Lifting a 30ft-er on Cradle onto a Flatbed (without a crane)

[xxxxx]

Hey all,

I need to move my newly acquired Alberg 30 which is on its cradle. I'm looking for help, advice, and encouragement.

I did get quotes to move it, but they're not within my budget.

I need to move it twice (once to the yard to restore it, and then to the marina for launch). The distances are ~13km for the first move, and ~11km for the second.

Per move, the cheapest estimate was $750, and the highest was $1695. So anywhere from $1,500 to $3,400 total.

So the alternative is moving it the DIY way.


My Plan:
Jack and crib the boat and cradle until high enough to put two 12ft beams across the bottom of the cradle. The beams will be placed about 1ft from the ends of the cradle, close to the cross-braces which support the keel. The entire thing will be jacked high enough to clear the bed and fenders of the trailer. Position the trailer under the boat, and lower.

For raising and lowering, I have two 20-ton bottle jacks and a high-lift jack. Be safe. Work slow. Lift an inch, crib an inch.

The Load:
Total estimated weight is 10,000lbs. The boat is 9,000 and I'm allowing another 1000lbs for the cradle. The boat will be secured to the cradle with heavy duty straps.

The Cradle:

Bottom members of the cradle are 2x3" tube steel. Vertical posts and diagonal braces are 2x2" tube. Cradle size is 9'2" long and 5'4" wide.

The Truck / Trailer:
F350 and 14,000lb tandem axle low-bed equipment trailer. Load will be secured with multiple 5ton straps.

I am aware of the beam width, and I have made sure I will still be under the height restrictions.

The Beams:
Two 8x12 beams at 12ft long, constructed by laminating together five 2x12 boards. Boards will be glued with PL and through-bolted with 1/2" bolts and washers. The beams will be secured to the cradle with heavy duty straps.

I believe the two 8x12 beams will be sufficient for the anticipated load. My calculations were done using two 5000lb point loads per beam. That is, each beam is designed to carry the entire load itself--another built-in safety factor. The maximum bending stress for Spruce is ~10,200 psi.

10,000lb per beam, in two equidistant point loads of 5,000lbs (twice anticipated load):
- Deflection at midpoint: < 7/16"
- Maximum bending stress: 1211 psi

5,000lb per beam, in two equidistant point loads of 2,500lbs (actual load):
- Deflection at midpoint: < 1/4"
- Maximum bending stress: 600 psi

References
I have done a fair bit of research on this matter, using different engineering calculators and load tables for softwoods.


A gentleman over at sailnet did something similar:


https://www.sailnet.com/forums/503162-post19.html



And, it's similar in concept to this video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XmHoSpbx4gE

Questions

1. Regarding the cradle, do you think more support should be added for the vertical jackposts/braces? I understand the load will be on the keel. I'm considering adding additional diagonal supports, each end secured with with 5/8" Grade-8 shoulder bolts (giving each support brace the assembly ~56,000lb shear strength)
2. Am I missing anything?
3. Any other advice?

I see other threads where owners have done exactly this type of move, but I'm hoping some of you can chime in.

Cheers,

XXXXX

[BugzyCan]

And you can do all of this for less than $750? If it falls over on the road what will it cost then? If it kills someone?
Not trying to rain on your idea, but maybe paying the money, with insurance, and a pro doing it, might actually save you money? Take baby steps, get it to the yard first, and go from there, maybe you can work a deal with the crane operator at the yard in a few months, or make a friend who will pay to put it in the water?

[xxxxx]

Originally Posted by BugzyCan

And you can do all of this for less than $750? If it falls over on the road what will it cost then? If it kills someone?
Not trying to rain on your idea, but maybe paying the money, with insurance, and a pro doing it, might actually save you money? Take baby steps, get it to the yard first, and go from there, maybe you can work a deal with the crane operator at the yard in a few months, or make a friend who will pay to put it in the water?

I appreciate you taking the time to reply. I think your intention is good, you're not raining on my idea

Heck, as you can see it's hardly my idea just one I've seen other people use successfully.

I appreciate your concern about road safety. I share your concern for safety. I don't think the boat will fall off the trailer on the road and hurt anyone.

Boats on cradles are frequently transported by road in this manner. I also have 11yrs experience as a heavy truck operator, routinely operatint 40+ ton trucks. I am good with securing the load and safely driving it from point A to point B.

What I don't have much experience with is loading and unloading a 5 ton load without onsite overhead lifting equipment.

The boat is on a gravel driveway, far from a boatyard. I believe a hydraulic trailer was used at the time, but the previous owner is 96, in long term care, and thus not immediately available to have these discussions with.

I'm not reinventing the wheel here. Just looking for input (and photos!) from people who have done it themselves or done similar things in the past.


