Thern delivers a davit crane solution at California’s Chumash Casino Resort.

PumpMan SoCal provides onsite maintenance, repair and replacement of equipment used in water and wastewater systems in California and has worked with Thern to provide a solution for a lifting challenge at the Chumash Casino Resort pump station, which handles wastewater.

The Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Mission Indians owns a wastewater treatment plant and two pump stations. The system is maintained by Santa Ynez Community Services District (CSD) and serves the Chumash Casino Resort and nearby residencies. Unfortunately, one of the pump stations, which discharged to a manhole that flowed into the treatment plant, had a history of maintenance issues and was expensive and difficult to maintain, using parts that were not commercially available. Maintenance involved removing ceiling tiles to pull the pump out as the column pump shaft was longer than the station’s ceiling height. When the pumps failed, the CSD’s operations supervisor saw an opportunity to replace them.

PumpMan SoCal installed two new submersible chopper pumps – which can handle fluids with a high concentration of solids – on a guide rail system, thus addressing the overhead access problem. When considering how to lift the pumps, a davit crane was the obvious solution because they can be installed permanently, are accessible and also minimise the number of personnel required to carry out the job and the associated physical strain.

After researching the market and deciding this lifting challenge required a straightforward and simple lifting solution, PumpMan SoCal purchased a Thern davit crane through LK Goodwin, a familyowned distributor of material handling equipment and systems.

Thern says that as a company it provides a variety of lifting and positioning solutions and claims that “many customers turn to Thern to replace jib cranes and gantry cranes with our flexible range of davits”. The company adds that it “has designed and manufactured standard and custom cranes, paired with industry-leading winches and hoists, for countless customer applications around the world”.

Its range of portable cranes range from the Ensign 500 davit crane that can be used with a hand or power winch operation and has a capacity of 500lbs (226 kg), to the Commander 2000 – Thern’s largest portable davit model featuring multiple boom lengths and angles to choose and a capacity of 2,000lbs. The Commander 2000 davit crane rotates 360° on a pin and sleeve bearing in the base, while its adjustable boom telescopes to four different lengths and adjusts in height with a ratchet-style screw rack.

The company’s line of stationary cranes, meanwhile, allow for extended-length booms for maximum reach on larger loads and are capable of lifts ranging from 2,000lbs to 5,500lbs. With electric, hydraulic or pneumatic operation, the Captain 2000, for instance, rotates through 360° and has a quick-disconnect anchor, while the Captain 4000 features an integral slewing drive that Thern says can withstand large axial, radial and moment (twisting force) loads.