LAUNCHED, added more pics and video, see page 2

captainmaniac · Post by **captainmaniac** » Sun Apr 29, 2012 10:54 pm

To King D's points...

With a generic crane operator, who likely knows nothing about boats, his only objective is to lift and drop all 200+ in a day or two (just like any other bundles of lumber or drywall or cement or other stuff at a construction site he has worked on). I understand that it takes a bit more effort to get them to be patient enough to let the owner make sure everything is OK before they move on the the next one - the crane guy isn't used to that because as long as his load makes it to the right floor his job is normally done... but if you can force them to leave slings in place until you know you are not likely to be going down, it only takes a couple of minutes and may save you or your insurance company thousands. OR you send the wife to go talk to the crane operator when he is lifting your boat...and let her tell him he is going to wait until your signal.... probably less painful.

With my marina guys.. they know they are screwed if there is a problem, so they are more inclined to take the time it needs (and old woodies tend to be the last ones in on Fridays, and sit in the slings for the weekend to tighten up, possibly with additional pumps on board).

BEGIN COMMERCIAL ANNOUNCEMENT

Hamilton sees boats for winter storage from a lot of different places because of how they handle them, and storage options. Boats come from Toronto to Niagara On The Lake just to store here (up to 40 miles away in both directions - NOT a nice trip to make in October or November in the Great White North, on Lake Ontario). They certainly don't do it to save money. One guy who keeps his boat in Marina Quay West and his Plane at the Island airport, and lives in the condos right behind Marina Quay West so he can keep an eye on both, even trusts Hamilton more than anyone in Toronto.

There are woodies that store here from the 1930's, 40's. 50's, and 60's, plus 'modern' boats from the 70's to darn near brand new. Smallest I have seem stored are 20-25' cruisers and sailboats; biggest is a roughly 80' x 20' houseboat owned by a known TV and Movie personality. And they all come back year after year because the marina staff and yard crew know what they are doing.

This http://www.boatersresources.com/bfs_det ... did=103750. even used to be stored here, when he kept the boat 15 miles away in Bronte. Y'all ever hear of Kodiac boots, from Grebb? This is the dude that owned the company.

END COMMERCIAL ANNOUNCEMENT

NOTE - I am not an owner and do not benefit from promoting the marina. I have simply been there since 1977.

Torcan · Post by **Torcan** » Mon Apr 30, 2012 12:42 am

jefflaw35 wrote:I watch my ski boat forklifted every time we go out. iIs neat, what kills me here is, at the end of the video this guy grabs the soft top support to pull him self up, I thought it was gonna fold on him. These guys look like city workers in the USA. 30 guys standing around laughing without a care in the world! Im glad your In buddy. hope its a good summer! your boat is very nice!!!

LOL
The GUY in the fluorescent green jacket, well that is me, the guy following me who grabs the rail is my trusted mechanic Billy. This kid is 25 and he has been working on motors and boats since he was about 10. Unbelievable knowledge, he has even come in behind other marine mechanics to clean up their mistakes. Also, the step up to the boat was difficult, so I forgive him this time. But I will mention it to him, and guaranteed he will never do it again, just because of the way he operates, not because I will chew him out.
Point in his favour, he was on my boat looking at something for me, he spotted a screw missing on a wall, not in his workorder, said nothing, found a proper screw for it, put it in and returned to the job I had asked him to do.

You've all seen this video of my boat Launch
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZV_eNqSO ... ture=share

New Video here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BOFzjFlEnhY
Here is another, of a Trojan that almost went very wrong, the crane boom was not directly above, it is the launch guy on the grounds responsibility for not seeing this before giving the signal to the crane operator to lift the boat, it swung back while still in the cradle, knocked the cradle to pieces, BUT, the owner was partly to blame, because he did not really have it well cradled in the 1st place. The owner is the guy in the blue jacket and white ballcap, beige pants you see near the end of the video. The chuckle you hear is a guy saying" Geez, you think they could have lifted it first"

and some pics of the day

The best for Last

summer storm · Post by **summer storm** » Mon Apr 30, 2012 1:11 pm

Sorry but the lifting of that 44 looked pretty scary in the first part of that video. Next fall I think you guys should ask for a crane operator that understands he is not lifting pallets of 2x4's.

Torcan · Post by **Torcan** » Mon Apr 30, 2012 1:43 pm

summer storm wrote:Sorry but the lifting of that 44 looked pretty scary in the first part of that video. Next fall I think you guys should ask for a crane operator that understands he is not lifting pallets of 2x4's.

Actually, the responsibility lies with the person giving the hand signals to the crane operator.
In this case it also happened to be the owner of the boat.
(watch the guy in the blue jacket, beige pants and white cap give the signal to lift) he failed to see that the lift was not directly overhead, but slightly to the rear of the boat.
So when the weight of the boat was lifted, it normally swung back. Gotta love Mother Nature and a thing called Gravity.

Stripermann2 · Post by **Stripermann2** » Mon Apr 30, 2012 3:11 pm

Neat pics and videos. We don't see crane launching around my parts for spring or winter commissioning. Don't you all have travelifts up north?

jefflaw35 · Post by **jefflaw35** » Mon Apr 30, 2012 7:30 pm

I dont know how to qoute on selected words, So ill just say I got a good laugh. I was ok with the first guy stepping aboard (you) other guy made me choke up for sure. Even the best young techs dont always think, dont be to hard on him. Show him the quick video and ask him what he saw wrong there, he will probly freak out! Great pics and videos man, thanks again

Torcan · Post by **Torcan** » Mon Apr 30, 2012 8:19 pm

another video of the launch
also, briefly you will see an old wooden boat, This boat should really be in a Maritime Museum.
It is at our club, the guy is 82 years old that owns it and really should give it up. Everything on it is original, brass, copper. Takes 2-3 days for the wood to swell and seal it. It is always a touch and go whether or not it will stay afloat.
It served in WWII as a mine sweeper off the coast of Normandy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7RkT6vGo5rk
Voices are mine and my Buddies on the tape.