I'd love to be able to move it directly to the final boatyard for $750. Still trying to work that out as Plan A. But, the boat needs to be gone by Saturday, so I need a Plan B.


Cheers!

[robwilk37]

agreed, its a screaming deal at twice the price. having said that...

i did exactly what youre planning. 42' 15klbs 8x12 cradle. i used locomotive jacks, 1" at a time slow and steady. needed to be 26" in the air for the low-boy trailer to fit under. just ignore the snap/crackle/pop. my biggest worry with the move was 16' 2 1/4" overall height. fun pick attached...what a day.

[xxxxx]

Originally Posted by robwilk37

agreed, its a screaming deal at twice the price. having said that...

i did exactly what youre planning. 42' 15klbs 8x12 cradle. i used locomotive jacks, 1" at a time slow and steady. needed to be 26" in the air for the low-boy trailer to fit under. just ignore the snap/crackle/pop. my biggest worry with the move was 16' 2 1/4" overall height. fun pick attached...what a day.

Boom! This is the type of reply I was hoping to see. I knew I can't be the only guy.

If I can go directly to the boat yard, I'll just pay the $750 and be done with it. If I have to move it twice, I don't know. Also, I still need a plan B in place.


Do you have any pictures of the jacking/cribbing process? Do you remember the beam dimensions and how you used them? Or were the jacks such that you didn't need the beams?


Thanks brother

[robwilk37]

yeah, the jacks fit nicely into the tube ends at the corners of the cradle frame (kinda hard to explain and i dont have pics). easy to over think this job, i spent waaaay too much time and worry before just biting the bullet and getting it done. if youre worried about wood beams (maybe use LVLs or gluelams?) just grab square steel tube or I-beam from the local metals yard.

by the way, it was 104F, the field was full of bugs and fire ants, i only had one jack and it weighed 120lbs. jack 3/4", shore, hump the jack to the next corner, repeat. 32 full orbits of the boat, 128 jack moves, 14 hours all in one day. in hind sight, kinda wish id payed the pro...

[Rod B]

If you're concerned about using wooden beams, I would have some concerns, use steel. "I" beam and "c" channel, they offer the addition advantage that they can be bolted to the cradle. Wood is great for blocking. Use substantial U bolts to secure beams to cradle box section. This is how I did mine, 8500lbs. Bit at a time, block, block, block as you go. Looks like you have the rest sorted.

[pcmm]

Don't forget you're likely going to need to get permits to do the haul as you're over 8'6" in width are you going to be under 12ft in total hieght? it's much easier to just pay for the haul. They'll have insurance too. Maybe try to work a cash deal!

[jimbunyard]

Originally Posted by xxxxx

Hey all,

I need to move my newly acquired Alberg 30 which is on its cradle. I'm looking for help, advice, and encouragement.

I did get quotes to move it, but they're not within my budget.

I need to move it twice (once to the yard to restore it, and then to the marina for launch). The distances are ~13km for the first move, and ~11km for the second.

Per move, the cheapest estimate was $750, and the highest was $1695. So anywhere from $1,500 to $3,400 total.

So the alternative is moving it the DIY way.


My Plan:
Jack and crib the boat and cradle until high enough to put two 12ft beams across the bottom of the cradle. The beams will be placed about 1ft from the ends of the cradle, close to the cross-braces which support the keel. The entire thing will be jacked high enough to clear the bed and fenders of the trailer. Position the trailer under the boat, and lower.

For raising and lowering, I have two 20-ton bottle jacks and a high-lift jack. Be safe. Work slow. Lift an inch, crib an inch.

The Load:
Total estimated weight is 10,000lbs. The boat is 9,000 and I'm allowing another 1000lbs for the cradle. The boat will be secured to the cradle with heavy duty straps.

The Cradle:

Bottom members of the cradle are 2x3" tube steel. Vertical posts and diagonal braces are 2x2" tube. Cradle size is 9'2" long and 5'4" wide.

The Truck / Trailer:
F350 and 14,000lb tandem axle low-bed equipment trailer. Load will be secured with multiple 5ton straps.

I am aware of the beam width, and I have made sure I will still be under the height restrictions.

The Beams:
Two 8x12 beams at 12ft long, constructed by laminating together five 2x12 boards. Boards will be glued with PL and through-bolted with 1/2" bolts and washers. The beams will be secured to the cradle with heavy duty straps.

I believe the two 8x12 beams will be sufficient for the anticipated load. My calculations were done using two 5000lb point loads per beam. That is, each beam is designed to carry the entire load itself--another built-in safety factor. The maximum bending stress for Spruce is ~10,200 psi.

10,000lb per beam, in two equidistant point loads of 5,000lbs (twice anticipated load):
- Deflection at midpoint: < 7/16"
- Maximum bending stress: 1211 psi

5,000lb per beam, in two equidistant point loads of 2,500lbs (actual load):
- Deflection at midpoint: < 1/4"
- Maximum bending stress: 600 psi

References
I have done a fair bit of research on this matter, using different engineering calculators and load tables for softwoods.


