Crane Rib Lifting Arrangement

[PRH]

Got a new to me boat with a crane. It didn't come with a rib but had all of the lifting arrangement, shackle, spreader bar and wire strops.

Now got an Avon Rib but find that it is not very stable when lifting it at sea even though the wires have been adjusted (length) to get it level in harbour, with the engine fitted.

If you have got a crane - how is yours linked up? and I guess - does it work?

TIA

 

[Nick_H]

try and steady it by holding the bow rope, but they always swing around a fair bit

 

[splosh]

Firstly, are your lifting strops too long. They can act as a pendulum.
Secondly, try to keep the bottom of the tender as close to the storage chocks as possible.
And thirdly, they will swing unless absolutely calm water.

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

Any kind of tender lifting system using a crane or a pasarelle is a 2 person job really, one to operate the lifting gear and one to stop the tender swinging about, unless it's really flat calm

 

[Wiggo]

Not strictly true. I think the challenge here is the height of the crane. Try to keep the strops as short as possible and the crane as low as you can go and still get the thing back on board. I clip on and have a painter in one hand and the remote control in the other. As soon as the boat is clear of the water, pull it in as you continue to lift. As soon as I can, I grab the handle on the bow and haul the thing aboard and as it comes over the chocks I'm already lowering with the remote. It all comes on very smoothly.

 

[PRH]

Thanks all.

Further info - the crain height is fixed which was a problem getting the strop length just right to lift the rib over the chocks.

Possible further issue was that the boom length will only allow the tender to be dropped with the arm out on the Stbd side and as you may have already read it was windy at Swanage on Sat. Once the wind got under the bow it lifted the rib almost perpendicular and of course with the engine on the back of the rib it became a fight to the death, we won by the way though even with two of us it wasn't much fun....

 

[Hurricane]

Seem to have been doing all the dinghy lifting just on my own recently and its stored on the Flybridge.

As Nick says, just hold the painter to keep any sharp/hard bits away from the boat and it doesnt matter if the tubes touch - in my case it was just a matter of getting used to it - doddle now.

 

[Wiggo]

If it's a Whittall crane then you should be able to adjust the boom height - the pin should let you set the boom horzontal, about 20* and 40* upwards. We use ours on the highest setting, because the dinghy strops are long to clear the console, but without the console I'd shorten teh strops and keep the boom lower.

Just a question of tinkering...

 

[PRH]

Thanks for reply Wiggo, fraid it is a fixed boom......