The invention relates to a quay the inner and outer spaces of which are used as winter storage for boats and, during boating season, as car parks, or on which a boat can be transferred for maintenance. The quay of the invention includes one or more single- hold structures, mooring means, lighting means, a water removal system with sand and oil collecting means, and possibly heating, plumbing, air-condition¬ ing and electricity installations.

The quay is anchored to the bottom and/or fixed to the shore, and it is provided with landing stages during boating season. The quay is also provided with requisite surface-mounted mooring mountings, col¬ lision railings, lamp-posts, grappling platforms, traffic ramps, etc. Preferably, the quay is provided with a heat pump system.

The International Publication WO 81/01275 describes a marine structure including a main portion, i.e. a central hub section, a plurality of buoyant arm portions radiating from the main portion, each with a plurality of buoyant finger units extend¬ ing laterally therefrom to define mooring berths and means for anchoring the structure to a seabed. Use of the said structure as winter storage for boats as well as its use as a car park during boating season have not been mentioned. There is no mention of traffic ramps either, or of a heat pump system. The quay of the invention is extremely stable and inexpensive and provides a solution to boat mooring and car parking problems as well as winter storage problems.

The body of the quay is made of water-tight concrete, such as AK 400. Preferably, the concrete is

prestressed, e.g. post-tensioned concrete. With the exception of the longitudinal beam, the free internal height of the body is preferably at least about 3 meters, e.g., 3.2 m. The external dimensions of the quay are at least about 10 m x 30 m, e.g., 17 x 60 m, and the height of the body is e.g. 4 rα. The bottom slab is about 40 cm to 70 cm in thickness, the top slab about 25 cm to 50 cm, and the walls about 30 cm to 70 cm. The quay is submerged to a desired depth by its own weight. Usually, the displacement is over 50 per cent; preferably about 2/3 of the volume of the structure is under the water level.

The quay can be made longer and steadier by joining several structures together. The structures can also be interconnected in the form of the letter L or T.

In winter the inner and outer spaces are used as storage room for boats; during boating season, they can be used as car parks, or a boat can be transferred thereon for maintenance. Traffic from land is arranged by a bridge and hinged steel ramps which also serve as a protective cover for the drive opening, e.g. during towing.

The technical facilities of the quay are posi- tioned in the hold under the ramps, and auxiliary and service facilities can be built/positioned on the quay deck. The quay preferably utilizes the telephone and electricity (330 V) facilities provided on the shore as well as the municipal road, plumbing and drainage system, or it has a septic tank which can be emptied.

The quay is provided with a heat pump, a sea- water circulating pump, and a condensation and leak¬ age water pumping system with sand and oil collecting means.

Preferably, the quay is also provided with heating, plumbing, ventilation and electricity installations, such as direct air heating or infrared heaters (e.g. with the heat pump or by electricity), an emergency power generator, solar panels and/or wind rotors and accumulators, whereby these are preferably dimensioned so that their capacity is suf¬ ficient for at least three structures. In addition, the quay is preferably provided with cold and hot water facilities (toilets, showers, wash basins, etc.), a vacuum drainage system, and required natural and mechanical ventilation.

A thermal insulation layer is provided below the upper deck of the quay. The upper parts of the walls may also be provided with a thermal insulation layer. The thermal insulation is preferably a non- combustible, class A insulation, e.g. mineral wool based insulation. During the heating season, the temperature is preferably kept 2 to 10 degrees above the outdoor temperature, and at least at about +4°C when the outdoor temperature is below zero. The interior of the quay can be heated e.g. by direct air heating or by means of infrared heaters. Preferably a heat pump is utilized, whereby the heat energy is for a major part obtained from seawater. The required length of the heat recovery pipeline system is be¬ tween 500 m and 1000 m, and the inner diameter of the pipeline is between 30 mm and 60 mm, depending on the length. The pipeline system preferably comprises three reels, each having a pipe of 285 m to 300 m thereon. The heat recovery pipe reels are preferably positioned under the quay or in its immediate vicinity, so that an efficient flow of cold water away from the quay to the deeper areas is formed, and replaced with "warm" water, which prevents formation

of ice around the quay. At extreme subzero temper¬ atures, it is possible to blow air into the water to prevent the formation of ice.

Water may condense within the structure, and minor leakages are also possible. Therefore the quay of the invention is provided with condensation and leakage water grooves which preferably extend in the edge area of the bottom slab of the structure, close to the sides of the structure. The grooves pass the water into shallow receiver basins from which the water as well as sand and oil gathered therein are pumped away by submersible pumps, for instance. As water is condensed on the cold bottom slab and on the lower wall portions, the air in the inner space usually remains dry, so that strong ventilation is not needed in winter.

The quay structures can be cast by steel moulds in dry docks in a manner known per se, and they are transported by water to their anchoring place, where they are joined together, or interconnected in L- or T-shape, for instance, whereby floating partition structures e.g. 17 m x 17 m in dimensions can be attached to the inner corners of the quay to increase the number of landing stages. In addition, the quay structure can be provided with a nose structure which makes it easier to transport the quay and fix it to a shallow shore; the nose structure also shortens the ramp.

