Heavy lifting onboard

[Sir Percy]

Aside from simply putting your back into it (and hopefully not out), do you have any clever solutions/techniques for transferring a heavy object onboard?

I'm specifically thinking of sacks of coal and gas bottles, especially as I get older and creakier.

 

[GUMPY]

Get coal in 10kg bags 

And gas in 10kg Flogas lite cylinders

🤔

[Alan de Enfield]

if it really is a problem then a car engine hoist is a simple solution - just as an examaple (100s of variations available) this one folds up to be quite small

 

[TheBiscuits]

Fuel boat steerer ...

[Sir Percy]

7 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

if it really is a problem then a car engine hoist is a simple solution - just as an examaple (100s of variations available) this one folds up to be quite small

 

My mind first started idly wandering to mounting a swing jib, but thought that might be over-engineered.

It's not really a problem for myself (atm), but I was wondering what older boaters do.

11 minutes ago, GUMPY said:

gas in 10kg Flogas lite cylinders

🤔

Seems like a good idea, not got close enough to a bottle supply as yet...

[Alan de Enfield]

Just now, Sir Percy said:

My mind first started idly wandering to mounting a swing jib, but thought that might be over-engineered.

It's not really a problem for myself (atm), but I was wondering what older boaters do.

 

 

On our Yacht we just use the boom, swing it out over the side, tie a line onto the object and then just winch it up, swing the boom back 'in' and lower the object.

 

On the Cruiser, we just lift it aboard, The heaviest I've had to do was lift 53kg (each) batteries on board when we were on the hard. The bathing platform was the lowest point at about 6 feet off the ground, I shuffled the battery out of the car and then got it up and balanced on my head then approached the bathing platform and slid it off my head onto the bathing platform. Climbed the ladder, picked it up again and then slid it onto the deck (about 5 feet above the bathing platform). The hard work began trying to get them down the steps into the engine room and then lifting them into the battery boxes.

It is not a job I'd like to do regularly, but if there is no one around to help you you just have to adapt.

 

You will always find a way.

 

 

[ditchcrawler]

33 minutes ago, Sir Percy said:

Aside from simply putting your back into it (and hopefully not out), do you have any clever solutions/techniques for transferring a heavy object onboard?

I'm specifically thinking of sacks of coal and gas bottles, especially as I get older and creakier.

 

Ask the delivery man to do it

[Sir Percy]

5 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

if there is no one around to help you

Fella near me just turned 85 and has stage 4 C; if I'm about he'll ask for help to get a water container onto his deck because he gets tired more easily now, but I do worry something'll happen when we're not around.

[LadyG]

2 hours ago, Sir Percy said:

Aside from simply putting your back into it (and hopefully not out), do you have any clever solutions/techniques for transferring a heavy object onboard?

I'm specifically thinking of sacks of coal and gas bottles, especially as I get older and creakier.

 

I expect the gas bod to drop it in the gas locker, I take the boat to him and remove the empty. I offer a few £1 coins, not always accepted.

Coal depends on the carrier, current one delivers to towpath, and I can heave them on board or another boater will help.

I have a good sack trolley from Amazon, maybe £60, chromed and also strong, handy for all sorts. 

1 hour ago, GUMPY said:

Get coal in 10kg bags 

And gas in 10kg Flogas lite cylinders

🤔

Disagree, expense, my 11kg Flogas costs the same as 13kg Calor because Calor is at boatyards, but FloGas is delivered to you.

Calor lasts longer.

Edited November 28, 2023 by LadyG

[wakey_wake]

3 hours ago, Alan de Enfield said:

if it really is a problem then a car engine hoist is a simple solution [... pic ] this one folds up to be quite small

That's neater and probably more powerful than a shear legs. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shear_legs

But it seems to me that each place a heavy thing needs moving, you have to have mounting points (minimum of three) for the hardware to move it. That's going to get messy or cause trip hazards.

 

People is still a really handy technology for moving things, as long as you can get enough of them / a big enough one to do it!

[magnetman]

There are some nice mobility scooter hoists around. Usually second hand ones on eBay. 

