BOAT HOISTS AND TRANSPORTERS

Two examples from Marine Travelift

Adecade after the world’s first mobile boat hoist was designed and manufactured in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, Marine Travelift was officially founded at this small town on Lake Michigan in 1954. The company has been responsible for many innovations in boat lifting and moving, including the first open-end design of boat hoist and the Beam Forward Machine series of mobile hoists for marinas, and is now recognised as offering the most comprehensive line-up of boat handling equipment for the marina industry.

Boat hoist capacities range from 150-1,500 metric tons and selfpropelled, hydraulic transporters from 20-100 metric tons capacity can haul vessels of up to 33 metres and more in length. The following two examples illustrate how shipyards and marinas utilise both types of equipment.

Mobile boat hoist

The Marine Travelift 1000C boat hoist, capable of lifting 1,000 tons, changed the way Colonna’s Shipyard approached its business. Located on the deep-water, mid-Atlantic Port of Norfolk, Virginia, the yard featured a 17,200 ton floating dry dock, a 2,800 ton floating dry dock and two marine railways. Such facilities used to be the standard technology for handling large vessels that need repair, overhaul or conversion work when out of the water, but when this fullservice ship repair facility was ready to look at new, more efficient options an in-depth analysis concluded that a Marine Travelift system would give greater capacity and more flexibility than the alternatives.

Not only were scheduling conflicts eliminated due to the increased number of slots available at the pair of dry docks, but as these were no longer required to service a 900 ton vessel, there was no longer any problem of what was then described as ‘mismatched capacity’. In addition, the yard was able to respond more quickly to emergency lift-outs, which resulted in improved through-put of orders.

A Marine Travelift mobile boat hoist’s excellent maneuverability allowed the yard to fully utilise all available space. Operators were able

Lady M, a 65 metre superyacht built by Palmer Johnson Yachts, being lifted at its now closed yard in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, by a Marine Travelift 1000C boat hoist.

to move vessels across the yard, in tight spaces and around sharp corners whenever necessary.

In addition, the shipyard has benefitted from lower maintenance costs, because the high tensile polyester slings used to support the boat are less affected by salt water than steel supports.

Transporter

The recent delivery of a Marine Travelift TM100 self-propelled, hydraulic transporter to Riviera, the largest luxury yacht builder in the Southern Hemisphere, is the latest high-technology purchase for a $10 million plan to meet growing demand.

Riviera is located on more than 40 acres in Coomera on The Gold Coast of Queensland, Australia, where the yard is currently operating a 50BFM and 75BFMII Marine Travelift boat hoist on site. The TM100 Transporter is the next step to expand production at Riviera, which began with an enlargement of the final fit-out building to accommodate bigger vessels and enable the new transporter system to operate at peak efficiency when moving motor yachts of up to 100 tons more safely.

The TM100 is controlled by a wireless remote, offering the operator maximum visibility of the vessel and surrounding area. With an open-end design, it allows for precise, quick and easy positioning under a craft and eliminates the need for custom-built cradles, which were previously used at Riviera.

The yard’s TM100 is equipped with optional increased gradeability, allowing the transporter to move over inclined, uneven or sloped surfaces, further utilising more yard space. The transporter’s hydraulically-inclinable boat pads, which can be individually controlled, also provide the operator with maximum precision and the pressures on the hydraulic pads are set at a level, so the operator does not have to worry about them causing any damage to the hull of the vessel.

The TM100 and all models of

A Marine Travelift TM100 transporter hauling a yacht at the Riviera yard on Australia’s Gold Coast. Marine Travelift’s self-propelled transporters are equipped with standard remote control and crab steering. Lifting capacities ranging from 20-160 metric tons and higher can be supplied, together with numerous options for complete customisation.

Marine Travelift Inc sales@marinetravelift.com www.marinetravelift.com