The Scripps Institution of Oceanography’s Floating Instrument Platform (FLIP) has been retired after more than 50 years of service. FLIP was a unique research vessel that could transition from a horizontal barge to a vertical spar platform in less than an hour. This allowed scientists to conduct stable and quiet experiments at sea, producing “exquisite” data according to Dr. Tom Drake of the ONR Ocean Sensing Battlespace Department. FLIP was a symbol of innovation and risk-taking, and its legacy will continue with one of its booms being used to deploy instruments into the water.
https://maritime-executive.com/article/world-s-strangest-research-vessel-heads-for-scrapyard-after-51-years