If you have bought a waterfront property with a boat lift already installed you may be wondering how to determine the lift capacity of the boat lift. The best and simplest way is to try and find out from the previous owners. However, if that is not an option we’ll discuss some standard ways to help you determine the capacity.
The first thing you need to understand is that your lift is only as strong as the weakest link. If you have a flat plate and I-beams rated for 6500 lbs, but your cables are not, you can only lift what the cables will hold. Not paying attention to the weakest part of your boat lift could result in a malfunction like a cable breaking and dropping your boat.
Looking at your cable pulls is one of the easiest ways to get an idea of what your boat lift is rated for. If you have a straight up and down pull then you would be looking at a 5-7k 4-piling boat lift.
Single Cable
If it is compounded you would more than likely be looking at a 9-16k 4-piling boat lift. Compounding doubles the lifting capacity, however, it decreases the speed by half.
Two Cables
If you have 3 cables then you would have a 20-24k lift.
Three Cables
Another way to think of it is that a simple pull is one cable in a simple I pattern, compounded looks like a U, and three cables looks like an upside-down M configuration.
Once you have determined the size of your lift, If you are needing boat lift parts such as pulleys, guide pipes, or bunk brackets then you would need to measure the height of your I-beam. For example, if you have a 6” I-beam that is referring to the height, not the width. This measurement might be necessary to make sure you are ordering the correct parts.
This is a general guide to give you an idea of the lift capacity of your 4-piling boat lift, if you can’t find documentation or speak with the previous owner. We sell Tide Tamer lifts and this info relates to that brand, other lifts may be slightly different.
If you still have questions about what part you need, call Boat Lift Warehouse at 877-468-5438 and we’ll be happy to help you order the right parts.
