Moving Very Large Hull Sections

[CatBuilder]

Does anyone have any tips for a one off build where you need to move very large hull panel sections?

You've all seen Charly's thread. He's about a month or two ahead of me in the same type of build:

Kurt Hughes Daycharter 36

I'm currently setting up the mold.

See in Charly's thread how you build panels on the mold, then stack them on the wall? See how you then put them back on the mold to do cut outs of the hull profiles?

You then need to move these cutouts all over the place doing your stitch and glue and get them all into position later for alignment for bridging the span between hulls.

In my case, at the end, I have to roll the boat out of the building as well.

How do I accomplish all this moving of heavy and awkward items without breaking the bank? Sadly, these costs were not in my build estimate and I'm on a fairly tight budget (though I like to do things the right way).

My hull panels should weigh 600lbs or so. The cutouts, I estimate 500lbs. They are 48ft long and 45ft long, respectively and about 7' tall with a curve in them.

Ideas?

[hoytedow]

Build some wooden trolleys with cheap lumber and cheap wheels such as wheelbarrow or similar wheels. Knock them down and re-configure for different shaped hull sections as needed. Or you could build drag skids. and drag them with your vehicle if they are too heavy. Many hands make light work.

[sabahcat]

Human Crane

[hoytedow]

Originally Posted by sabahcat

Human Crane

Exactly!

[CatBuilder]

I love it!

I am all alone here though. Where do you dig up an army of people?

Plus, I need them for about 10 minutes a day for about 12 days. Hoyt... I'm going to make you come down! ha ha ha

Seriously, I'm all alone here. I have no army. I'm an army of one.

From another forum, I got advice to use a block and tackle system, which sounded great and was right on budget. However, I need to slide the block and tackle across the width of the building. I figured at the price, I could put one on each end of the building. I need some kind of sliding track though to slide the hull sections around... not sure how to do that.

Looked at Gantry cranes. They cost more than my car!

I was thinking a wheeled cart/dolly fore and aft under each hull would work well to pull with my vehicle when it's time to birth (not berth) the boat.

[hoytedow]

Originally Posted by CatBuilder

I love it!

I am all alone here though. Where do you dig up an army of people?

Plus, I need them for about 10 minutes a day for about 12 days. Hoyt... I'm going to make you come down! ha ha ha

Seriously, I'm all alone here. I have no army. I'm an army of one.

From another forum, I got advice to use a block and tackle system, which sounded great and was right on budget. However, I need to slide the block and tackle across the width of the building. I figured at the price, I could put one on each end of the building. I need some kind of sliding track though to slide the hull sections around... not sure how to do that.

Looked at Gantry cranes. They cost more than my car!

You might be able to use butter boards.

[CatBuilder]

Originally Posted by hoytedow

You might be able to use butter boards.

Is there another translation for that item?

I Googled it and I get:

a) food
b) wakeboards
c) skateboards
d) a place to hold and cut your butter

I'm not thinking any of these things are right, although the wakeboard and skateboards sound fun!

[hoytedow]

I just realized you might not be able to find butter boards definition. They were lubricated timbers upon which heavy objects or their cradles could be slid with relative ease. They weren't actually greased with real butter, but with animal tallow.

[hoytedow]

ww3.whitehorse.ca/.../City%20of%20Whitehorse%20-%202010%20OCP%20-%20Draft%201%20-%20complete.pdf

[sabahcat]

Originally Posted by hoytedow

I just realized you might not be able to find butter boards definition. They were lubricated timbers upon which heavy objects or their cradles could be slid with relative ease. They weren't actually greased with real butter, but with animal tallow.

Contamination

[sabahcat]

Originally Posted by CatBuilder

I love it!

I am all alone here though. Where do you dig up an army of people?

A couple of cartons of beer, a couple of KG of sausages and a loaf or 2 of bread.................not to be touched until the shift is done

Seriously, I'm all alone here. I have no army. I'm an army of one.

Me too.

From another forum, I got advice to use a block and tackle system, which sounded great and was right on budget.

Yep, I have some cheap double blocks from my sailing days with some double braid that I can shift (re-tie to roof truss) to lift.
If I need to lift and move I have B&T over job with another where it needs to go to.
Lift then attach the other as well and do a slow let out and pull across, let out and pull across.
I made hulls in one peice as can be seen in the pictures but made my other sections in smaller pieces (fore deck and radius of 1 hull finished at start of cabin - side deck and radius to back beam - 1 cabin side - Half a cabin roof - Half a bridgedeck panel - curve of bridgedeck panel etc) making it easier to lift and work on smaller sections.

You can see in the pic below that there is a join just in front of the stringer, so thats a glassed panel dictated by glass roll width with next panel being stripped up ready for sanding - glassing and re install

[hoytedow]

A wooden track system with refrigerator dollies or the like might help. A lot of hands would be better.

[Charly]

catbuilder, do you have a concrete floor? Check out the tool rental places. There is a thing for hanging 12ft sheets of drywall, called a panelift, or "telepro". that might work. There is no more efficient "tool" in your shop though, than a case of beer, IMO. ;-)

[CatBuilder]

I was looking at similar hoists, Charly, thanks. I'm not sure the panel hoist could do it because it won't be able to grab the lower part of the curled panel, nor does it go down to the ground to grab them. It looks like it is just made to accept small, flat plywood or drywall sheets and put them up high. It's rated for about 150lbs. I expect my hull panels to be 600lbs+



I was looking at possibly using one or two of these:



I found some of them that have a 8'4" vertical lift (hull panels are about 7'3" after the mold bends them). It can also go all the way to the ground for picking from the mold. I figured I'd use some kind of long bar along the thing and pick from the middle, or use two of them and pick from a point about 1/3 of the way in from the ends of the panels.

I would have to modify the mold so the feet of this thing can be rolled in under the mold for the picking up of the hull section.

I really do wish I could buy a keg of beer even to have these things moved. I'd be more than happy to buy a keg for every panel moved. I have nobody here. I'm visiting an area to build. I'm not from here. I know nobody. There isn't even a dock nearby, except one guy on one. I'm pretty much on my own here.

[Charly]

one of those car jack things like the pit crews use might work also. you will have to rotate at least two panels end for end. If you have concrete floor and the room to swing it should be a piece of cake. me not so much. I have to move mine out of the garage completely, turn it around, and go back in. I may have to build something with inflatable tires...