Abstract: A shiplift includes a pier defining a space. The pier includes lifting apparatus. The shiplift includes a shiplift platform configured to fit within the space defined by the pier. One or more movable connectors are mechanically coupled to the shiplift platform. Each movable connector is configured to move into at least two positions, including a first position and a second position. In the first position, the movable connectors are mechanically coupled to the shiplift platform and positioned to allow the shiplift platform to enter the space defined by the pier. In the second position, the movable connectors are mechanically coupled to the shiplift platform and positioned to mechanically couple to the lifting apparatus of the pier.

Abstract: A watercraft lift system including one or more laterally-adjustable components and a related method are disclosed. The watercraft lift system can include a cradle assembly and optionally at least one side guide, which can be connected to the cradle assembly. The cradle assembly can include substantially parallel first and second cradle rails. One or both of the first cradle rail and the at least one side guide can be movable in a lateral direction between a wider watercraft-receiving position and a narrower watercraft-received position. In an example, lateral movement of the first cradle rail and/or the at least one side guide from the watercraft-receiving position to the watercraft-received position occurs automatically upon entry of a watercraft into the confines of the watercraft lift system. The watercraft lift system can further comprise an actuator to cause lateral movement of the first cradle rail and/or the at least one side guide.

Abstract: A home structure can have an integrated nautical garage and boat slip. The boat slip can be defined entirely under the home such that the boat can be located entirely under the home within the residential setback envelope for the home. The nautical garage can include a lift mechanism for lifting the boat out of the water. The lift mechanism can have a no profile deck that aligns substantially flush with the floor of the nautical garage when the boat is fully raised. The nautical garage can have a roll down shutter and/or door that can be closed to close off an opening of the nautical garage (e.g., once the boat has been navigated into the nautical garage). The boat slip can optionally be defined by a U-shaped culvert.

Abstract: An electric powered auxiliary drive operates the elevator of a boat lift via the lift's hand wheel.

Abstract: The present invention disclosed in this application relates to a semi-submersible platform with a landing bay. The landing bay has a movable platform that allows the docked vessel to be raised/lowered from/to a body of water. The landing bay also has a stabilizing mechanism for holding a docked vessel stable when the platform is in motion.

Abstract: An air direction device is submerged under a dry dock. The device imitates the orientation of the dry dock and is in communication with an air source, which pipes air under the device. The air travels to the most elevated portion of the device, which in turn directs the air into a depressed tank to correct dry dock imbalance.

Abstract: A lift assembly is provided for a platform such as used on a ship. The platform can have four spaced apart hitch points. In one embodiment, the lift assembly includes four trolley drive assemblies, each trolley drive assembly including a trolley guidable along a guide rail, and a drive configured to displace the trolley along the guide rails, each trolley being coupled to at least one hitch point. In a second embodiment, a tension leveling assembly is provided in a trolley drive assembly and is configured to couple each of the wire ropes to the trolley and maintain substantially the same amount of tension in each wire rope. In a third embodiment, the lift assembly can be provided on a ship that also includes a vessel for holding water.

Abstract: A platform includes main transverse beams (“MTBs”), each supported by at least one hoist. It is determined whether a load on any MTB is different from the load on any other MTB by more than a predetermined amount. An MTB which has a load different from the load on any other MTB by more than a predetermined amount is selected and then vertically moved with respect to the other MTBs within a predetermined safety limit to transfer load between the selected MTB and the other MTBs while monitoring the loads on each MTB and the position of the selected MTB as vertical movement of the selected MTB proceeds. The monitored loads and position are compared with the safety limit; and the movement of the selected MTB stopped when either the desired load transfer is completed or the safety limit has been met.

Abstract: A platform includes main transverse beams (“MTBs”), each supported by at least one hoist. It is determined whether a load on any MTB is different from the load on any other MTB by more than a predetermined amount. An MTB which has a load different from the load on any other MTB by more than a predetermined amount is selected and then vertically moved with respect to the other MTBs within a predetermined safety limit to transfer load between the selected MTB and the other MTBs while monitoring the loads on each MTB and the position of the selected MTB as vertical movement of the selected MTB proceeds. The monitored loads and position are compared with the safety limit; and the movement of the selected MTB stopped when either the desired load transfer is completed or the safety limit has been met.