The structure of the quay in detail is shown by means of an illustrative, non-limiting example in Figures 1 to 14, wherein

1. Shore

1.1. The shore can be natural or a stationary quay

1.2. There is a roadway to the quay on the shore as well as the required municipal services and a gate 2

1.3. Waste disposal 2. Gate

2.1. The gate is of steel construction, manual¬ ly operated or mechanical

2.2. The gate is of steel wire net

2.3. The gate comprises climbing obstacles and locking means as well as control and alarm means if necessary

3. Flap

3.1. The flap is of steel construction and hinged on a bridge 4 3.2. Load 10 t

4. Bridge (ramp)

4.1. The bridge is of steel construction and hinged on the quay so as to be detachable for transport 4.2. During transport the bridge covers the transport opening 4.3. The load bearing capacity of the bridge is 10 t

5. Service section 5.1. The size and shape of the service section is determined by the conditions and requirements. It can be omitted, if desired.

5.2. The structure is of metal, concrete or plastic.

5.3. The service section may comprise one or more storeys

5.4. The service section comprises spaces for technical, social, maintenance and acco - modation purposes

5.5. Wind generators and/or solar power panels may be provided on the roof.

6. Hold 6.1. The hold is made of steel concrete or steel; partial thermal insulation 6.2. The bottom is made of steel concrete with a surface of asphalt concrete including water inclinations to the boards 6.3. Minimum free inner height about 3200 mm

6.4. Storage and maintenance of boats and boat equipment, heating, plumbing and ven¬ tilation facilities, electricity and fire- fighting equipment 6.5. A transport ramp of steel concrete or steel

6.6. An emergency exit, straight or spiral stairs

6.7. The hold is lockable. 6.8. Pump well, ø about 1000 mm, height about

350 mm 6.9. Leakage and condensation water chute about 100 x 200 mm

7. Septic tank (waste water disposal) 7.1. The tank is positioned on the shore; it may be submerged.

7.2. The tank may be positioned in the quay.

7.3. The tank is connected to the municipal drainage system, or waste water is transported away

7.4. The waste water disposal operates with mechanical or vacuum pumping.

7.5. Rain, splash and leakage water is led through a sand and oil separator into the sea.

8. Technical connection

8.1. The quay can be technically totally independent.

8.2. The quay utilizes the technical facilities on the shore according to the requirements in each particular case

8.3. Normal technical facilities of the shore include tap water, drainage, electricity and telephone. 9. Quay

9.1. The quay comprises a single hold of pre¬ stressed concrete construction; it is floating and anchored and enables winter storage and maintenance of boats indoors and outdoors.

9.2. The quay can equally well be used for other purposes, such as fuel distribution, shops, restaurants, entertainment, work¬ shops. 9.3. The quay is displaceable.

9.4. Several quays can be interconnected.

9.5. The quay is fixed to the shore and/or anchored.

9.6. The quay is fixed or anchored according to the requirements in each particular case.

9.7. Draught, e.g. about 3000 mm

9.8. Free water between the bottom and the sea¬ bed 5000 mm

9.9. The quay is provided with requisite ventilation means complying with the regulations. 10. Board equipment

Steel concrete or steel 10.1. Lower support for vertical loads 10.2. Horizontal fixing of the vertical pipe and

the board, a spring washer between the pipe and the board 10.3. Steel support, a projection, vertically adjustable, mooring mountings 10.4. Foot grating of pressure impregnated wood

10.5. Boat, the height of the deck estimated on the basis of the length of the boat (ft).

10.6. Collision plank and mooring mountings of wood or rubber 10.7. Fastening flange for a lamp-post.

10.8. Lamp-post, connections for tap water and electricity

11. Collision railing of the deck, fastened to the vertical pipe 12. Deck

12.1. The deck is of steel concrete with a surface of asphalt concrete. The lower surface of the deck comprises grooves 150 x 400 c/c 1400 mm 12.2. Thermal insulation, ^" the lower deck surface e.g. 50 mm, sides e.g. 10 to 50 mm, upper parts, i.e. down to 1200 mm from bottom.

13. Board

13.1. The board is of steel concrete or steel. 13.2. Ventilation pipe

13.3. Air blow nozzle which can be directed

13.4. Electric grate, also tap water

13.5. Puncture in the board, water-tight

13.6. Air blow pipe, ø 100 mm, or more 13.7. Upper guide mounting of the anchor chain, locking of the chain 13.8 Air blow pipe, ø 100 mm, or more

13.9. Upper guide mounting of the anchor chain

14. Mooring buoy, anchored

15. Mooring shaft, hinged on the vertical pipe of the board

16. Heat recovery pipeline system under the quay, length 1,000 m. 17. Floating partition structures are attached to the inner corners of the interconnected structures.

One structure can provide berthing facilities for e.g. 50 boats (Fig. 10); interconnected struc¬ tures can provide berthing facilities for e.g. 90, 290, 284 or 246 boats (Figs 11 to 14).

The quay in accordance with the invention may be modified to suit other applications without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For instance, the quay can be used for other pur- poses, such as fuel distribution, shops, restaurants, entertainment, or workshops. It can also be used as a bridge.