirt (13) (14) of the immersed part of the flotation element (12) and adapted to extend substantially under the flotation element.  2 / - Floating dam according to claim 1, characterized in that the flotation element (12) comprises a sealed envelope (18) to pollutants and water, containing a spongy body (11).  3 / - Floating dam according to claim 2, characterized in that the spongy body (11) is made of synthetic material and adheres to the envelope (18) which surrounds it.  4 / - Floating dam according to claim 3, characterized in that the spongy body (11) is a material in the form of solidified foam having at least 10% of open cells.  5 / - Floating boom according to one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that the spongy body (11) is made of polyurethane or similar material.  6 / - Floating dam according to claim 1, characterized in that the skirt (13) is produced by an extension of the envelope (18).  7 / - Floating boom according to claims 2 and 6, characterized in that the envelope (18) and its extension constitute a sealed enclosure produced by two continuous strips of plastic films (37) secured to their upper (17) and lower parts (15) by welding, and in an intermediate part (16) by pinching and gluing.  8 / - Floating dam according to claim 7, characterized in that the ballast (14) is arranged inside the sealed enclosure (18) between the lower weld (15) and the intermediate part (16).  9 / - Floating dam according to claim 7, characterized in that the ballast (14) is a cable.  10 / - Floating dam according to claim 7, characterized in that the sealed enclosure is made of composite material based on polyester and polyethylene, or the like.  11 / - Floating boom according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the flotation element (12) has a substantially triangular shape, so that one of the edges (40) forms the submerged part and the other two edges (41, 42) delimit between them an emerged face (43).  12 / - Floating dam according to claim 11, characterized in that the skirt (13) extends substantially vertically from the submerged edge (40).  13 / - Floating boom according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the flotation element (12) preferably has a height of 0.6 meters and the skirt a height of 1 meter.  14 / - Method for producing a floating dam according to claim 1, characterized in that it consists of  - unrolling simultaneously and continuously two strips (37) of plastic film impermeable to pollutants and water, each of these strips being wound on a reel (22) with substantially vertical axis of rotation, so that each strip continues , once unrolled, either parallel to each other in the vertical plane,  - continuously making a first weld (15) between the lower parts of the two strips in order to produce a continuous sealed enclosure (18) having two raised edges (18a, 18b) facing each other,  - continuously deposit a ballast (14) on the lower weld,  - pinch the two edges (18a, 18b) of the sealed enclosure one against the other along an intermediate line (16) located above the ballast (14),  - flow continuously above the intermediate line (16) and between the two edges (18a, 18b) of the sealed enclosure a quick-setting liquid material,  - continuously make a second weld (17) at the top of each of the edges (18a, 18b) of the enclosure so as to create a closed enclosure (18) trapping a ballast (14) and a quick-setting liquid material , and  - Passing inside a shaping device (34), at least the part of the enclosure (18) enclosing the liquid material so as to give it a predetermined shape and to support it during the solidification of the material.  15 / - Method according to claim 14, characterized in that, prior to the production of the first weld (15), the lower parts of each of the strips (37) of continuous film are brought together.  16 / - A method according to claim 14, characterized in that, prior to the casting of quick setting material, the two edges (18a, 18b) of the sealed enclosure are spread apart above the intermediate line (16) so to create a space and an injection head (32) is made to enter this space.  17 / - Method according to claim 16, characterized in that the injection head (32) is adapted to inject a liquid material with rapid setting under pressure and is preferably directed downstream.  18 / - Method according to claim 16 or 17, characterized in that after the step of continuously casting the fast-setting liquid material, the space between the two edges (18a, 18b) of the enclosure so as to entrain the fast-setting liquid material downstream.  19 / - Unit for manufacturing a floating dam according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises successively  - means (23) for storing ballast,  - means (25) for guiding the ballast,  - two substantially vertical coils (22) on which two continuous strips (37) of plastic film are wound,  means for guiding and unwinding (25) the continuous strips and the ballast suitable for placing the ballast between the two strips,  - pinching and welding means (28) of the lower parts of each strip, in order to produce an enclosure (18) having two raised edges (18a, 18b),  means (25) for depositing the ballast (14) on the lower weld (15) produced, and for driving the enclosure (18) provided with its ballast (14),  - pinching means (33) of the two edges along an intermediate line (16) located above the ballast (14),  - storage means (29, 30, 31) of liquid products arranged to bring said products to a casting means (32),  - pouring means (32) above the intermediate line and between the two edges (18a, 18b) of a quick-setting liquid material,  - pinching and welding means (27) of the two edges at their upper part adapted to create a closed, sealed enclosure (18) containing the ballast (14) and the quick-setting liquid material, and  - shaping means (34) adapted to give the envelope (18) containing the fast setting liquid material a predetermined shape.  20 / - Unit according to claim 19, characterized in that the ballast (14) is a cable and in that the storage means (23) of the ballast comprise a coil.  21 / - Unit according to claim 19, characterized in that the means for guiding the ballast and the continuous strips, the pinching and welding means of the lower and upper parts of each strip, and the pinching means along an intermediate line ( 16), comprise a plurality of pairs of rollers (25) adapted to receive between them the two strips (37) of continuous film.  22 / - Unit according to claim 19, characterized in that the means for removing the ballast (14) and driving the enclosure (18) comprise an automatic guiding device driven by a motor, and integral with the ballast and the enclosure.  23 / - Unit according to one of claims 19 to 22, characterized in that it is placed in a boat.  24 / - Unit according to one of claims 19 to 23, characterized in that it is completely sealed.  25 / - Unit according to one of claims 19 to 24, characterized in that it further comprises air conditioning means adapted to condition an air-conditioned space in which the temperature is preferably of the order of 21 OC and the hygrometry preferably around 70 t.  26 / - Marine craft suitable for automatically and automatically depositing a floating boom (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises, inside a hull (21), a manufacturing unit according to claim 19 .  27 / - boat according to claim 26, characterized in that the ballast (14) is constituted by a cable and in that the storage means of this ballast comprise a reel (23) whose axis of rotation (39) is substantially vertical and is located substantially at the center of gravity of the boat.  28 / - Boat according to claim 26, characterized in that the means for guiding the ballast and continuous bands, the pinching and welding means of the lower and upper parts of each band, and the pinching means along an intermediate line, have a plurality of pairs of rollers (25) adapted to receive between them the two strips (37) of continuous film.  29 / - Boat according to claim 26, characterized in that the shaping means (34) comprise a tube projecting from the boat and containing at least the part (12) of the sealed enclosure enclosing the quick setting liquid.  30 / - Boat according to claim 26, characterized in that the shaping means (34) comprise a tube projecting from the boat and containing the part (12) of the sealed enclosure enclosing the quick setting liquid, the part of the enclosure forming the skirt (13) being left free and extending below the tube having a longitudinal slot (48) for this purpose.  31 / - Boat according to claim 29 or 30, characterized in that the tube is telescopic.  32 / - Boat according to claim 29 or 30, characterized in that the tube is extensible.  33 / - E m cati on according to one of claims 26 to 32, characterized in that it is completely waterproof.  34 / - Boat according to one of claims 26 to 33, characterized in that it further comprises air conditioning means adapted to condition an air-conditioned space in which the temperature is preferably of the order of 21 OC and the hygrometry preferably of the order of 70%.