What type of lift do we need?

[ranger098]

So i have an 02 Mobius LSV and MIGHT be getting a dock on the lake this summer. The city i live in has a dock program and i might get one this year if i am lucky.

Im gonna get a lift if i get a dock, but i am wondering if i need a certain type of lift for my v-drive boat? I wanna make sure i dont get something that the shaft/prop will interfere with...

[jelmhorst]

Hydrohoist seems to be real popular and one that I've looked at getting. Couple considerations: how deep is the water you are going to be docking at, could mean you need a shallow water lift. Also you are going to need to power the lift. Can you run electricity to it, if not you are going to need a generator with a minimum of 2000watts to power it. You might need to take the generator with you so you might want something like the Honda Companion series so you can store it on the boat while you are out. Lots of cheaper options on the generators too, the companion is $1100, just may not be nearly as compact.

[drb59]

If you buy a lift, get a larger lift than you need as from experience, you will upgrade your boat someday and it will be heavier than the lift can handle.

[cornrickey]

It being a vdrive won't matter compared to any inboard. You need to be looking for a 4k lb lift or bigger. My Aqualift which is a galvanized steel hydraulic lift was rated @ 3k. I discussed this with the manufacturer owner and he informed me that some added gussets bracing increased it to a 4k. Cost me about 200 in materials and a day of melting metal.

[maxpower220]

First, what is the water level? Does it fluctuate during the season by more than a few inches. Do you want a cover for the lift? Do you have power available at the dock? Will you need to remove it each year?

There are several styles of lifts and makers of lifts. Vertical, cantilever, water/air based, and lifts from pilings.

I have a cantilever lift. It can lift from very shallow water and once it is up, the load is on the legs, not on the cable. It is limited in the amount of water fluctuation that it can accommodate.

More info will help with this type of decision.

[ranger098]

Thanks for all the responses. I know you guys are saying to go 4000 lb, but i know my boat weighs 3000. would a 3000 lb lift be pretty sketchy to use then? i spose with the boat weighed down with all my stuff itll be a little over 3000, but there are a few 3k lifts available for a lot less than a 4k lift.

I dont know about water level yet, itll depend on the specific dock i get which i just dont know yet. Good to know that i need to take that into consideration tho.. i wouldnt have otherwise.

[wolfeman131]

Your boat weighs 3,000 dry.
With a 40 gal tank @ 6lbs/gal you add 240 lbs.
Gear such as anchors, etc might add another couple hundred of pounds, so you're at 3,500lbs, hence a 4,000lb lift.

[parrothd]

Don't forget ballast and people.. +1000.. 2-3 fat friends and leftover water in the bags and pop the cable snaps..

[wolfeman131]

Great point.

I try to never lift the boat with ballast or people, but there have been times when I've found that I forgot to drain a bag or tank.

[parrothd]

My buddy has this issue, right on the limit, he's always stressing out about people in/out of the boat while on the lift. Hard to get gear in out or get anything done in the boat..

[ranger098]

Right on, thanks for the input guys. And wish me luck that i get a slip!

Hey Parrothd, you know that im the owner of your ol' red right!?! She served me well last year, looking forward to this year. i know you used to keep her in the water too... did you ever notice it taking on water after sitting for a few days? Did you do anything special to keep the cover from pooling water? The cover works great on the trailer, but not sure how to keep it tight when in the water.

[viking]

Don't they make lift motors that run on batt power and solar panel to charge?
And if your water levels change drastically you can look into a floating lift like this:

https://youtu.be/K_BYHoL4_ZI

[parrothd]

There's always going to be water in the bilge, I'd check the packing nut. You don't want the bilge continuously running to drain the batteries down but it's never going to be dry..

Try adding a second vent pole

Glad to hear she's doing well.. ;)

[ranger098]

I am pretty sure it doesnt take on water, at least not much.. unlike my old mastercraft that took on so much that she sat lower in the water after a couple days. a little water i can sure live with.

I am adding another amp for the stereo, and a sub, other than that i havent had any other desires with it... Im curious to see what you're up to with your new boat... maybe you should let me know when you're gonna sell it..

[parrothd]

I am pretty sure it doesnt take on water, at least not much.. unlike my old mastercraft that took on so much that she sat lower in the water after a couple days. a little water i can sure live with.

I am adding another amp for the stereo, and a sub, other than that i havent had any other desires with it... Im curious to see what you're up to with your new boat... maybe you should let me know when you're gonna sell it..


Starting the upholstery & hydro, already upgraded the blast, FAE, custom surf platform.

