Right on track

Workboats are limited in space, that much is a given. So, why not innovate, giving the different elements the ability to move around the deck and only bring them out when needed?

This is the somewhat novel answer from Barton Marine, a company that earned its stripes from producing track and car systems for sailing boats.

As MD Suzanne Blaustone told MJ, there are some interesting applications under development.

One particular project Barton is focusing on is sliding a covered helm section, this would allow a crane's boom to swing cargo inboard. Another is focused on moving a tender out of the way when not in use. Track and car runs can also customise the working area inside the wheelhouse: Cheetah Marine, for example, has cleverly used the system to slide console seats in and out, making the most of limited space.

The technology is definitely capable. As Ms Blaustone pointed out, far from being less demanding, leisure and racing craft have developed equipment that combines a very high load capacity with a light weight and minimal footprint. And, she added: "A sailboat's mast sits 20m in the air... when you hit the face of a wave, there's a huge deceleration effect on the boat but the sail keeps going. Our track systems are built for this kind of force".

So, how do these systems cope with nasty lateral loads? This could be anything from a seat that's being bounced around at odd angles to sliding a roof manually when you can only reach one side.

Ms Blaustone's colleague Rob Lyne explained: "It's actually a continuous, rotating ball system, each one of the cars has 60 or 70 ball bearings - it's not like a roller skate - this give you a very even spread of forces across the track." Further, using multiple cars, one every 300mm or so, distributes even heavy loads and reduces friction "and so it doesn't matter where you push, the tracks glide in parallel". The result is an easy slide.

The cars themselves are usually recessed into the deck, removing the trip hazard, however, as well as producing permanently fixed tracks, Barton has a removable system that can be stowed away when not required.

Lastly, most tracks can be curved to special requirements, making them useful for refits and special design applications - Barton's designers can undertake detailed drawings and deliver a bespoke curved track of up to 5m in length : "One applications was for a seat that needed to swing round a complete circle," added Ms Blaustone.

Given that most of the industry is now trying to remain competitive by doing far more with even less than before, doubling up deck space might provide an answer.