The recent delivery of a Marine Travelift 150TUG (330,000 lbs./150-metric-ton capacity) mobile boat hoist to Bayliss Boatworks, Wanchese, N.C., has increased the shipyard’s lifting capacity by 50% while maintaining a similar footprint to its previous 100-metric-ton Marine Travelift. This increased capacity has allowed the boatbuilder to continue to produce and service larger vessels without any major modifications to infrastructure, the shipyard said.
Marine Travelift’s TG boat hoist model eliminates one set of hoist blocks (compared to the 150-ton C-series boat hoist model) while maintaining full lifting capacity to accommodate shorter and heavier vessels, Marine Travelift. The configuration is often utilized for tug and pushboats, and it fit Bayliss’ need for more power with a footprint comparable to the old boat hoist they had used for 15 years.
Considerations like hull shape, beam length, and weight of the vessels the yard currently hauls were addressed by Marine Travelift’s Craig Lewis when the conversation about an upgrade began. Initially, a single-tire C-Series boat hoist was considered, but the 150 TG offered the right combination of power and size for the vessels Bayliss currently hauls, while providing the additional power the yard will need as they continue to grow into building and servicing larger and heavier boats.
Bayliss Boatworks’ 150 TG model is equipped with a wireless remote control, designed to offer the operator greater visibility as they are free to move around the load and view all corners of the machine without the assistance a spotter. Marine Travelift customers often note this option has a greater than expected impact on labor costs.
The most notable customization on this 150 TG is its single tire configuration. Generally, the 150 TG model is built with a double tire configuration at each corner, but the width of the existing piers on site ruled out this option for Bayliss’ upgrade. Marine Travelift engineers designed this model to satisfy the yard’s specific layout.
“Our first machine was a brand new 100 ton with remote control. It performed flawlessly and delivered us 15 years of trouble-free service; we are very happy,” the yard owner, John Bayliss, said in a statement announcing the travelift delivery. “As our boats got bigger, we wanted a slightly larger machine that could lift more weight yet still fit in our existing footprint. We worked with our sales rep and the [Marine Travelift] engineers to build a new 150 ton with single wheels instead of the standard double wheel configuration. We are extremely happy with our new 150 ton, and the customizations that Marine Travelift engineered for us fit our application perfectly. The single wheel 150 ton has checked all of the boxes!”
Founded in 2002, Bayliss Boatworks has been building custom sportfishing yachts in the Outer Banks for 20 years. They operate a full-service boat yard to support, maintain, and refit the boats they build, in addition to servicing yachts built by others.