 

Some of them have just powered lifting but there are also those with lift and swing using linear actuators. 

 

Like a micro hiab. 75-150kg lift and they are very compact being designed to fit inside cars. 

[Mike Tee]

We have 13kg calor on one boat and 6kg on the other - I know one is comparatively more expensive than the other but I know which one I prefer lumping about! I do plan, maybe next year, changing the 13kg for 6kg as I admit they are getting a bit much for me. Also, another thumbs up for the trolley - it is about 300 yards from our boat to the car / office / Elsan  point so our trolley (4 wheel proper job) gets used a lot.

[GUMPY]

8 hours ago, LadyG said:

Disagree, expense, my 11kg Flogas costs the same as 13kg Calor because Calor is at boatyards, but FloGas is delivered to you.

Calor lasts longer.

I said 10kg Flogas Lite not the same as the 11kg Flogas cylinder..

The lite cylinder is not made of steel two of the 10kg cylinders weigh pretty much the same as one calor 13kg cylinder.

Of course they don't last as long as they contain less gas 🤔

 

10kg Flogas lite

 

Edited November 28, 2023 by GUMPY
Add pic

[LadyG]

I wondered if anyone would raise that volume flag, lol, but it does mean one needs to arrange the changeover more frequently, as you run out more frequently. There is also the initial 'purchase', if you start with one of each type, chances are that will stay with you.

[Hudds Lad]

Have found a shoulder dolly quite useful at home, not sure if it would be as translatable to a narrowboat setting.

Pretty sure you can get a one-man version as well as the usual two-man.

 

The better half and i found it invaluable for shifting an old upright piano between us.

(she's a redhead so hard as nails, it was mostly for my benefit  )

[magnetman]

It could be quite fun to use a heavy lifting Octocopter drone. 

 

30kg payload. 

 

[Adam]

Non electric version also available 

[truckcab79]

11 hours ago, Alan de Enfield said:

if it really is a problem then a car engine hoist is a simple solution - just as an examaple (100s of variations available) this one folds up to be quite small

 

Have you ever owned or tried using an engine hoist?  They weigh a great deal more than a bag of coal, don’t move easily on their small wheels, are designed to lift vertically so no easy way of then moving the load to where you need it, and if you then try and wheel it while loaded, they fall over. Also they only like perfect flat ground.  I m couldn’t think of anything less suitable to be honest.  
 

Something like a wheelchair hoist, permanently fixed to the deck and designed to swing out and back safely would be a far safer and more practical solution.  

[Jen-in-Wellies]

A typical 13kg steel gas cylinder weighs around 25, or 26kg. A lot of that weight can be lost by using refillable composite cylinders. Some have arrangements for self fill with various outlets. Expensive to buy, but cheaper gas, so worthwhile if you use a lot, or hope to be boating for a good few years. Much easier to haul around.

An elderly and frail boating neighbour was able to stay on board with help from other boaters for dealing with the heavy lifting. Not alienating friendly moorers around you is a good idea!

[truckcab79]

4 minutes ago, Adam said:

Non electric version also available 

ideal. If you can find a lighter weight one even more so. 👍👍👍

[Bod]

30 minutes ago, Hudds Lad said:

Have found a shoulder dolly quite useful at home, not sure if it would be as translatable to a narrowboat setting.

Pretty sure you can get a one-man version as well as the usual two-man.

 

The better half and i found it invaluable for shifting an old upright piano between us.

(she's a redhead so hard as nails, it was mostly for my benefit  )

Shoulder dolly, an item that has escaped me.

Do you have a photo of one?

 

Bod

[Alan de Enfield]

Just now, Bod said:

Shoulder dolly, an item that has escaped me.

Do you have a photo of one?

 

 

[Bod]

Ah! a version of "Trolly Dolly".

 

Bod

[Jerra]

[magnetman]

Not a narrow boat but one of my boats has a derrick crane on each side. Up to about 100kg can be lifted. Hand winches .

 

The whole lot folds down leaving the boat with around 6ft air draft. 

 

Good for lifting the dinghy in and out of the enclosed back deck.