SQ1ZA3T Marine Crane on a River Workboat in India

A yellow knuckle boom crane with a winch on the deck of a light blue workboat, lifting blue plastic drums from a pickup truck on the river bank: photos from our customer in India show a BOB-LIFT SQ1ZA3T knuckle boom marine crane at work on a river.

At a glance: SQ1ZA3T 1 t knuckle boom marine crane · India · workboat on a river · 7 customer photos.

What the photos show

• The crane. The yellow crane stands on a short pedestal on the deck. A winch drum sits on the boom, and the hoist rope runs out over the boom tip to the hook.
• The controls. At the foot of the crane is a control box with four levers and a pressure gauge, so the operator works the crane from the deck.
• The lifts. The crew hooks blue plastic drums in a sling on the back of a white pickup at the river bank, and the crane swings them across onto the deck.
• The river. The boat lies on a wide, calm river. A dredger and a line of floating pipe with orange floats are out on the water.
• The pontoon. One photo shows a light blue pontoon craft at the bank, with a large wheel at one end and the yellow crane at the other.

These are the customer's own photos. No load weights or comments came with them.

About the SQ1ZA3T

The SQ1ZA3T is an earlier 1 t knuckle boom marine crane. It is no longer in the current range, and the technical department has no current drawing for it, so this record does not quote load figures for it. For a new crane of this size, see the 1 t knuckle boom marine crane page, where each current model has its own dimension and load chart drawings.

Lifting moment is the load times its distance from the slewing centre. That is why the rated load drops as the boom reaches out. For example, a load the crane lifts easily close to the column can be too heavy once the extension is pushed out. Working radius is the level distance from the slewing centre to the hook. On a vessel or a quay, the pedestal takes the place of outriggers. It must be strong enough for the crane's weight and its full lifting moment. For general crane safety rules, see the OSHA cranes and derricks standard.

Loading from the bank works because the crane can reach over the side to a truck parked at the water's edge. An SQ1ZA3T works on a vessel in our delivery record from the Netherlands, and a 5 t marine crane with a winch works on a river boat in our record from Bangladesh.

Loading a river workboat from the bank

On a river job, supplies such as fuel and chemicals in drums come by road and go on board at the bank. Four points to plan for:

1. Moor the boat firmly. Tie the boat close to the bank before the first lift, so it does not drift away while a load hangs over the gap.
2. Know what the drums weigh. A full drum is far heavier than an empty one. Check each load against the load chart at the reach to the truck.
3. Use the right sling. Lift drums with a drum sling or clamp made for the job, so a drum cannot slip out mid-swing.
4. Keep hands off the load. Guide the drum with a tag line until it is low over the deck, and keep feet clear when it lands.

Sea water is hard on steel, so the marine cranes get an epoxy zinc primer with a polyurethane acrylic top coat. Other capacities are in the knuckle boom marine crane range, and the marine crane buying guide covers deck mounting in more detail.

What to send us for a marine crane

To match a current crane to your workboat, we need a few details. Short answers are fine.

• The site. The vessel type and length, or the quay, and where the crane will stand.
• The lifts. The heaviest load, and how far from the crane it is picked up and set down.
• The power. The hydraulic power pack you have now, or whether you need a new one.

If you run an SQ1ZA3T today, a photo of its nameplate helps too. Send these through the contact page, and our team will check reach and load against the current load charts.

Record compiled by Achord Chan, Product Operations Director at BOB-LIFT, from the customer's photos.