When one of our DTC instructors was visiting Ireland, he came across a ferry service that carried along its own dock. Lots of community discussion typically takes place when a permanent location for a dock is under consideration. Some people want it close to their needs, while others want it as far away as possible. Murphy’s Ferry Service on Bere Island, County Cork, Ireland avoids all these issues by having a retractable ramp that can be positioned almost anywhere to load and unload vehicles.
For a mechanical engineer, the retractable ramp applies all sorts of design principles. First it has to be cantilevered, supported at one end that can rotate at the fixed end of the ferry, then a second piece to position the forward end of the ramp. The geometry of the ramp has to move smoothly from a vertical to a horizontal position, movement provided by hydraulic cylinders to carry the load produced by the vehicles the ferry is transporting. Watching the video makes this engineer envy those who were commissioned to build this very interesting and useful ferry.
Much pride is clearly represented by the ferry, most likely one of the elements of the community most recognized by townspeople and visitors alike. The design principles involved certainly don’t match those of more complex machinery, however docking a ferry that meets the needs of a community is just as important. I invite you to watch this short video. – Dr. Tom
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