Abstract: A platform includes main transverse beams (“MTBs”), each supported by at least one hoist. It is determined whether a load on any MTB is different from the load on any other MTB by more than a predetermined amount. An MTB which has a load different from the load on any other MTB by more than a predetermined amount is selected and then vertically moved with respect to the other MTBs within a predetermined safety limit to transfer load between the selected MTB and the other MTBs while monitoring the loads on each MTB and the position of the selected MTB as vertical movement of the selected MTB proceeds. The monitored loads and position are compared with the safety limit; and the movement of the selected MTB stopped when either the desired load transfer is completed or the safety limit has been met.

Abstract: A movable platform for attachment to a transom of a boat is disclosed. The movable platform includes a planar platform disposed horizontally and a planar frame coupled to an underside of the platform. The movable platform further includes at least one elongated tube coupled to the transom of the boat, wherein at least one element of the planar frame is movably disposed within the at least one elongated tube. The movable platform further includes at least one cylinder disposed horizontally, wherein a barrel of the at least one cylinder is secured to the at least one elongated tube and wherein a piston rod of the at least one cylinder is secured to the planar frame, such that the planar frame is moved horizontally when the piston rod moves within the barrel.

Abstract: A platform includes main transverse beams (“MTBs”), each supported by at least one hoist. It is determined whether a load on any MTB is different from the load on any other MTB by more than a predetermined amount. An MTB which has a load different from the load on any other MTB by more than a predetermined amount is selected and then vertically moved with respect to the other MTBs within a predetermined safety limit to transfer load between the selected MTB and the other MTBs while monitoring the loads on each MTB and the position of the selected MTB as vertical movement of the selected MTB proceeds. The monitored loads and position are compared with the safety limit; and the movement of the selected MTB stopped when either the desired load transfer is completed or the safety limit has been met.

Abstract: A self-adjusting watercraft canopy/cover assembly having a protective cover and a floating watercraft lift. The lift includes a watercraft lifting support and a float attached to the watercraft lifting support for supporting the watercraft lifting support on a body of water. The float is movable to selectively lift and lower the watercraft lifting support relative to the body of water along a first path of movement. The lift further includes an assembly which causes the protective cover to move along a second path of movement different from the first path in response to movement of the float.

Abstract: A boat lift supported completely from land adjacent to water in which a boat is to be operated for movement between storage and launching positions by the use of parallelogram linkage powered by pairs of hydraulic actuators arranged at opposite sides of the boat lift. A walk and handrails are formed between the hydraulic actuators for use by passengers boarding the boat in the boat launch position.

Abstract: The pontoon boat lift system comprises a plurality of lifts. Each lift is comprised of a channel that mounts to deck support members of the boat. One end of a leg is pivotally mounted to one end of the channel. A screw supported in the channel is turned by a connection to an electric motor. A threaded follower on the screw travels along the screw when it is rotated by the motor. A fulcrum arm connects between the threaded follower and the leg to transmit a longitudinal movement of the follower into a pivotal movement of the leg. The leg is thus moveable between a raised and a lowered position. A base pad connected to the opposite end of the leg comprises a plurality of spaced support surfaces that contact the bottom of a body of water. The base pad supports the leg on the bottom of the body of water and easily separates from the bottom when the leg is moved to the raised position. The operation of the lifts is coordinated to raise the pontoon boat above the surface of the water at desired shoreline locations.

Abstract: Vessel provided with a propeller protruding beyond the hull fitted in a propeller tunnel that extends as far as the stern of the vehicle. The surface area of the propeller tunnel recessed in the hull in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the vessel is essentially constant over the length of the cavity. The width of the cavity increases in the upstream direction to the end of the tunnel.

Abstract: A boatlift leg and frame structure utilizing a ball screw lifting mechanism driven by a reversible electric motor to raise and loser a boat support carriage. The raising and lowering operation of the ball screw mechanism is controlled by electronic circuitry that includes wired and remote direction selection; lifting logic with conflict detection and direction reversal delay; lighting control logic; motor power control; and overload detection logic to detect lifting overload and disable power to the motor power control. A drive train mechanism converts high-speed low torque rotation of the motor drive shaft to low-speed high-torque rotation drive of the ball screw. A boatlift leveling mechanism associated with one or more legs of the boatlift includes a ground engaging footpad, an extendible leg, a height adjusting screw mechanism and a height adjusting actuator with mating bevel gears coupled to the height adjusting screw for allowing adjustment through the side of a boatlift leg.

