{"schema":"https://ver.cy/schemas/card/1.0.0","id":"vr.tr.boat-lift","code":"thing-q14908","url":"https://ver.cy/models/thing/q14908/","name":"boat lift","alternateNames":["Water slope","tub boat lift","canal inclined plane"],"kind":"thing","status":"research-draft","version":"0.2.0-wave.2","language":"en","classifiers":{"family":"Thing Registry","category":"Physical world and living systems","entryKind":"thing","plane":"PHY","domain":["PHY.BLT"],"industry":[],"navPath":"","tags":[],"facets":{}},"whatItIs":"A structure for raising and lowering boats between waterways at different levels as an alternative to locks, using vertical lifts with counterweighted or hydraulically balanced caissons, inclined planes on which boats travel in tanks or cradles on rails, rotating lifts and water slopes, from historical tub boat lifts on early canals to large modern lifts; boat lifts save water and time on canals and are notable engineering and heritage structures.","purpose":"Let an agent explain boat lifts and their types and mechanisms, identify notable lifts with sources, describe their use on canals and heritage significance, and support engineering and visiting questions.","scope":{"in":[],"out":[],"boundaries":[]},"distinguishingFeatures":["Level change without lock","Caisson or cradle","Water-saving","Engineering landmarks"],"structure":{"bundles":[{"id":"understand","name":"Understand","description":"What boat lifts are.","layers":[{"id":"types","name":"Types","description":"Types.","findings":[{"id":"types-finding","name":"Types","description":"Types.","questions":[{"text":"How do vertical lifts, inclined planes, rotating lifts and water slopes work, and when is each used?","kind":"definition"},{"text":"Which entry fits a specific type?","kind":"action"}]}]},{"id":"mechanism","name":"Mechanism","description":"Mechanisms.","findings":[{"id":"mechanism-finding","name":"Mechanism","description":"Mechanisms.","questions":[{"text":"How do counterweights, hydraulics and balance make lifting boats efficient?","kind":"definition"},{"text":"Which entry fits canal engineering?","kind":"action"}]}]}]},{"id":"use","name":"Use","description":"Use and operation.","layers":[{"id":"operation","name":"Operation","description":"Operation.","findings":[{"id":"operation-finding","name":"Operation","description":"Operation.","questions":[{"text":"How are boat lifts operated, and how do boaters use them?","kind":"provenance"},{"text":"Which entry fits a specific waterway?","kind":"action"}]}]},{"id":"compare","name":"Compare","description":"Lifts versus locks.","findings":[{"id":"compare-finding","name":"Compare","description":"Comparison.","questions":[{"text":"When is a lift preferred over locks, considering water use, height and cost?","kind":"provenance"},{"text":"Which entry fits canal locks?","kind":"action"}]}]}]},{"id":"notable","name":"Notable","description":"Notable lifts and heritage.","layers":[{"id":"lifts","name":"Lifts","description":"Notable lifts.","findings":[{"id":"lifts-finding","name":"Lifts","description":"Notable.","questions":[{"text":"Which boat lifts are notable historically or technically, and where are they?","kind":"provenance"},{"text":"Which entry fits a specific lift?","kind":"action"}]}]},{"id":"visit","name":"Visit","description":"Visiting.","findings":[{"id":"visit-finding","name":"Visit","description":"Visiting.","questions":[{"text":"Which lifts can be visited or ridden, and what heritage status do they hold?","kind":"provenance"},{"text":"Is the information current?","kind":"boundary"}]}]}]},{"id":"learn","name":"Learn","description":"History and teaching.","layers":[{"id":"history","name":"History","description":"History.","findings":[{"id":"history-finding","name":"History","description":"History.","questions":[{"text":"How did boat lifts develop from early tub boat lifts to modern structures?","kind":"provenance"},{"text":"Which references are standard?","kind":"provenance"}]}]},{"id":"teach","name":"Teach","description":"Teaching.","findings":[{"id":"teach-finding","name":"Teach","description":"Teaching.","questions":[{"text":"How can boat lifts illustrate engineering principles?","kind":"action"},{"text":"Which