Saddle & Hook

The up-ending of a foundation piling, moving it from the horizontal to the vertical, has traditionally been done using two cranes or a single crane and a point of rotation. But there is often insufficient room for this on a ship or platform at sea, and the available cranes may not have the necessary lifting height or reach. Where the pilings are longer than the ship or platform, for example with wind turbines or driven piles for oil platforms, up-ending may be difficult or impossible.

The saddle & hook arrangement can get around this: the piling or mast is slid over a saddle at the side of the vessel, while a single crane raises one end. As the pile slides from the horizontal to the vertical, one end disappears into the water. A simple ship's crane is adequate for this task. The operation is also speeded up.
Three different components are required for the saddle & hook method: the saddle at the side of the ship or platform, a hook which can hold one end of the piling, and a winch. The design of the saddle and the hook depends on both the piling and the ship or platform. Idea supply the full package, saddle, hook and winch.

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