GOt a bit of a challege ahead. Splashing my 1959 40' CC SeaSkiff into a
river. The bank is steep and 20' high. I'll need to remove the boat
prior to winter and after te spring floods (we've had back to back
100year floods).

Boat is 18KLbs. Lapstrake with a solid hull. I've heard all the stories
about being able to lift a boat by the Samson pole... but I'm assuming
thets not the case.

Two options seem to exist:
1) design a strap harness that will enable a honking big crane (20 ton?)
to literally lift the boat out level and place it on new cradles.
Designing the harness such that it doesn't crush the keel or the sides
of the boat will be a challenge.

2) build a one-trick-pony trailer that will ride on old railroad rails.
Two challenges are the dramatic angle change from level water to
50degree bank... and then at the top... another transition to level yard.

In writing this... I think the Crane idea is the best... simple, not too
costly, and I'll need one anyways to lift my docks in and out every year.

Any other approaches I'm not thinking of?

thankd so much.

On Mon, 30 Jul 2007 23:15:11 -0400, Paul Wiggins
wrote:

GOt a bit of a challege ahead. Splashing my 1959 40' CC SeaSkiff into a
river. The bank is steep and 20' high. I'll need to remove the boat
prior to winter and after te spring floods (we've had back to back
100year floods).
...
Any other approaches I'm not thinking of?

There is another approach. Not sure how practical in your case.
Excavate a ramp at a decent angle, put in blacktop or concrete,
haul out and in on a trailer pulled by a meaty winch

Brian Whatcott Altus OK

Hi Paul,
This isnt particularly an unusual thing to do; there are crane companies
that specialise in this sort of thing. If there are none in your area, then
just call around and when talking to them make sure they've got plenty of
long soft slings and spreaders for their chains. This is what keeps the
chains nice and wide.

Since the boat is in the water and the crane probably cant get right up
close ot it you'll have to get a crane with a better capacity than
required - the further away you get from the crane, the more the lifting
capacity is reduced. Aim for about a 50 tonner would be my guess. In
Australia, a 50 tonne slew crane costs about $180/hour including the
operator, plus whatever time it takes to drive to and from your site.
smaller cranes really arent much cheaper.

Best regards,
Shaun


"Paul Wiggins" wrote in message
...
GOt a bit of a challege ahead. Splashing my 1959 40' CC SeaSkiff into a
river. The bank is steep and 20' high. I'll need to remove the boat prior
to winter and after te spring floods (we've had back to back 100year
floods).

Boat is 18KLbs. Lapstrake with a solid hull. I've heard all the stories
about being able to lift a boat by the Samson pole... but I'm assuming
thets not the case.

Two options seem to exist:
1) design a strap harness that will enable a honking big crane (20 ton?)
to literally lift the boat out level and place it on new cradles.
Designing the harness such that it doesn't crush the keel or the sides of
the boat will be a challenge.

2) build a one-trick-pony trailer that will ride on old railroad rails.
Two challenges are the dramatic angle change from level water to 50degree
bank... and then at the top... another transition to level yard.

In writing this... I think the Crane idea is the best... simple, not too
costly, and I'll need one anyways to lift my docks in and out every year.

Any other approaches I'm not thinking of?

thankd so much.

On Jul 30, 8:15 pm, Paul Wiggins wrote:
GOt a bit of a challege ahead. Splashing my 1959 40' CC SeaSkiff into a
river. The bank is steep and 20' high. I'll need to remove the boat
prior to winter and after te spring floods (we've had back to back
100year floods).

Boat is 18KLbs. Lapstrake with a solid hull. I've heard all the stories
about being able to lift a boat by the Samson pole... but I'm assuming
thets not the case.

Two options seem to exist:
1) design a strap harness that will enable a honking big crane (20 ton?)
to literally lift the boat out level and place it on new cradles.
Designing the harness such that it doesn't crush the keel or the sides
of the boat will be a challenge.

2) build a one-trick-pony trailer that will ride on old railroad rails.
Two challenges are the dramatic angle change from level water to
50degree bank... and then at the top... another transition to level yard.

In writing this... I think the Crane idea is the best... simple, not too
costly, and I'll need one anyways to lift my docks in and out every year.

Any other approaches I'm not thinking of?

thankd so much.

I would tend to a good ramp to let neignbors use also if you have the
land. A large dozer and excavator can make short work of the bank.

A trick of current control is to always place a small bank upstream.
A ten foot litteral bank straight into the river can stop years of
strong strong current damage. A concrrtete front side makes it live a
long time. This way the concrete or timber ramp is in a slow water
area.

If it is impossible because of land laws then a crane is the next
choice. $10K can be best spent by improving the land for resale
purposes. A crane is of little land value. A used larger Grove type
crane is a good idea. 10 tons was a standard size I believe. A
special method of reninforcing the bank just might be necessary. A
platform of concrete would likely suffice.


Here is the trick to using the wheeled type crane. It drags also.
Make a boat sling and place logs along the bank surface. Make a sling
that can drag, surround the transom with a strap. Just be riminded.
It can drag more tha ten tons! So a few yards of "to far" out in the
water is irrelavent.

And an old used Grove is one with a bad transmission maybe.

Why dont you just drive the boat down river to a more sutable location
then place it apon a trailer and drive it to your house? Or better yet
to a local shop and have it claened and serviced?

On Thu, 09 Aug 2007 14:51:25 -0000, Will wrote:

Why dont you just drive the boat down river to a more sutable location
then place it apon a trailer and drive it to your house?

Overhead wires, perhaps? I mean, forty feet is pretty big,

Casady