Taking time to clean and polish your boat at the beginning of every season is a lot of effort. Depending on the water conditions that your boat is kept in, you can come across hull blisters, algae grown and even salt corrosion. Instead of keeping your boat in the water during both the on and off season, imagine instead that with the push of a button, or turn of a wheel, you could elevate your boat lift right above the water line. And just like that, you could significantly protect your investment. Boat Lift Warehouse understands that choosing the right boat lift can be frustrating, but it doesn’t have to be. That is why it is important to take into consideration the ideal boat lift for your boat, dock, and waters. So, if you have ever had your eye on a boat lift but don’t know where to start, here are some tips to help you understand the basics.
There are 3 Main Types of Boat Lifts
A lot of factors come into play when deciding the perfect boat lift. Your boats weight and beam need to be taken into account when making this decision.
Bottom Standing
If you have a fixed dock in shallow water depths (say about 3 to 10 feet) a bottom standing boat lift is typically what you need. Bottom standing boat lifts are also called freestanding lifts; they work best in lakes and bodies of water in softer sediments.
Floating
These lifts are good for slips with fluctuating water levels since they are able to accommodate the tide’s rise and fall. They are also good at preventing the weight of your watercraft from bearing down on the structure itself, potentially causing damage. Deep waters usually require floating boat lifts.
Suspended
If you have average water depths, a suspended hoist boat lift is usually the way to go.
Manual or Electric
Electric
Electric boat lifts are usually much more convenient, but they require a power source to the dock. (and this power source needs to be safely maintained). For electric boat lifts, you can use a remote to assure that your boat will already be in the water when you are carrying that heavy cooler down the dock.
Manual
Manual boat lifts are more affordable; however, their spinner wheel may not be as effortless to operate as an electric winch. But in cases where you cannot run electricity to docks, it is still a viable option.
Water Conditions – Saltwater or Freshwater
You have a choice of either galvanized steel lifts or aluminum lifts. Depending on where your slip is located, it is important to have antifouling painted frameworks as well as components like stainless steel cables.
Stainless steel resists corrosion more efficiently than galvanized steel. Through a “hot dip” method, galvanized steel takes a zinc bath coating to help resist corrosion.
These are just a few things to consider when purchasing a boat lift. So, if you are in the market for a boat lift feel free to contact us regarding any other considerations when it comes to finding the perfect lift for you. And feel free to browse our extensive selection online. We look forward to helping you protect your investment!
