Anybody here know much about travel hoists?

[RunAgroundHard]

It's extortion. The OPs boat is in a yard with easy access. It has already been confirmed it can be lifted with a travel hoist. $1000 would be a reasonable cost assuming additional work required beyond a normal travel hoist lift.

So why has the yard not done that? Is their travel hoist in a serviceable condition and operational?

 

[geem]

So why has the yard not done that? Is their travel hoist in a serviceable condition and operational?

Because the yard is a mess. The staff have no homes. They were destroyed. Every boat reinstatement will be different. With the amount of wreckage in the yard, it will be difficult to get access at this stage. There is little point in the OP doing anything much with his boat at the moment. Peak of hurricane season is 1 month away. It is possible there could be another hurricane in what has been forecast to be a very active hurricane season

 

[RunAgroundHard]

Because the yard is a mess. The staff have no homes. They were destroyed. Every boat reinstatement will be different. With the amount of wreckage in the yard, it will be difficult to get access at this stage. There is little point in the OP doing anything much with his boat at the moment. Peak of hurricane season is 1 month away. It is possible there could be another hurricane in what has been forecast to be a very active hurricane season

Hence the salvage company has turned up.

 

[Boathook]

I would have thought that it would have been better for the yard to do the work using existing equipment and staff and maybe employing even more people who possibly have no income at present. This would bring money into the local economy allowing homes to be repaired, etc. unless the yard is owned by someone elsewhere. Presently, it would seem that the salvage company take the money and it goes elsewhere apart from locally

 

[geem]

Hence the salvage company has turned up.

Er, no. It sounds like they turned up to make money.

 

[RunAgroundHard]

Er, no. It sounds like they turned up to make money.

Sure, nothing wrong with that. The OPs question was answered. Now the OP is faced with doing nothing until some future point, or do something now to recover the situation. I wonder if the travel hoist has survived the hurricane, that to me is material?

 

[Sea Change]

So why has the yard not done that? Is their travel hoist in a serviceable condition and operational?

There are rumours of a back hander between the salvage company and the yard. It would explain a lot.

 

[Sea Change]

I would have thought that it would have been better for the yard to do the work using existing equipment and staff and maybe employing even more people who possibly have no income at present. This would bring money into the local economy allowing homes to be repaired, etc. unless the yard is owned by someone elsewhere. Presently, it would seem that the salvage company take the money and it goes elsewhere apart from locally

Undoubtedly it would have been better to do the work locally.
But both the yard and the salvage company are owned by a mixture of American and British people.

 

[Sea Change]

Sure, nothing wrong with that. The OPs question was answered. Now the OP is faced with doing nothing until some future point, or do something now to recover the situation. I wonder if the travel hoist has survived the hurricane, that to me is material?

I have it confirmed, by the salvage company, that the hoist is operational, and that they intend to use it as part of the recovery efforts.

The problem is they are not going to operate it at the rates offered by the yard.

And the yard are refusing to take work away from the salvage company.

 

[Sea Change]

Hence the salvage company has turned up.

It would have been lower risk for all concerned, and far more helpful, if the salvage company had flown their surveyors down first to inspect the situation and prepare quotes.

But they didn't do that. They mobilised machinery immediately and are now sat on site demanding payment, and threatening higher bills if we delay.

They are not the good guys here. No matter how you paint it.

They are also not poor hurricane affected Carribbean locals. The guys who run the company are from the UK and the US. They operate out of BVI.

Sadly the yard owner, who is also not local, has decided to hand the whole job over to them, apparently in exchange for some kind of backhander. Hence his refusal to continue normal operations at normal rates. He doesn't want to undercut the sharks with whom he has made a deal.

It's very tempting to stop paying the yard at this point. If they have stopped providing their usual services, why should I pay their bills?

 

[RunAgroundHard]

… And the yard are refusing to take work away from the salvage company.

Good luck with whatever road you choose to go down. There is an old adage in the contracting world, where there is chaos there is cash.

