In 2023 the 570 ton S/V EUROPA fell over on its starboard side at the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront Dry Dock in Cape Town, South Africa. The vessel rolled over during transportation for launch onto the synchrolift, causing some damage to both the vessel and the syncrolift.
In a meticulously planned operation, Resolve Marine, who contracted Triton Naval Architects as their Naval Architectural and Engineering design support partner, teamed up with Vanguard to utilize their heavy lift gantries and strand-jacks so as the erect a modular portable frame to firstly support the yacht, allowing it to be lifted off and suspended, while the syncrolift was prepared for it to be replaced in an upright position. Using fabricated keel blocks and dyneema rope slings the entire vessel was lifted and turnbuckle in the air and placed down on its keel, ready to be repaired and later re-launched.
The syncrolift itself needed to be re-enforced to support the gantries and concentrated loads of the suspended vessel. All elements (including the syncrlift itself) were analyzed using FEA and 3D Modelling ahead of placing re-enforcing beams on the syncro beams, on which the travelling gantry was erected.
The lifting frame was then disassembled and the EUROPA was moved ashore for further repairs.
