Who has a lift?

kneedeep

I'm wondering who keeps their boat on a lift?  What size boat, what type of lift?  I read MT's post about bravo corrosion & I have the same concerns.  Other lift reasons: no barnacles, no more bottom paint, cleaner boat (my river develops sea foam in windy, rough conditions.  The foam has a tannish color.  It gets stuck between the boat & dock & splashes all over the side).  Reasons not to get a lift: cost & I may get a different size or style boat.

Tietsort

We have a lift and love it. Our boat is quit a bit smaller its a 280 fista vee 8,600 lbs dry and around 10,000 lbs all loaded up. Our out drives were In need of replacing but didn't want to do it until we had a lift. Paid $4,000 for a used 10,000 lbs lift the new out drives were $9,000 I thi the lift is a huge money saver!!!

TonyWalker

We keep the Salt Shaker on a lift here in FL.  2006 342 purchased new that year.  Best boating investment (besides the boat) I have made.  Keeping her out of the salt water is very important in this very agressive water.  My rule is I will keep her in the water a maximum of 3 nights without any run time.  At 5 nights things start to grow.  I do the bottom paint as well.  The lift is rated at 20,000 pounds.  My avitar shows the set up.

Michael T

The lifts that I used for 25 years were shore master. They kept my boats looking brand new and significantly reduced maintenance. I don't think shore master makes a lift for over 10K pounds. Of course, many other companies do. I would love to keep my 360 on a lift. It is moored at a public marina when in use. At the present the public (city) marina does not allow the installation of boat lifts but there was a lot of discussion this year as many boaters are taking note of corrosion and marine growth issues. IMO there is nothing that a boater can do to prep their boat that approximates the protection and convenience afforded by a boat lift. MT

Dream_Inn

Well, most has already been said here.  I've had a boat on a lift for 9 years now (6-7 with my 310). I have a 30k lb lift for my 400.  I would not have it any other way. It also makes great winter storage.  my current lift allows me to lift the bottom of the boat 10 feet out of the water.

raybo3

Dream do you have a picture of your setup??????

Mike_G

Like I said in another post, I am rack stored next year.  My marina will let me install a floating lift, or those black air bags that sink to the bottom and then inflate to lift the boat out of the water.  Any experience with those any one?  I wonder abou the air bags because you have wet rubber mated to the hull when "lifted"... would stuff still grow there, or get moldy?  -=Mike G.

Tietsort

I would like to Dream's lift also. That's a big boat on a lift!

Dream_Inn

ok, here are a couple.  One is showing the first day I got her in the slip.  The other is all put to bed for the winter.

Dream_Inn

Sorry, one is rotated sideways, but you get the point.  Looking at the other, the boat can go all the way up to the beam going across, so that is around 10 feet above the water, depending on tide.  The open lift next to me in the picture a 40k lb lift that a 420 sits on.  There are some serious lifts in the marina.

raybo3

So the lift is owned by the marina?  I know around here permitting for something like that would take forever and a day. My club is having a hard time getting permits just to replace out gas dock. 

kneedeep

Thanks for the input & pics.  DI that's the type of lift I'm thinking about getting.  My engineer tells me 6 months to get a permit, so if I want it for next summer, I need to start soon.  My only (big) concern is if I change to a different boat style.  

Michael T

KD, I have only purchased two boat lifts. I bought the first one to have slightly more capacity than the boat I had at the time plus its weight when full of gas, items and four people in it. NOT smart. The second lift which I had to buy - for my next boat was a 9+K lift that was the biggest the company made at that time. I had five different boats on it. It didn't cost much to go fron a 5K boat lift to that 9+K boat lift - wihch I wish I had done that in the first place! If I had Rinker EC 310 I'd buy a lift that could hold  a Rinker EC 400 ........2 foot itis .......we all get it at some point. Be ready!!!!! lol. MT

Dream_Inn

I actually own my lift but rent the slip that it is in.  My slip, with electricity, is ~$3600/yr.  I think that is pretty decent considering I leave it there year round.  The lift is a 4 motor lift and I also have a remote for it so I can put it when I leave or when I come back.