New technology meets traditional craft
Denmark is a country surrounded by over 7,000 kilometres of coastline and has long enjoyed a multifaceted tradition of building boats resulting in a great variety of types and sizes of boats being built. One type of craft has been in use in Denmark since time immemorial which is suitable for landing directly on the beach. The association Han Herred Havbåde (www.havbaade.dk) have set themselves the target to refurbish old boats of this particular type in a small dockyard and to also build new ones. The construction of this dockyard has been subsidised by several Danish funds and has also received financial means of the European Union.
"There is a great deal of nostalgia in what we are doing", says boat builder Peter Madsbøl and he adds: "Strictly speaking, this dockyard is a working museum which makes visitors welcome. Therefore it is vitally important the dockyard presents itself in the best light and this is achieved thanks to the new facilities." This new dockyard has been operational since 2010 and now not only offers the visitor new opportunities to learn an old craft but also offers much better working conditions to the workers thanks to modern material handling facilities.
In addition to traditional tools several cranes and hoists are in use that have been designed and calculated, delivered and installed by the Danish agency of ABUS, AB Kransystem ApS (www.abkransystem.dk). The material transport within the dockyard is now facilitated by several chain hoists with manual trolleys and load capacities of max. 500 kg, by an EOT crane of the DLVM type (underslung EOT crane with rolled steel section girder and welded main girder connection) with a span of 7,100 mm and a load capacity of 2 tons, by two wall jib cranes of the LW type with jib arm lengths of 3,000 mm and a load capacity of 500 kg, and by a pillar jib crane of the VS type with a jib arm length of 3,000 mm and a load capacity of 500 kg. The pillar jib crane is installed right next to the dockyard gate. The jib arm can thus swivel into the outside area, take up a load, and swivel back inside the dockyard. This jib crane has been designed in such a way that it is possible to upgrade it to 1,000 kg load capacity at a later date.
Thus modern material handling technology helps to preserve an old craft and the dockyard has already been fully booked for the next eight years with the refurbishment of old boats and the building of new ones.
