Large-Scale Watercraft Storage System

Abstract

A watercraft storage system, a ‘wishbone’ or U-shaped cradle, liftable and rotatable by an overhead crane, comprises adjustable air filled hull supports to either side of a boat hull and a keel support toward the stem of the watercraft. The cradle central opening clears a cantilever storage rack support beam assembly allowing the watercraft to be lowered onto or raised from the cantilever storage rack support beam assembly by an overhead traveling crane. To substantially reduce any longitudinal swaying of the cradle and watercraft during raising and lowering, a system of diagonal anti-sway bracing cables that automatically retract and extend is employed. In the preferred embodiment, the cradle is lowered into a water-filled channel within the storage structure to re-float the watercraft. A watercraft to be stored can be brought into the channel which contains alignment means to accurately position the watercraft over the cradle.

1 .- 9 . (canceled) 
     
     
         10 . In a watercraft storage system comprising an overhead crane, a cradle suspendable by a plurality of vertical cables descending from the overhead crane and attached to the cradle for raising and lowering the cradle, the improvement comprising a plurality of diagonal cables descending from the overhead crane and attached to the cradle, the diagonal cables capable of changing effective diagonal length with raising or lowering of the cradle. 
     
     
         11 . The watercraft storage system of  claim 10  including tensioning means attached to the diagonal cables. 
     
     
         12 . The watercraft storage system of  claim 11  wherein the tensioning means comprise a rotatable drum on which the diagonal cables wind and unwind in response to raising and lowering of the cradle. 
     
     
         13 . The watercraft storage system of  claim 12  wherein the drum is rotatably connected to a dynamic electric brake and motor. 
     
     
         14 . The watercraft storage system of  claim 10  including a pulley frame suspended below the overhead crane, a plurality of pulleys connected to the pulley frame, one set of pulleys engaging the vertical cables and a second set of pulleys engaging the diagonal cables.