Abstract: A floating low profile watercraft lifting apparatus comprises a buoyant support apparatus and a watercraft lift attached to the buoyant support apparatus. Embodiments of the lift have first and second cantilever arms pivotally mounted to a base at offset pivot points for use in shallow water. The lift includes an actuator connected to the first and second cantilever arms and operable to move the first and second cantilever arms between a collapsed configuration and an extended configuration with uniform application of force and a minimum amount of travel of actuator components. Embodiments of the support apparatus comprise pontoons within a frame attached to the lift and providing buoyant support for the lifting apparatus.

Abstract: A device for preventing the tangling or crossing of lift cables by maintaining the tension on the lift cables. When the tension is removed from lift cables (4) by placing a boat in a water body, the cables (4) become slack and can cross and/or tangle at a winderbar (1), which greatly reduces the life of the cables (4) and can cause serious damage to boatlift and boat. The present invention applies a tensioning means to the cables (4) by utilizing a weight (10) and pulley (9) or a spring (15) attached to an end of the lift cable (4). Lift cables (4) are first attached at one end to the winderbar (1). The cables (4) are then fed through the cradle (13). When using the weight (10) and pulley (4) system, the cables (4) are placed over a pulley (9) so that the weight (10) attached to the opposite end of the cable (4) maintains tension on the cables (4). The spring (15) tension means attaches the tag end of the cable (5) to the windbar (1) and the opposite end of the cable (4) is attached to a spring (15).

Abstract: The present invention is generally directed to a floating watercraft lift capable of raising and lowering a watercraft, and more particularly to a floating watercraft lift. In one embodiment, the watercraft lift includes a pair of longitudinally extending and approximately parallel floats with an apparatus for supporting and lifting the watercraft positioned between the floats. When the watercraft lift is positioned in a lowered position, the apparatus is submerged and each of the floats is in a first orientation and partially submerged. The apparatus may then be activated to move the watercraft lift to a raised position by moving the floats downwardly and inwardly towards the watercraft, so that the floats become further submerged in the water. The buoyancy of the submerging floats thus lifts the lift apparatus and the watercraft above the water surface.

Abstract: In a lift for mooring a boat stern-on, a pair of horizontally spaced guide members is fixed to the sea wall. A frame is fixed to a pair of substantially parallel hydro-pneumatic buoyancy tanks to provide a flotation platform for supporting the hull of the boat. The stern end of each of the tanks is connected to the guide members. The guide members limit movement of the platform away from the sea wall and along the sea wall but permit vertical reciprocation of the stern ends of the lift tanks in unison and restrict the lift from listing during operation.

Abstract: A drive motor arrangement for replacing manual drives on an existing boat lift winch shaft comprises a worm gear box with a worm driven by an integrally mounted motor on the worm gear box. A worm gear is mounted on a tubular cross shaft extending outwardly on opposite ends of the gear box. The bore of the cross shaft is of size to slide over an existing winch drive shaft. The tubular shaft has a drive connection that mates with the existing drive connection on the winch box shaft. As shown a disc that effects drives to a mating disc on the winch box shaft. After removing the manual ratchet and wheel on an existing winch shaft, the tubular shaft of the worm gear box can be put into place and a suitable fastener is used to hold the drive connection on the tubular shaft in engagement with the drive member on the winch shaft.

Abstract: A plastic rotationally molded polyethylene buoyancy tank for boat lifts allows connection of steel to lengthwise grooves molded into each side of the buoyancy tank. Preferably, a plastic bulkhead is formed within the tank during its molding process. A segment of framing steel is bracketed between a pair of inwardly tapered compressible opposed grips. The compressible grips each have outwardly tapered slots with mating tapered rigid inserts. With the inserts partially seated on the grips, the grips are slipped lengthwise or pressed laterally into their respective grooves. Bolts extending through the grips into threaded holes in the inserts are tightened to pull the grips over their tapered inserts. This spreads and compresses the grips in their respective grooves, locking the brackets and connecting steel in place on top of the tanks.

Abstract: A floating dock for use in areas having endangered flora, sensitive to the lack of sunlight, is assembled from modular units in such a manner that sunlight can pass through the dock to impinge on the ecology.