A gentleman over at sailnet did something similar:


https://www.sailnet.com/forums/503162-post19.html



And, it's similar in concept to this video:

Questions

1. Regarding the cradle, do you think more support should be added for the vertical jackposts/braces? I understand the load will be on the keel. I'm considering adding additional diagonal supports, each end secured with with 5/8" Grade-8 shoulder bolts (giving each support brace the assembly ~56,000lb shear strength)
2. Am I missing anything?
3. Any other advice?

I see other threads where owners have done exactly this type of move, but I'm hoping some of you can chime in.

Cheers,

XXXXX

Plenty of ways of doing it, chances of anyone getting killed are about as good as having a tree fall on you or the Trumpster making good his idle threat...

With a little forethought, load and unload together should take less than 10 hours.

What's a 'high-lift jack'?

Are your bottle jacks standard 'pump up to raise, turn a valve to lower'?

I've done this a bunch of times, though the biggest was 27' and 4 tons. They were also all powerboats, and none had cradles.

A quick question. How will you orient your beam for the lift?

Given the your equipment situation, if I understand your intent, the biggest problem will not be lifting but lowering. To simultaneously lower two separate bottle jacks will be virtually impossible, which will necessitate your proposed one inch increments...

I use a different, 3 point approach, with a single floor jack doing the lifting along the centerline, with the opposite end supported on each side with cribbing, alternating end-for-end.

The distance lifted per cycle is limited by the length between the jacking point and the 'pivot' or cribbed end. For a 9' cradle probably the most you could hope for is about 2" per shift, though trial and error could get a little more. In comparison, for a 25' boat, you could easily get 6 inches per shift.

The trailer itself can often also be used to aid in lifting/lowering operations, by appropriately raising or lowering the tongue and/or blocking/jacking the rear or deflating and inflating tires.

If you wind up using bottle jacks, some sort of shoe will be probably be necessary to distribute the load across each end of the beam. A piece of 3" C channel would be ideal, but anything along those lines would be good. A slice of appropriately-sized pipe tack-welded to locate the jack ram would be a bit of insurance.

Don't know what 'PL' is, but if the beams are properly oriented for the lift and have the correct number of through bolts, I might be more inclined to use coarse sand as the 'adhesive'.

Regarding reinforcing the cradle, you'll have to determine that the existing reinforcements are sound and add what you think are necessary. Even with 'reinforcements', a failure at any single point will likely result in catastrophic failure, so perhaps some additional bracing supporting the hull itself, if it can be securely arranged, might be more in order.

At any rate, for traveling such short distances, I'd just stay off interstates (is that what they call them in Canada?) and keep it below 50 mph.

[MartinR]

Ever thought of lifting with a fork-lift truck?

[oleretlmn]

consider laminating plywood into the wooden beams, should add a lot of lateral strength

[Siberianhusky]

More important do you have a class A or A restricted license to head down the road with a trailer over 10 000lbs?
G or D license won't cut it in Ontario. MTO or trained OPP WILL pull you off the road, fine you. They do have portable scales. Also pay attention to load restrictions on some roads in the spring, there is a max weight per axle.....

Makes no difference what the vehicle can pull your limit is what your drivers license says you can tow PERIOD!

[Cadence]

Block and shim as the bottle jacks go up. They can zipper if not exactly square.

[AndyEss]

I would be a little concerned about the gravel driveway “ foundation” for your cribbing. The gravel bed is probably frozen right now from your photos. A freeze thaw cycle might have rather significant effects on the gravel bearing capacity. If you go through your plan, I’d look at the forecast and hope for a period of bitter cold. Hard frozen gravel compares well with concrete pavement. You might even pour some cold water at your cribbing locations before the bitter cold to ice cement the gravel even tighter.
On the other hand, it’s March already, and if you are getting daytime temp’s above freezing, you might be far safer waiting until all the frost is out of the ground, and then doing your jacking/cribbing.
Secondary roads are often limited in GVW vehicle weights in the early spring due to problems with partially frozen, wet foundation soils. Your project has some of the same concerns.

[StoneCrab]

I did this with an equipment trailer pulled by a dump truck. The yard lifted the vessel with the travel lift. A fork truck was able to get the cradle onto the trailer. The travel lift placed the vessel into the cradle. It was easy enough to secure it to the trailer.

Height above the road is a concern. It is worth measuring your maximum height and driving the route with obstructions in mind. If you measure anything over 13'-6" be extra careful. That is the normal max height before your load is considered oversize requiring an escort and special routing (if you do the move officially). Power lines, bridges, lights are supposed to be above this height.