General
Maintenance: Wash the equipment with fresh
water often. Regular fresh water and soap wash-downs
will greatly increase the life of the painted finish,
and prevent salt build-up. Turn power off at the breaker
prior to a thorough wash-down. Spray fresh water into
the sheave-end of the davit or crane. Elevate the boom
or passerelle and spray down the exposed interior surfaces.
Wipe dry with a soft cloth. Spray-apply a light coating
of silicone corrosion inhibitor over all of the interior
components periodically. Inspect the cable, hook, sheaves,
pins and bushings often. Replace / repair at the first
signs of any wear and / or corrosion. Inspect mechanical
fasteners for tightness and corrosion. Occasional dissimilar
metals corrosion may occur over time. This may be reduced
with an application of Tef-Gel paste, available through
Nautical Structures’ Service Department.
On most of our davits and cranes, we utilize linear
winch technology which dramatically reduces the wear
and tear on the lift cable, thus extending its useful
life. The cable is still exposed to friction between
the individual strands and will fatigue. Without periodic
replacement, the cable will eventually fail. We recommend
that the cable be replaced on a yearly basis. Inspect
your cable for burrs or broken strands, and replace
it accordingly. If it has not been replaced within the
last three years of regular operation, we strongly advise
that this be done. Call us for instructions on how to
re-string your unit prior to attempting this. We suggest
that a factory-trained technician perform this task
for you. You can greatly extend the wear life of your
cable by regularly lubricating your cable with an approved
cable dressing. This may be purchased from Nautical
Structures, or any cable supply house. It is a light
spray lubricant.
Lubricate
all hydraulic cylinder cross-tubes (attachment positions)
in your davit, crane or passerelle. Each visible cylinder
has a cross-tube and a grease zirc-fitting for this
purpose. Pump grease into each cross-tube, making sure
that the grease is spread throughout the pin area. You
should notice some grease oozing out the ends of the
cross-tube.
SPECIFIC
DAVIT & CRANE MAINTENANCE:
1. Inspect all cables, hydraulic hose and hydraulic
fittings often. Replace at the first signs of excessive
wear and/or corrosion.
2.
Lubricate the radial crane bearing using LubriMatic?
Marine Corrosion Control Grease. Pump grease into
the bearing until it is observed oozing past the grease
seal. Touch up any visible paint damage or corrosion.
3.
Re-torque the radial slewing bearing annually. Refer
to the torque-value chart below to determine the appropriate
torque values for your equipment.
4. Inspect the crane and its components regularly
for signs of damage or non-functioning parts. Repair
or replace as necessary. Touch-up any paint damage
as necessary to preserve the crane's finish.
5.
The linear winch system (cylinder, guides and sheaves)
should be professionally serviced every 18 to 24 months.
The service and inspection requires partial disassembly
of the crane and should only be done by a qualified
Nautical Structures Field Service Technician. Sheave
wear can inhibit the crane's performance and must
be serviced at regular intervals. We recommend annually.
6.
Hydraulic System Maintenance.Maintain
proper oil level in the hydraulic fluid reservoir.
USE AW 68 grade hydraulic oil processed to ISO 17/15/12
and/or filtered to 3-microns or less. Mobile “DTE”
68 or Shell “Tellus” 68 are acceptable
fluids. As a rule hydraulic fluid taken straight out
of a barrel is not processed to the appropriate ISO
cleanliness level, and should be processed. Nautical
Structures’ ISO-Oil, processed hydraulic fluid
is available through Nautical Structures’ Service
Department. service@nautical-structures.com
A.
Service the hydraulic system annually or after every
50 hours of use, which ever comes first. Servicing
should include verifying the condition of the hydraulic
fluid. If the fluid appears dirty or discolored
(it should be a clear amber color), or is milky
with water contamination it should be replaced.
If you are not sure of the fluids condition, contact
Nautical Structures to arrange to have a sample
of the fluid analyzed. For replacement use Nautical
Structures’, ISO-Oil or a filtered AW-68 Hydraulic
Oil.
B.
Inspect the hydraulic lines and fittings for leaks
periodically. Occasionally a hydraulic fitting may
need to be re tightened if it is weeping oil. If
this is the case, use a 9/16" open-end wrench
on the hose-end or hard-tube fitting, and use a
back-up wrench on the component fitting. Do not
over tighten the fittings. The best way to monitor
the condition of the hydraulic components is to
keep them very clean. If a hydraulic leak is suspected,
clean all residual oil from the area. Operate the
davit several times and then inspect the area for
leakage. Any leaking fittings should be easy to
identify.
C.
Always keep hydraulic cylinders fully retracted
while not in use. Never use the winch cable of a
linear winch crane or davit system to secure the
system for storage. Any exposed cylinder rod may
quickly corrode, causing damage and leaks in the
cylinder rod seals. Always use a boom tie-down cable
assembly to secure the davit system to the vessel's
deck.
D.Inspect
all hydraulic hoses for chafing or cracking. If
wear is found, please measure the overall length
of the hose and call us for a replacement. The stainless
steel hose-ends may discolor with surface corrosion
over time. We recommend that a “Scotch-Brite”
pad be used to clean off the corrosion. Dressing
the hose-ends with a silicon spray is effective
in preventing the corrosion.
E.
Inspect all visible hydraulic fittings and hose-ends
for leaks and/or weeping. If any leaks are found
tighten the fitting. When doing this, be sure to
use two wrenches. One to tighten the fitting, the
other to back-up the fitting. Using just one wrench
may damage the fitting. Never tighten a fitting
while there is hydraulic pressure in the hose or
fitting. We recommend that the interior of the crane
be thoroughly cleaned periodically. This will make
even small leaks much more apparent.
7.
Thoroughly inspect the paint and finish of your crane
and repair any nicks or scratches before they become
a problem. Never allow plastic materials, wrappings
to lay directly ontop of the painted finish for more
than a few days time, as moisture may cause water
blisters to develop unter the painted finish. Take
careful note of the finish and condition of the steel
hydraulic cylinders and repair paint damage / corrosion
as necessary. We offer stainless steel and aluminum
hydraulic cylinders for those who wish to upgrade.
8.
Electric Maintenance: Provide adequate (required) shore
or generator power (voltage and amperes) to your davit
/ crane. Check connections, plugs, receptacles, switches,
winch (some models), control box contactors, relays,
transformer, hand-held remote for corrosion and deterioration.
Spray with electrical corrosion inhibitor periodically.
NOTE: Power to the unit should always be
off when davit / crane is not in use.
