Travel lift
A travel lift is a mobile crane used to transport ships .
construction
The travel lift is a form of gantry crane on four wheels with pneumatic tires. It consists of a square box made of steel girders, which is open at the bottom and on the front. The front is open so that sailing ships or ships with higher superstructures can also be accommodated. Ships can be lifted out of the water, transported and put back into the water using a lifting device on both longitudinal beams and two or more lifting straps stretched between them. Ships of up to 1000 t can currently be lifted with travel lifts of different sizes. The travel lift is freely movable thanks to the steerable wheels. The lifting device and the wheels are hydraulically driven by a diesel engine. The world's best-known and largest manufacturer is Marine Travelift Inc. , Sturgeon Bay , in the US state of Wisconsin .
business
The travel lift is used to transport ships on the site of a shipyard or a marina . This enables a ship to be lifted out of the water and driven to its destination (dry berth, hangar, low-loader). To do this, the lift drives over a "lift box", which consists of two lanes (right and left) and the harbor basin in between. There the slings are lowered into the water. The ship is pulled over the lifting straps and carefully positioned so that it is hanging exactly in balance and that no parts (drive shaft, propeller, rudder, keel) are damaged by the straps. On most ships, the correct position of the straps is marked by a small triangle on the hull. Now the ship is raised at four points (six on larger travel lifts) at the same time. It is then driven to its destination.
Launching is done in reverse order. The travel lift is usually controlled with a radio remote control.
safety
The ship is safely protected from damage by the surrounding steel girders. Incorrect positioning of the straps can cause damage. Paint damage in particular is often caused by dirty or scratchy belts. Due to the width of the lift, other ships or parts of buildings are at risk when maneuvering.
distribution
Thanks to its easy handling, the travel lift has replaced the fixed pillar slewing crane used in the larger marinas and sports boat yards .
