"HIKITIA"---TO LIFT

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 149, 21 December 1926, Page 10

"HIKITIA"---TO LIFT

WELLINGTON'S FLOATING CRANE

» SUCCESSFUL VOYAGE COMPLETED

UNIQUE TRIP UNDER UNUSUAL

CIRCUMSTANCES,

When the Wellington Harbour Board's now floating crane, tho Hikitia, dropped anchor in the ' Htrcum at Wellington early this morning from Scotland, she successfully completed, a voyage that tuny be described an unique, in the finiinlH of maritime history. The Uikitca made the trip from the "Old Country" with her jib up, or in other words, the.crane arrived erected on the. steamer ready for uhc, and when the length ol!the voyage is taffon into con- j federation with the weight of the vrnno, it is stated that the trip of tho Hikitia has no precedent. Many are familiar with the large ei-RiiCH stationed on * the Wellington waterfront, but the biggest of these, of acted on the Queen'a Wharf, Jcrvois quay, to carry a load of 45 tons, is Hinnll compared wih what tho Kikitia can lift. Tho new crane can take a weight of 80 tons, and in fact iias lifted a greater weight than this, for at the tcHts she lifted 100 tons. Anofhor Jargc crane is built on the south cud of tho Railway Wharf, but this one, which is a 20-ton crane, is a midget compared with the latest. The addition of the Hikitia to the equipment of the Weilingon waterfront is an indication of the progress the port has made in recent years. A floating crane has many advantages over its stationary brother, and in. such respects as the lifting of large weights from steamers' holds, adds a great deal in accelerating the work of the port. Previously, when the discharge of extra heavy cargo has been undergone, it has necessitated the removal of the ship ■to 'a berth.. alpngside a suitable crane, but with the Hikitia the reverse will be the position—the crane will go alongside the lift. Accordingly, the work of discharging such articles as heavy pieces of electrical machinery and boilers should be greatly facilitated with the aid of a crane -of the Hikitia's type. It is possible for the Hikitea to lift a railway engine. PARTICULARS OF THE CRAKE AND STEAMER. The hull of the Hikitia, which bears the Maori name.signifying ;".to lift," was built by Messrs. Fleming and Ferguson, Ltd., of Paisley, Scotland. The steamer is propelled by her own steam, and at her trials .averaged between 8 and 9 knots. SKe is 160 feet long between the perpendiculars, 54 feet beam over-all, 12 feet moulded depth, with a maximum draught of 7 feet. Two sets of compound surface condensing direct action engines are 'fitted, together with one horizontal mutlitubular marine type • boiler, and; all the necessary pumps and auxiliary engines. The crane> which was built (by Sir William Arrol and Co., Glasgow, ia capable of lifting a load of 80 tons at a radius.- of .65 feet,' and 15 - tons at a radius of 75 .feet. The height of the lift above water level at 65 feet radius is 95 feet, while the clearance under the jib at the side of the steamer; is 69 feet above water level. ' .'.''.

The speed of hoisting is 80 tons at 4 feet per minute, 40 tons at 8 feet per minute, 25 tons at 12 feet 'per minute, and 15 tons at 24 feet per .minute; der-1 ricking full range in 8 minutes; slewing with. 80 tons, one revolution in 4. minutes. The height of the point of suspension of the jib is 52 feet above the deck. The point of suspension is the place where the arm leaves the upright, and the weight of the jib above this point' is 30 tons. The weight of the crane without the ship's hull is 310 tons, and the test load at the Clyde was 100 tons. . THE VOYAGE OUT. , The voyage of the Hikitia was very favourable. The -total steaming time was 77 days, compared'with 35 days, the average steaming time of a mail steamer. The Hikitia left Gieenock on 29th September, and generally speaking had' fine weather till she approached the New Zealand coast. The first port of call was the Azores, ■ which were reached in ten days. From the Azores she sailed for Panama, wMeh was reached in twenty days, the steamer experiencing fairly, good weather. She passed through the Panama Canal in one day, and reached Papeete after twenty-eight days' sailing. The voyage from Papeete to; Wellington .occupied seventeen days, and it was on this portion of the trip that the worst weather was encountered. On' 13th December bad .weather necessitated the steamer hoying-to. Approaching . Wei- j lington heavy wind Was encountered, especially off Capo'P#lliser. ■ t The vessel'is in charge of Captain J. Fullerton, who brought the Miiritai and the Inaha to '.- Wellington, from Montrose. Captain Fullertonsaid that the ship did not roll much, and it was his opinion that with the. jib down she would have rolled,to a greater extent. On the voyage , the crane and. superstructure were held by ten guys to prevent swinging in the seas. ■ The Hikitia is similar to the Lyttelton Harbour Board's floating crane, the Kapaki, which arrived ' some four months ago. In the case of the Eapaki, however, the voyage was made with the -jib dismantled and secured to the deck. The Eapaki met bad weather, and had to put in at Waipiro Bay, East Coast, for food and coal. Her jib was erected, at Lyttelton: . ■ ' ■ • Messrs. Corry-Wright, and Salmon, agents for Sir William Arrol, met the Hikitia on arrival.

Another crane trip with the:jib in position that is recorded is the ,voyage of a 30-ton crane from Scotland to Eio de Janeiro. .;.-.■ -' :