Crane-Mast Combo
Walking the docks at the 2009 Ft. Lauderdale International Boat Show show you will see several new projects delivered by Nautical Structures. We are proud to have been associated with some very special projects recently. The M.Y. Quantum of Solace (ex-Midlandia; a 52-meter Benetti) was at the show after a brief refit period in the Rybovich Shipyard, Palm Beach, Florida. Nautical Structures was asked to develop a unique fore-deck crane for the yacht. This crane; an EZ2500EX-168-237-SOLAS is a fully-classed Lloyd’s Register of Shipping & Cayman Islands Shipping Registry approved Rescue Boat Launching Crane built to the IMO/LSA Rules for SOLAS. With a twist… The crane is also designed, styled and approved to deploy as the ship’s steaming mast; deploying the navigation lights at the appropriate height above the deck and approved by CISR for this dual purpose.
The crane stows in 168" / 4.26-meters and deploys to 237" / 6.01-meters. A safe working load capacity of 2500-pounds / 1136-Kg certainly doesn't rank this crane as one of our larger systems, but it's a work-horse nonetheless. Aluminum construction and components designed for a wet marine environment ensure that the crane will require minimal maintenance and provide exceptional service over the life of the yacht. The crane provides enhanced cable payout of 12.9-meters / 42.3-ft of Spectra composite-fiber line with a self-stowing hook/weight arrangement. The headache-ball is machined with a very unique pin-system; allowing the crew the ability to switch between the heavy load-release SOLAS hook and a lighter cargo hook as necessary. The hydraulic linear winch system incorporates our lanyard-actuated free-fall system, enhancing the deployment speed of the crane. A specialized hydraulic power unit was manufactured to supply power to this classed crane. It is configured with two motors; an AC motor for every-day use, and a 24V DC motor for emergency power supply should the vessel encounter a dead-ship condition.
The crane's telescoping boom extension incorporates a mounting socket for attaching the removable light-bar, mounting the navigation and anchor lights. The unique design allows the lights t be easily serviced, or even removed whn not needed.
The project was contracted on the first of September 2009 and delivered on the twenty-second of October; going from concept to completed project in under seven weeks. This was only possible due to the significant efforts of our suppliers, and support of Wally Nisbett / Murray & Associates, the cooperation of Rybovich Shipyard, Cayman Islands Shipping Registry and the amazing effort of all of the Nautical Structures' team in order to pull off the impossible! On Friday fifteenth of October the crane was tested at Nautical Structures’ Largo manufacturing facility with a Lloyd’s Register surveyor in attendance. The crane went through testing and was issued a LRS certification number and approval for installation.
There were numerous challenges involved in the process of developing this unique design. The Flag State had to approve the dual-purpose design. The crane had to “look” like a steaming mast while still performing to all applicable standards as a SOLAS Rescue Boat Launching Crane. The crane was configured to deploy to a fully vertical position, and built to live in a very wet environment on the foredeck of the 52-meter yacht. The end result is an attractive deck crane that does deploy as the steaming mast; form meeting function in an effort of superb engineering and manufacturing.
