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