What

Keeping your boat well maintained can be is a real time consumer. One of the easiest fixes when it comes to overall boat maintenance is to employ the use of boat lifts to make reaching all sides - even the bottom - possible. Boat lifts come in a number of different styles and sizes. Some are ideal for small boats, and others work better for larger crafts.

Boaters get boat lifts for a number of reasons. Not only do boat lifts make it less of a hassle to clean and access your boat, they also save you money on gas towing your boat to and from the water. When a boat lift is used, a boat can be stored right at the end of your dock rather than having to take it in and out of the water on each outing. This cuts down on the damage trailering can cause to a vessel, but also on the time involved in getting a boat in and out of the water. The different types of boat lifts include:

4 Point Boat Lifts

This lift provides support to all four pilings to ensure accurate weight distribution for storage. They can range from those designed for small to medium sized boats to those for slightly larger craft. In most cases, these lifts work by having the boat park above them and then a switch is turned or a crank is cranked to elevate a vessel out of the water. They can range in price greatly. This lift does not require anything except 4-8 pilings strategically placed according to the manufacturers specifications. The kits come in either a galvanized or aluminum, and have lifting capacities starting at 3500-lbs and go up to 32,000-lbs. Learn more about Aluminum 4 Point Boat Lifts

Freestanding Lifts

These boat lifts tend to offer full frames that encase a boat for storage or inspection. Freestanding lifts are very popular in locations where the water freezes over during wintertime. These lifts are easily placed in and out of the water and sit on the lake bottom. Most freestanding boat lifts are all aluminum and have a range of 700-lbs (for pwc’s) and up to 12000-lbs. Manual is an option on lifts up to 4800-lbs. They can work on hydraulics or might need the use of winches to raise and lower the boat into and out of the water. Learn more about Freestanding Boat Lifts

Floating Boat Lifts

This type of boat lift is ideal for storage of a vessel and even for some weekly maintenance. The one thing they don’t tend to offer is access to the bottom of the boat. Still, these can be great for those who want to ensure their boats don’t sit ,stuck in the water, for long periods of time taking the damage ocean water and even fresh water can cause. Floating boat lifts are almost a necessity in locations where the water level fluctuates substantially and in conjunction with a floating boat dock. Plastic cylinders are typically connected to a cradle and air is either pumped in or out depending on whether you want to raise or lower a boat into the water. Lifting capacities range from 1000-lbs (for pwc’s) up to 12,500-lbs.

Elevator Boat Lifts

These boat lift kits are generally used for larger boats. They operate in a similar manner to elevators, hence the name. These boat lifts are good for some routine maintenance work and also for helping protect a boat from constant water exposure. Elevator lifts are “side mounted” to a seawall, dock or piling with the most common being mounted to a seawall. These lifts most resemble a forklift, lifting your boat out of the water in a very similar way. These boat lifts start at a rating of 1500-lbs and go up to 16,000-lbs. Just like the 4 point lifts, the boat lift units come in either galvanized or aluminum. Learn more about Elevator Boat Lifts