Abstract: A boat lift includes a base mounted on land adjacent to a body of water, a swinging frame mounted to the base by a first swinging coupling, a boat-supporting frame mounted to the swinging frame by a second swinging coupling, and an actuator for causing the swinging frame to swing relative to the base about the first swinging coupling. Thus, the boat-supporting frame moves upwardly and inwardly to a boat-storage position, or downwardly and outwardly to a boat-launch position, depending upon the direction of swinging motion of the swinging frame. The swinging frame and the boat-supporting frame together form a walkway arranged for providing access between the shoreline and the boat-supporting structure when the boat-supporting frame is in its boat-launch position.

Abstract: A boat lift for attachment to the aft transom of a larger boat for lifting and lowering smaller water craft, utilizes a single double acting hydraulic cylinder to move a truck horizontally within an enclosure. Cables fixed to the truck cause movement of vertically disposed connectors attached to a intermediate vertically moveable members which in turn include cables attached to vertically moveable support posts which carry water craft support arms.

Abstract: A portable boat lift for removal of a boat from a boat trailer comprising two elongated free-standing upright frame members and an elongated crossmember which is pivotally connectable at one end thereof to one selected aperture of one of the frame members. The crossmember includes a bow eye engaging clevis adapted for lifting engagement with a bow eye of the boat. The other frame member includes a winch with cable connectable to the other end of the crossmember. When the frame members are placed one on either side of the boat trailer adjacent the bow of the boat with the crossmember is pivotally connected to one frame member, the clevis is connected to the bow eye, and rigid support members are placed beneath the aft end of the boat, the winch will raise the boat from the trailer.

Abstract: In a lift for mooring a boat stern-on, a pair of horizontally spaced guide members is fixed to the sea wall. A frame is fixed to a pair of substantially parallel hydro-pneumatic buoyancy tanks to provide a flotation platform for supporting the hull of the boat. The stern end of each of the tanks is connected to the guide members. The guide members limit movement of the platform away from the sea wall and along the sea wall but permit vertical reciprocation of the stern ends of the lift tanks in unison and restrict the lift from listing during operation.

Abstract: The cost of building a five thousand pound boat lift is substantially cut in half by using three pilings instead of four. The three pilings include a pair of outboard pilings and a single inboard piling. A boat-supporting cradle includes a leading frame member having an outboard end positioned near a leading piling of the pair of outboard pilings and an inboard end positioned near the single inboard piling. A trailing frame member has an outboard end positioned near a trailing piling of the pair of outboard pilings and an inboard end positioned near the single piling. A longitudinally disposed brace interconnects the leading and trailing frame members near their respective outboard ends and a longitudinally disposed plate interconnects the frame members near their respective inboard ends. An equalizer assembly is pivotally mounted to the plate and opposite ends of the equalizer assembly are connected by separate cables to a winch that surmounts the single piling.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to novel watercraft lift assemblies comprising, in certain embodiments, single motor and dual motor/winch assemblies secured to the dock-side portion of the support structure. The present invention does not require the use of top frames for carrying cable shafts necessary to lift the frame supporting the watercraft.

Abstract: A low-profile watercraft lift having first and second cantilever arms pivotally mounted to a base at offset pivot points for use in shallow water. The lift includes an actuator connected to the first and second cantilever arms and operable to move the first and second cantilever arms between a collapsed configuration and an extended configuration with uniform application of force and a minimum amount of travel of actuator components. The lift further includes a universal plate affixed to bunk support rails for pivotally attaching hull support bunks to the support rails and to accommodate attachment of accessories including guide posts and a motor stop.

Abstract: Apparatus for raising and lowering boats in water. The apparatus consists essentially of at least one float that is attached to the hull of the boat and is guided along the surface of the hull of the boat at least partially below water level when a force is applied to it. Preferably at least two floats that are permanently or displaceably attached to the apparatus support in the longitudinal direction and are provided on the side of the support which is intended to accommodate the hull of a boat. The entire device is designed so it is adjustable in height and is connected to a stationary land-based mooring point with an articulated joint. This device is especially reliable for raising a boat out of the water and docking the boat above the water line without risking canting. This result is possible in an inexpensive and very simple manner with the invention. The usable width of the entire device is greatly reduced from previously known such devices.

