A Brief Note on the History of Marina Lifts and Capacity

by Markus McDowell | May 2, 2016 | Marina

Why do Wiggins marina lifts have the reputation as the safest and most stable in the world?
Over the next few posts, we’ll take a brief look at the history of lift capacity and the differences between lifting a boat and lifting other loads.

From Lifting Pallets to Lifting Boats

About 35-years ago, the first modern “marina forklifts” were built. Like today, they designed like regular forklifts, modified to pick up boats. Those “regular” lifts worked with loads that usually had a center of gravity near the physical center. That center of gravity is the “load center,” and became the standard way of discussing capacity.

Imagine a pallet of bricks on a forklift, set back against the carriage. If the pallet is 48” x 48” and weights 5,000 lbs, then the load center 24” out from the carriage. So you need a forklift that can lift 5,000 lbs at 24” load center. (How high out can lift the pallet is another consideration—the higher you raise a load, the more capacity is needed. More on that later.)

Regular forklift capacities became standardized at 24” or 36” load centers.  For larger loads, this was increased by building bigger lifts with heavier counterweights. Still, most loads had their load centers somewhere near the center, and were usually easy to calculate.

There are other factors to be considered. A forklift is not a teeter-totter (or see-saw) which simply lifts a load up and then puts it down. It accelerates, moves, brakes, turns, and goes up and down slopes. This all affects the center of gravity. If you want a forklift to be stable, it has to be built beyond the stated capacity. Specifications are one thing—stable and safe operation in the field is another.

Wiggins Lift has always designed and manufactured our lifts far beyond our competitors’ ratings. Safety and performance in the field are a matter of pride for us. A non-Wiggins lift may be cheaper, but it will not be safer or perform as well.

Designing to Lift Boats

When the first marina lifts were manufactured, the same capacity terminology was used. But boats are quite different from other loads. Their centers of gravity are often not anywhere near the center of the boat. They are far longer than most normal loads. Every boat is different, not only in OEM options, but owner additions (larger tanks, generators, appliances, etc.) Boat manufacturer are concerned about displacement, overall-length, beam, and so on. The center of gravity of a boat is not as important to them as to us, and not always easy to calculate for marina lift operations.

Early manufacturers found that to design a forklift for a 20’ boat, the forklift had to be rated 96” load centers! Moreover, longer boats placed more stress on the lift through additional leverage, resulting in bent forks, broken mast bearings, and other damage. Not only did the capacity at load center need to be moved out, but the lifting mechanisms needed to be beefed up. Wiggins Lift has always been at the forefront of these developments, and that why we have the reputation for the toughest and safest marina lifts in the world.

As marinas needed to move larger and larger boats, the forklift capacities had to increase: 6,000 lbs at 96” load center, then 8,000 lbs, 10,000 lbs, and even 12,000 lbs.

You might be thinking that a 96” load center doesn’t make a lot of sense with boats beyond 20 feet long. And you would be right. If a marina owner want to lift 25,000-pound boats which are 35’ to 45’ long, along with a strong enough mast and carriage, the capacity would need to be 25,000 lbs at a 96” load center. That’s an 8’ load center, which makes little sense for a 40’ boat. (We are not aware of any 20’ boats that weigh 25,000 lbs!).

Another Way of Determining Capacity

Still, these are the terms we are stuck with after such long usage. However, Wiggins has used an additional capacity measurement, specifically designed for boats, for about ten years. Along with the standard capacity rating of 96”, this rating gives you a leverage rating and gives you a more accurate measurement to determine what lift you need for your marina, and what boat you can safely transport.

We’ll discuss this capacity measurement in our next post.

The Largest Marina Forklift in the World

by Markus McDowell | Mar 21, 2016 | Marina

The Challenge

Our engineers and production people love a challenge. So when Westrec called and asked if we would build two Marina Bulls for their new Haulover Marina Center in Miami Beach, they jumped at the opportunity.

Of course, we build a lot of Marina Bulls—each one customized for the owners and the Marina; size, weight, profile, lift height—you name it, we can do it.

But this was different. Westrec, one of the world’s largest owner-operators of marinas,  wanted a Marina Bull that could lift and transport 50’ boats that displace 20 tons, and raise 10,000 lb boats to 75′ and place them in their 5-level racks. It also needed high-definition cameras and wireless remote controls. The two lifts would be centerpieces of a 508-rack, Category 5 hurricane-ready dry storage facility. Building such a machine would make it the largest Marina Lift in the world, surpassing the previous world record Wiggins Marina Bull built in 2013.

We made it happen.

Design and Construction

Our expert engineering department went to work with their magic. Such a large lift had special requirements and needs, new ways of thinking about lift and traction, visibility, stability, and more.

With their usual skill and innovative approaches, it was not long before they had the designs and specs out to our purchasing and manufacturing people. That famous Wiggins’ pride was felt by all a the frame of the first machine began to take shape.

At the same time, our hydraulics department began manufacturing the massive hydraulic cylinders, and the huge mast was built.

Vendor parts began to arrive. The 6’ tires. The monstrous drive axle. Soon, the frame and body was assembled, and first stage painting began.

Wiring, electronics, hydraulics, tanks, and other systems were installed, snaked, welded, and tested. The true size of the monster began to show. Our state-of-the-art IQAN™ and Stabilift™ information system was installed.

The excitement around the Wiggins facility grew. Each day, everyone watched the first machine, now named Colossus, take shape with the installation of the engine, operator console, tires, and more.

With the body finished, it was time to attach the 50-foot mast. A high-reach crane lifted the record-setting mast into place, and our guys swarmed over Colossus, connecting and checking and testing. The machine towered over the Oxnard plain, and could be seen for miles. All who passed by stopped and stared.

Completion and Inspection

Representatives from Westrec and Haulover Marina Center were our guests to inspect and commission Colossus. They gathered the employees for a picture and spoke to them about the excellent work they had done—stressing that they were more than engineers and construction employees—they were artisans! Thank you to Bill Anderson and John Louis  for your kind words. Our job is not done when we finish a machine; it is done when the customer is pleased and impressed.

For comparison, the guys lifted one of our test boats with Colossus, lifted a second boat with a regular Marina Bull, and a jetski with one of our US Navy LCS trucks. Parking them under each other, you can see how Colossus is…well, colossal.

On Its Way

Once all testing was completed and Colossus was commissioned, we disassembled the 220,000-pound machine and sent it on its way to Florida (on four multi-axle trucks, including one with 11!). It arrived in North Miami Beach in a few days, was set up, and is ready for the Marine Center to open. Meanwhile, its brother truck, Atlas, is nearing completion.

Wiggins Lift Company and Westrec proudly present Colossus, the largest marina forklift in the world: