Ron van Maanen
The yard Gusto at Schiedam built several floating cranes for the Argentinean government. In 1908 two were delivered followed by the launching of a third one in 1914. (1). In 1923 a forth crane called the Toba was with some difficulties underway delivered at Bahia Blanca.
Tuesday, 15 May 1923. Schiedam, 14 May. The ocean going Toba of Schiedam towards Bahia Blanca was Saturday 12.00 o’clock on the position 38 degrees 21 minutes North and 12 degrees 52 minutes West, all well.
Tuesday, 29 May 1923. Schiedam, 28 May. The tug Gelderland of Bureau Wijsmuller with the crane Toba underway from Schiedam towards Bahia Blanca arrived 26 May at St. Vincent, Cape Verde Islands.
Tuesday, 19 June 1923. Schiedam, 19 June. Both ships were yesterday 12.00 o’clock off Fernando Noronho position 6 degrees 4 minutes latitude and 29 degrees 16 minutes longitude, all well.
Monday, 25 June 1923. Schiedam, 23 June. Both ships were yesterday 12.00 o’clock at the position 13 degrees 33 minutes latitude and 33 degrees 45 minutes longitude, all well.
Wednesday, 11 July 1923. London, 8 July. To be able to continue their voyage needed the Toba to be repaired, costs around 9.000 milreis. Probably they will depart coming Tuesday.
24 July 1923. London, 23 July. According to a telegram from Montevideo reported the Dutch steamship Alcyone that she received 23 July a tiding from the Gelderland which was 70 miles South South East of Santa Maria that she had lost the Toba.
Friday, 27 July 1923. According to a tiding from Bureau Wijsmuller was the Toba 25 July found back at the position 31 degrees 52 minutes latitude and 48 degrees and 38 minutes longitude.
Wednesday, 8 August 1923. Schiedam, 4 August. Both ships arrived safely 3 August at Montevideo.
Monday, 20 August 1923. According to a telegraphic message from the Dutch tug Gelderland master Spruijt of Bureau Wijsmuller arrived 12 August he safely at Bahia Blanca, Puerto Militar with the 150 tons floating crane Toba built by the yard Gusto for account of the Argentinean government. She left the yard Gusto 23 April and was the end of June off Rio de Janeiro where she encountered a heavy storm with success. The Gelderland and the Toba arrived 2 July at Rio de Janeiro where they departed 10 July. In the night of 20-21 July when both ships were off Rio Grande de Sul broke the towing hawser caused by a heavy cyclone and disappeared the crane towards the south. Despite several days searching the crane couldn’t be find but Bureau Wijsmuller ordered to keep on searching while the yard Gusto believed that even a cyclone couldn’t destroy the heavy construction of the crane. The Argentinean government sent some warships and a navy tug to help searching as requested by the assurance company. In the afternoon of the sixth day around 15.00 o’clock was the crane found back with everything well on board including her crew of 5 men. The crane was of the well balanced turning and derricking Gusto design with two pulley blocks, one for 150 ton lasts and the other for 40 tons. Both blocks were constructed in a manner to allow placing heavy lasts on the deck. The pontoon stayed nearly always in a horizontal position despite the load. Maximum height of the main and the other pulley block with the crane in the lowest position was 108’ above the waterline. Maximum flight of the pulley blocks was 73 and 150 feet or a range of 40 and 116 feet free from the pontoon. Lifting speed was 3 feet or 10 feet each minute. A 360 degrees turn with the heavy last costs circa 6 minutes. All movements of the crane were powered by electric engines placed in the winch house in the lower platform of the crane. Just one man was necessary to control the crane. This was made possible by the geared electric installation allowing lifting of lowering of each last with extra ordinary low speeds. The power was delivered by dynamo’s driven by an independent compound engine. For the propulsion were 2 pairs vertical compound engines available with an independent surface condenser. Between the engine was a boiler placed suitable for a working pressure of 147 lbs each square inch. On deck was the necessary equipment as anchor winches. There was also an extensive electric lightning installation available for the pontoon and the crane. The aft deck was extra ordinary strengthened to place there all heavy lasts and was for this reason completely free of obstacles.
Note
1. See also on this web log “The floating cranes Puerto de la Capital No. 2 and No. 3 built at the yard Gusto at Schiedam, Netherlands for the Argentinean government in 1908 according to the newspaper Schiedamsche Courant, 19 September 2010” and “The Argentinean floating crane built at the yard Gusto of the firm A.F. Smulders at Schiedam, Netherlands in 1914 according to the newspaper Schiedamsche Courant”.