Abstract: Apparatus for raising and lowering boats in water. The apparatus consists essentially of at least one float that is attached to the hull of the boat and is guided along the surface of the hull of the boat at least partially below water level when a force is applied to it. Preferably at least two floats that are permanently or displaceably attached to the apparatus support in the longitudinal direction and are provided on the side of the support which is intended to accommodate the hull of a boat. The entire device is designed so it is adjustable in height and is connected to a stationary land-based mooring point with an articulated joint. This device is especially reliable for raising a boat out of the water and docking the boat above the water line without risking canting. This result is possible in an inexpensive and very simple manner with the invention. The usable width of the entire device is greatly reduced from previously known such devices.

Abstract: A boat lift locking apparatus is disclosed for releasably fastening a cable to a structural component of a boat lift. The apparatus includes a bracket secured to the structural component and having a channel, which has a relatively wide portion and a relatively narrow portion. A locking element is slidably mounted in the channel. The cable extends through the channel between the locking element and the bracket. The locking element is urged selectively toward the narrow portion of the channel to frictionally lock the cable between the locking element and the bracket and toward the wide portion of the channel to unlock the cable and permit the cable to slide longitudinally through the channel between the locking element and the bracket.

Abstract: A watercraft support structure formed from a plurality of rigid platforms that are coupled together by the use of linking pins or insertion plugs. Each platform having independent buoyancy formed integral therein for support of most any size watercraft. The structure includes multiple ramp, cradle, and flat platforms, allowing an individual to customize a support structure for a particular sized watercraft. The platforms allow the structure to raise or fall with each tidal change. One embodiment of the dock assembly 110 includes a hinge-type connection that promotes ease of loading and unloading of a watercraft. The dock assembly 110 may also be configured to provide a surface to which watercraft may be moored.

Abstract: The present invention provides adjustable vessel draft by controlling buoyancy and making navigation possible in both shallow and deep waters without changing the total vessel weight or its given payload. The present invention also provides necessary deep water seakeeping characteristics and dynamic stability of the vessel by using elastic secondary main hull or adjustable vertical hulls for safe operations and navigation in both shallow and deep waters for all purposes. The present invention also provides a vessel self rescue system which can also be used as a temporary apparatus of navigation in shallow waters.

Abstract: A water vehicle lift includes a winch which is operable to extend and retract an elongated flexible cable to lower and raise a platform on which a small water vehicle may rest. The winch is preferably mounted on a piling with the platform moving up and down adjacent the piling. On the face of the platform immediately adjacent the piling, a wheel is provided which rolls on the surface of the piling to maintain the platform slightly spaced away from the piling.

Abstract: A floating boat lift for raising a boat out of and securing same above a body of water. This boat lift consists of two float supported frames which are held parallel and separated by two parallel lift bars which are held parallel and separated by a pair of support bunks and, or, two crossed spacing members. The lift bars are attached to the float supported frames through the use of a pair of 7-link mechanisms on each end of each of the lift bars. These mechanisms, referred to as cascaded four bars in the following sections, are positioned such that the lift bar are between a pair on each end of the lift bars.

Abstract: A watercraft support structure formed from a plurality of rigid platforms that are coupled together by the use of linking pins. Each platform having independent buoyancy formed integral therein for support of most any size watercraft. The structure includes multiple ramp, cradle, and flat platforms, allowing an individual to customize a support structure for a particular sized watercraft. The platforms allow the structure to raise or fall with each tidal change and include a hinge-type connection that promotes ease of loading and unloading of a watercraft.

Abstract: A watercraft lifting apparatus utilizing a lifting beam vertically movable within a frame preferably including pile members defining a watercraft receiving slot. The lifting beam is vertically movable to contact preferably the lower surface of the watercraft for moving it upwardly. The movement of the lifting beam is powered by a main drive connected through the lifting apparatus by two winching and cable devices. First an outer winch powers retraction and extension of an outer cable connected through a pulley configuration to the distal end of the lifting beam. Also an inner winching device is operable to extend and withdraw an inner cable operatively connected through a pulley configuration to the proximate end of the lifting beam to assure that the lifting beam is lifted vertically in a horizontal orientation to facilitate lifting of the watercraft such as for cleaning and/or storage thereof.