misconceptions arise?","kind":"provenance"}]}]}]}]},"agentConduct":{"may":["Report a boat lift's operating status, closures and scheduled maintenance from its operator's notices.","Monitor caisson levels, counterweights and drive systems on a lift it is authorized to supervise.","Help skippers plan a passage by stating published lift times and vessel size limits."],"mustNot":["Start or stop a lift cycle while a vessel or person is not cleared from the caisson gates.","Override interlocks, water level sensors or balance checks on a lift.","Admit a vessel that exceeds the published length, beam or weight limits for the caisson.","Describe a boat lift as a lock or give lock procedures to a skipper approaching a lift."],"requiresHuman":["Resuming operation after a mechanical fault or emergency stop.","Closing a lift to navigation for repair or safety reasons."]},"ethics":{"considerations":["A failed lift can drop or flood a caisson with people and boats inside.","A lift is often the only route along a waterway, so closures affect livelihoods and access."],"affectedParties":["Boat crews and passengers","Lift staff","Waterway users and nearby communities"]},"owners":{"steward":"The navigation authority or waterway operator that runs the lift.","roles":[],"masterSystems":[]},"relations":[{"target":"Q333170","type":"parent","note":"registry parent class"},{"target":"fall structure","type":"related","note":"category"},{"target":"canal","type":"related","note":"waterways served by lifts"},{"target":"drawbridge","type":"related","note":"another canal structure entry"},{"target":"national heritage site","type":"related","note":"protected engineering heritage"}],"interaction":{"identity":{"applicability":"required","items":["Vercy registry: vr.tr.boat-lift","Wikidata: Q14908 (https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q14908)"]},"properties":{"applicability":"required","items":[]},"recognition":{"applicability":"required","items":["Raises boats between levels without a lock chamber","Vertical, inclined, rotating or water slope","A lock uses a chamber filled and emptied with water; a weir controls flow","Large structures with caissons, towers or inclined rails beside canals."]},"capabilities":{"applicability":"required","items":["explain types and mechanisms","identify notable lifts","describe use and heritage","support visiting questions"]},"hazards":{"applicability":"required","items":["Mechanical failure and closure","Confusing lifts with locks","Vessel accidents during transfer"]},"interfaces":{"applicability":"required","items":["Waterway engineering and safety standards","Navigation rules for lift operation","Heritage protection for historic lifts"]},"context":{"applicability":"required","items":["Structures raising boats between water levels.","vertical boat lifts","canal inclined planes","rotating boat lifts","water slopes","historical tub boat lifts"]}},"sources":[{"title":"Wikidata item Q14908: boat lift","url":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q14908","note":"identity and sense of the item"},{"title":"Wikipedia: Boat lift","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boat_lift","note":"general description of the item"}],"openQuestions":["Should each notable lift be a separate entry?","How should waterway authorities be linked?","How should heritage registers be linked?"],"resources":{"spec":"/models/things/publications/thing-q14908/spec.json"},"provenance":{"origin":"thing registry research (pass 2)","builtFrom":["models/things/publications/thing-q14908/spec.json"],"providers":["Claude"],"researchStatus":"unreviewed","generatedAt":"2026-09-12T03:20:15Z","builder":"tools/build_cards.py@1.0.0"},"completeness":{"sections":{"classifiers":"filled","whatItIs":"filled","purpose":"filled","distinguishingFeatures":"filled","structure":"filled","agentConduct":"filled","ethics":"filled","owners":"filled","relations":"filled","interaction.identity":"filled","interaction.properties":"missing","interaction.recognition":"filled","interaction.capabilities":"filled","interaction.hazards":"filled","interaction.interfaces":"filled","interaction.context":"filled","sources":"filled"},"notes":{},"score":0.941}}