Personally, I would pay to recover my asset and move on as fast as I could. I think the negotiation approach should be explored by you. In my opinion, the longer this goes on, the greater the chance that things will become worse.

 

[Sea Change]

Because the yard is a mess. The staff have no homes. They were destroyed. Every boat reinstatement will be different. With the amount of wreckage in the yard, it will be difficult to get access at this stage. There is little point in the OP doing anything much with his boat at the moment. Peak of hurricane season is 1 month away. It is possible there could be another hurricane in what has been forecast to be a very active hurricane season

Most of us are in no hurry to lift our boats. Given the way this season has panned out, there's a very real chance of another hurricane striking the island. My boat is far more secure the way she us than she would be on flimsy stands and with inadequate straps.

I have friends checking on her most days to watch out for things like water backing up in the cockpit. I haven't instructed the yard or salvage company to do anything, and I don't intend to ask for any help until the salvage company are but a blip on the horizon, counting their money as they head back to BVI.

 

[RunAgroundHard]

… It's very tempting to stop paying the yard at this point. If they have stopped providing their usual services, why should I pay their bills?

That’s a choice you make. My choice would be to get out of there ASAP, but not at any cost. There comes a point to walk away.

 

[Sea Change]

Good luck with whatever road you choose to go down. There is an old adage in the contracting world, where there is chaos there is cash.

Personally, I would pay to recover my asset and move on as fast as I could. I think the negotiation approach should be explored by you. In my opinion, the longer this goes on, the greater the chance that things will become worse.

My 'asset' is worth about £30k, minus the repairs which as boatbuilder friend said would be around £10k on a semi DIY basis, based on preliminary photos.
Take another £8k for the lift and rechock, then remember the outstanding £5k in expected yard bills for storage, mast stepping, and launch.
Plus all the work that needed doing before we even lifted out.

Your advice to 'pay to recover and move on quickly' is flawed. If I had done that, I would be hugely out of pocket. One guy who has dug his heels in immediately got offered a 50% discount. So I prefer to wait, and to negotiate.

 

[rogerthebodger]

About 8.5t
I reckon if need to, I'll dig a trench and use some inner tubes to tip her upright in stages.
Unless the yard staff physically stop me from digging a hole, I suppose.

You could lift one side with some air lift bags to lift one side to near uptight as long you have some side supports on the opposite side. Once near upright a normal travel lift could be used to lift it upright.


If trucks capsize lift bags are used to get the truck upright part way the lift straps are used to get it fully upright

 

[Wansworth]

You could lift one side with some air lift bags to lift one side to near uptight as long you have some side supports on the opposite side. Once near upright a normal travel lift could be used to lift it upright.

If trucks capsize lift bags are used to get the truck upright part way the lift straps are used to get it fully upright

What about two jacks and gradually inch it up…..musbe lots of scrap wood available

 

[rogerthebodger]

What about two jacks and gradually inch it up…..musbe lots of scrap wood available

Yes that could also be done. I would be concerned about the jacks slipping and the angle of the boat comes upright

I have done something similar with 2 legs on each side of my boat raising one leg and lowering the opposite side leg but not from fully down

The boat I did his on weighted 20 tons ferro 47 the long

Air jacks allow you to be completely out of the way if it should fall

 

[Stingo]

You could lift one side with some air lift bags to lift one side to near uptight as long you have some side supports on the opposite side. Once near upright a normal travel lift could be used to lift it upright.


If trucks capsize lift bags are used to get the truck upright part way the lift straps are used to get it fully upright

Carriacou has/had one petrol station and over 150 rhum shops. I very much doubt they have ever heard of air lift bags.

 

[Wansworth]

Carriacou has/had one petrol station and over 150 rhum shops. I very much doubt they have ever heard of air lift bags.

They could be flow in and the cost shared amongst the needy

 

[rogerthebodger]

Carriacou has/had one petrol station and over 150 rhum shops. I very much doubt they have ever heard of air lift bags.

Many other ways of skinning that cat as Wansworth several jacks and wood support can be used with local labor as I do