Abstract: A boat lift for lifting a boat above the water adjacent to a wharf on a water bed comprises a wharf attachment mounted to the wharf above the water; a frame having a wharf end portion hinged adjacent to the wharf attachment; a footing seated on the water bed beneath the outer end portion of the frame; and scissor arms one having a top end portion which is hinged to the outer portion of the frame; the other having a top end portion which is hinged to the lower end portion of the upper scissor arm and a lower end portion which is hinged to the footing therebelow; and opening/closing means to alternatively fold the scissor arms together and open them to a straight in-line position; whereby when the scissor arms are in a closed position the outer end portion of the frame is in a lowered position beneath the water so that a boat may be driven above the frame onto the wharf end portion thereof, and then when the scissor arms are straightened to an in-line position the boat is first fully seated on the frame and the

Abstract: A watercraft lift of the type which is connected to a mooring location comprises a mounting and a guide. The guide mounts an elongate reciprocating member which is raised and lowered by means of a winch. At the lower end of the reciprocating member is a support bracket which is adapted to receive the watercraft. In an alternate embodiment of the invention the mounting and the guide means are hingedly connected so that the lift pivots approximately one hundred and eighty degrees so that the watercraft may be moved into and out of the water and also may be placed on the support bracket when not in use.

Abstract: A boat lift having as its major components, a vertical rigid support column, a boat cradle and a carriage assembly interconnecting the boat cradle to the column support allowing the boat cradle to travel up and down the length of the support column to lift and lower the boat, by means of a winch assembly, out of and into a body of water and then rotate, once lifted, to a position above the boat dock to which the boat lift is connected.

Abstract: A composition comprises an agent to be delivered through a body surface and an electrotransport enhancer having a hydrophobic tail and a polar head of specific characteristics. An electrotransport delivery device is also provided having a reservoir comprising the agent to be delivered and the electrotransport enhancer of the invention. The electrotransport enhancers increase the electrotransport delivery rate of the agent through the surface while reducing the electrical resistance of the surface during electrotransport of the agent.

Abstract: A floating boat lift having 2 side support frames and a front frame with a central region for docking a boat therein with flotation devices attached to the side support frames, flotation devices having sufficient flotation to floatingly suspend the boat lift and a boat carried entirely by the boat lift in a body of water without the aid of lake-bed supports for the boat lift or the boat and a boat lift mechanism carried by the support frames, the boat lift mechanism having U-shaped members with a first side being carried by the first side frame and with a second side carried by the second side frame with a boat lift bar located in a vertically sliding relationship in a first portion of the U-shaped members proximate the first side frame and a second end located in a vertically sliding relationship in another portion of the U-shaped members located proximate the second side dock.

Abstract: A water vehicle lift includes a winch which is operable to extend and retract an elongated flexible cable to lower and raise a platform on which a small water vehicle may rest. The winch is preferably mounted on a piling with the platform moving up and down adjacent the piling. On the face of the platform immediately adjacent the piling, a wheel is provided which rolls on the surface of the piling to maintain the platform slightly spaced away from the piling.

Abstract: A novel lifting device for small craft in which the mechanism includes an hydraulic pump and an hydraulic cylinder pivotally mounted on a first horizontal shaft of a support attached to a boat or stationary surface. A first arm is mounted on the first shaft, and a second arm mounted on a second lower shaft. The piston rod of the cylinder is pivotally connected to the lifting platform. The other end of the first arm is pivotally connected to the lifting platform at a higher position than that of the piston rod. The other end of the second arm is pivotally connected at the same position as the piston rod. When the piston rods are extended, the platform is lower; when the rods are retracted, the platform is higher.

Abstract: The elevator construction of the invention includes adjustable length elongated posts and tubes to allow for the simple launching and recovery of personal watercraft by lowering and raising a support cradle without the need for any special order, parts or fabrications for situations where wide variation exists in the distance between a dock or seawall and the ground bottom beneath the water.

Abstract: A method of distributing the loads generated between a ship and a supporting dry dock which comprises a platform comprising a number of articulatedly joined sub platforms and connected for lifting/lowering by opposed pairs of hoist winches, comprises moving certain combinations of the sub platforms by activating appropriate hoist winches, so as to alter forces to portions of the ship's hull, which forces may be evenly distributed, or concentrated so as to change the shape of local portions of the ship, or bring into alignment hatches and their covers.

Abstract: A method of assessing a ships weight so as to e.g. assist in its design and development, or to ascertain its actual center of gravity or its loaded state, comprises positioning the ship on a dry dock platform made up of a number of articulatedly joined sub platforms connected for lifting and lowerng by hoist winches. The hoist winches include signal devices which signal the load each is supporting, to a computer and visual display unit which displays the loads. The computer computes e.g. the center of gravity or the ships weight, in the displacement of the center of gravity from its designed position, the information then being passed to the designer.