Semi-automation boosts drystack profits

Weekends and beautiful weather mean one thing for drystack marina staff: the non-stop movement of boats. With Capria semi-automated machinery, vessels can go from rack to water in less than three minutes, a fraction of the time you would expect, and with a reduced potential for accidents.

Ideal for new construction or retrofitting into an existing drystack building, the Capria solution comprises top- and bottom-running cranes which work in tandem with either a front, lateral or rotary launcher. The optimal ratio is one crane and two launchers per 250-300 boats, moving up to 30 boats per hour. Highly efficient and configurable, a launcher model will accommodate virtually any waterfront scenario, including extremely narrow channels.
Why Capria?
Capria offers reliability, experience and friendly customer service. A family-owned company that has worked in the steel industry for over 50 years, Capria is not only rooted in the design, development and installation of highly specialist drystack machinery but is rooted in a location that is big on drystack. Its modern factory facility in Garin in the north of the province of Buenos Aires, Argentina, is on the doorstep of a boating hub that relies heavily on rack-and-stack operations.
All-round savings
Clean, green and money-saving, Capria machinery enables the operator to rack bigger boats at higher levels than most forklifts, meaning more boats can be stored in a building without increasing its footprint. This better use of space is of serious financial benefit to marina owners and is compounded by the fact that, unlike forklifts that rely on a level, paved surface, the Capria system doesn’t require a costly constructed floor.
The lower initial capital expenditure is only part of the financial lens. With reduced insurance premiums, less system and facility maintenance and fewer personnel needed, overall marina operating expenses decrease. Once the greater number of boats that can be stored is factored in, profitability soars – and continues annually as every Capria system will last for over 30 years.
There are also undeniable benefits for the environment. Ahead of its time in terms of sustainability, eco-friendly Capria machinery is electric, odour-free and virtually silent.
Safe and versatile
[p3]The top-running cranes utilise an overhead gantry, and bottom-running cranes run on rails set just outside the racks. With both, the operator is at fork-level in an anti-fall cabin so there’s little chance of bumping a boat or pulling it off centre.
A major difference between most forklift-based launching and a Capria launcher is its negative lift. The Capria solution is virtually unlimited in its scope and can accommodate extreme tidal fluctuations and steep embankments. The launcher framework slides over rails that can be configured to match the site’s angle and reach requirements.
As primary waterfront property becomes increasingly expensive and scarce, savvy drystack owners are looking to adjoining canals and other narrow waterways for new business locations. A lateral launcher option is ideal for this scenario as it lowers the boat into the water parallel to the shore. With sufficient depth and a nearby turning basin, the vessel can even be longer than the width of the waterway.
[p4]Sites with steep embankments or high seawalls are also drystack options if a rotary launcher is employed – even if there are extreme tidal fluctuations. Rotary launchers are unique in being able to move a boat up and over obstructions in a large arcing motion. A drystack building can thus be located right at the water’s edge and overhang the launcher, which means it can be bigger and/or make better use of limited land space.
Vessels up to 32ft (10m) long and weighing five tons are loaded bow-first onto a rotary launcher. Once settled on the cradle, an electric motor drives a very large gear that moves the vessel into the water.
When the area between the storage shed and the waterfront has to remain open to traffic, the rotary launcher can move boats up and over a pedestrian corridor. The launching crane can also be located on a second storey of the structure, adding to its ability to overcome the limitations of a seemingly unusable location.
Quality that counts
Capria cranes are CE-marked and manufactured to ISO 9001 standards. They can be built to accommodate vessels up to 43ft (13m) in length weighing ten tons, and in-house engineers and technicians always work to deliver the most sustainable customised systems.
Nearly 7,500 drystack slips are currently serviced by Capria precision machinery, improving profits for drystack owners and enhancing customer service for boat owners.

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