Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length.

[garston1]

Can anyone tell me what the hand cranked motor was called on ships lifeboats. It was a type of pump system where you pushed a handle back and forth that worked a Cam that turned the Prop?

[Netleyned]

Fleming Gear
Each survivor had a crank handle
Quite effective as opposed to
inexperienced survivors trying
to row the lifeboat


Ned

[Colin Bishop]

I imagine it would help keep you warm too.

[garston1]

Thanks, you're a star!

[Bunkerbarge]

Funny you should mention that as I was looking at an aluminium boat with just such a drive in a ship yard in Germany only a few weeks ago.  This particular one involved you standing up and operating the levers very much the same way as you would one of the 'skiing' type of exercise machines.

[Jimmy James]

There were Mk 1 ,2 ,and 3 Flemming gear they were all pretty much alike but the Mk 3 was much smoother than the 1 & 2 and was faster with a larger prop... A lot of the Trinity House ships had Flemming gear in their life boats
Freebooter

[Martin [Admin]]

Any pictures anyone...?

[funtimefrankie]

Manxman has/had Flemming lifeboats

[garston1]

Yes Frankie that's where i saw them when i went to see the Manxman in Sunderland, I've got a photo that I'll put on later 

[Bryan Young]

This any help? BY.

[Jimmy James]

Nice one Bryan Looks like the Mk 1
which is the most common
Jimmy

[Bryan Young]

Thanks Jimmy. I did once look into building one (at roughly the same size as the picture) but quickly realised that I may as well just stick the hand controls into the boat and stick another couple of "drive rods" in...nobody would be able to see the deception!. BY.

[Jimmy James]

Thats the way most GOOD modelers do it .... only the fanatics build the real thing that small where no one can see it anyway
Jimmy

[Nordsee]

I saw a Life boat on a PandO Channel Ferry in the Early 80s, with the cover off and they had a long shaft with several cranks , so the survivors sat facing into the boat, turning the prop, the shaft was driven by a chain from the crank, a very coarse pitched prop. too, As you said keeps you warm and also way on the boat, and the cover could be rigged as weather protection.

[Jimmy James]

These Boats were surprisingly easy to get and keep moving by unskilled personal which is why they were designed in the first place... the short comming was you had to keep them well Oiled & Greased and used regularly other wise they sized up ( Helped if the crew was well Oiled too )
Freebooter