Been looking at super air nautiques... :)

[yukon2007]

Not to hijack the thread but I picked these up last Spring from a local boat lift dealer. They worked fantastic for putting my lift in the Spring and removal in the Fall. It was basically a one man job. I am fortunate I do not have fluctuations in water levels but if I did I could easily do it by myself. www.boatliftfloats.com

[ranger098]

Not to hijack the thread but I picked these up last Spring from a local boat lift dealer. They worked fantastic for putting my lift in the Spring and removal in the Fall. It was basically a one man job. I am fortunate I do not have fluctuations in water levels but if I did I could easily do it by myself. www.boatliftfloats.com

Yep i've seen those, ill probably get something like that depending on what lift i get. There also is an air compressed boat lift system that im researching. basically huge air bags that fill to raise the boat up. Lots of benefits, but also a new set of complications with this system. which is the lesser of two evils... ill have to find out.

[yukon2007]

I did consider one of those floating boat lifts too! At the moment I had over $10,000 invested into an aluminum vertical. They nice thing about the vertical aluminum is once it's in the water your lift is stationary; especially trying to moor in rough water. In regards to the lift bags the nice thing about the Prolift brand is you can share it with a neighborhood if you want to. You have the choice of leaving it on all season long or taking it off. I lookied at the Boat Lift Helper brand at the Minnesota show and didn't like the fact that it was a bag attached to metal brackets. I had some concerns that maybe the bag would twist and cause punctures from the metal brackets. So I did some due diligence and did find some users that did indicate that they had problems with the metal bracket puncturing the bags. One other thing they mentioned as well was some instability issues with the bag wanting to role. In the end I'm glad I went with the Prolift brand of bag. They have two chambers each and secure like a hotdog bun wrapping the front and back horizontal crossmembers They work very well especially in the muck. I'm happy and the wife is happy!

[BobP]

Not to hijack the thread but I picked these up last Spring from a local boat lift dealer. They worked fantastic for putting my lift in the Spring and removal in the Fall. It was basically a one man job. I am fortunate I do not have fluctuations in water levels but if I did I could easily do it by myself. www.boatliftfloats.com

Interesting, but what do you do once the water is too shallow to float and need to get the lift on shore? We've used large floating pads to do something similar but still needed 4 guys to pick up the lift to move it on/off shore.

[yukon2007]

I have a wheel kit on my lift. So when the inflatable floats are no longer able to float the lift because the water is too shallow, I lower the wheel kit, detach the lift bags as they have quick connects, attach my come-along and bring the lift onto shore. In the Spring I re-install the bags, lower the wheel kit, and because I have a sloping shore edge, gravity is my friend and the lift roles into the water. I then inflate the bags and move the lift into position. Its really easy! I was just on the Boat Lift Floats site and see they have a video of an install. My lift bags are orange, the ones in the video are blue.

[jcb512]

Been searching through the threads on the subject of lifts and this one seemed closest to my current question.
I had bought an '06 Outback last year and toehold it we picked up a used cantilever 3600 pound lift. When I was buying the bunk risers at a lift shop he told me our lift is undersized for the boat.

Being the purchase of the boat and lift has been a bit of a nightmare (long story and a lot of extra money on top of purchase price) I would really
Ike to not have to buy another lift. Are there suggestions to strengthen my current lift to feel safer?
Thank you for any thoughts.

[jcb512]

One more question, with my cantilever lift what is the right placement of the boat in the cradle. We are putting the motor more or less in the middle but that has a lot of the bow sticking out in front past the bunks. Is that right?

[cornrickey]

I put mine on so the bunks are flush with the rear of the boat. The only way to know if you can increase it capacity is to contact the manufacturer. Most won't give you that info because they want you to buy new.

[jcb512]

Thank you Cornrickey,

Our bunks only stick past the cradle by 4-6" (guessing). The cradle dimension is 104" front to back. Is your rule of thumb still applicable?

Thanks again.

[cornrickey]

That is about what mine does. Mine is a hydraulic cantilever. I don't go past flush inaa attempt to keep from striking anything with the prop. If I don't go far enough forward it will tilt the lift back when I have my rear ballast filled.

[cornrickey]

About all you can do is lift it while looking @ it with a snorkel and mask and see if it shifts @ all.

[cornrickey]

The manufacturer of my steel lift said the difference between the 3k and 4k lifts and bracing and larger diameter material for the bottom spreaders. The hydraulics are the same. I bought a used 3k lift and fabricated the bracing and additional changes. It works great with my 22ssv.

[jcb512]

Thanks so much Cornrickey. I will check the items you mentioned when I get to the boat this weekend.