There are many different types of boat lifts available on the market today. Some of these lifts can be purchased in “do it yourself” kits others require professional installation. The choice of a boat lift primarily depends on the type of waterfront you live on, the amount of money you want to spend, the type of boat you have (aluminum vs. fiberglass) and the size of your boat. Boat lifts also can be installed with either manual winches (up to 2000lbs) or electrical winches (1000lbs and up).
Unless you have a very light aluminum boat, we highly recommend purchasing electrical motor(s) to doing the lifting of the boat. Not only is it an extremely easier way of lifting your boat out of the water, but also, you may upgrade down the road to a heavier fiberglass boat and it would one less replacement cost.
There are new types of boat lifts coming out every season, so for the purpose of this article, we will focus on the most effective and popular.
Davits:
Davits have been the most common type of boat lift for many, many years. Basically, they are two steel poles that are called “booms” that are installed either on the sea wall or on pilings. The booms are attached to a base that is bolted down to either the sea wall or the piling. Each boom swings 360 degrees so that should you purchase a bigger boat, most likely the booms can be swung out to still be able to attach to the boat. If not, extensions are available to upgrade, if needed. Each boom has a stainless steel cable (make sure it is stainless steel cable) that attaches to both the boat and the winch.
One boom cable attaches to the front cleat either under or on top of the bow of the boat and the other attaches to the rear. The vast majority of boats require a spreader bar to be attached to the boom pulling up the rear of the boat. The reason for this is twofold; there are two cleats on the rear of the boat to attach and the spreader bar keeps the boat even when lifting and when out of the water on the lift.
As far as whether to attach the davits to pilings or to the sea wall, there are different schools of thought on that. We recommend speaking to the installers about what they recommend, however, we have seen many a lift pull a piling right out of the water while the boat is being lifted. One other maintenance that must be performed yearly is the inspection of your cables. Again, we have seen many a boat lift cable snap and send one end of the boat crashing down into the water. We suggest replacement every four years or so, depending on usage and weather.
One davit alone can also be installed to use as a personal watercraft (Jet Ski) lift. The only additional equipment needed is a sling that attaches to the one boom cable. The sling is a polyester strap with two stainless steel panels that attach to either side of the Jet Ski to lift it out of the water. Again, an electrical or manual winch can be installed and the boom swings 360 degrees.
Final note: There are many different sizes of davits and booms that can be purchased depending on your boat specs.
Piling Mount Boat Lifts:
This type of boat lift attaches directly to piling which eliminates all support beams. This type of lift is great for sail boats and boats with towers. They also come in many types of capacities, depending on the weight of your boat.
Drive on Boat Lifts:
This type of boat lift is becoming more and more popular due to the maintenance free nature of the lift. The only determining factor is that you have to live on a waterway that always has water. For example, many types of canals, at low tide, do not have enough water in them to support this type of lift. They are considered very user-friendly, convenient and safe.
They can support ranges from a 12 foot dinghy to a 50 foot offshore boat. The boat lift is drive on and basically goes up and down with the tides. It attaches to the pilings on your dock making boarding and access easy. Its also modular and portable meaning if you move, you can take it with you.
Cradle Boat Lifts:
Currently there are 25 different types of cradle boat lifts available. They can be either steel, aluminum or a combination of both. They have capacities ranging from 4,500 to 30,000 pounds.
Marine Elevator Boat Lifts:
Marine elevator boat lifts are ideal for extreme tidal areas or other unusual docking conditions. The capacity of these lifts is from 2,000 to 14,000 pounds.
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