Lifts and winter?

Finally got to the point in my life where a vacation home was feasible. Bought a condo at Norris Lake. Comes with covered 12x30 dock, and I have bought a lift. For those of us that have to winterize, do you guys leave your boats on the lift all winter? I know a lot of people at the lake do, but I am curious as to some opinions. Are there any cons to this? I have no room in my garage for it, and have been paying for storage at the Lake, but it is much cheaper just to throw the trailer in a lot and leave it than worrying about inside storage.

Hey, I’m considering buying a lot on Norris. I really want lake front with the option of building when I retire. I flip between that and Table Rock Lake MO.

My neighbor leaves his on the lift at Norris and gets away with it. I am amazed. I assume storing the trail costs the same as storing the boat. Why not at least put the boat on it?

I have had to drive deep into TN to hunt ducks in the past (1996-8), trying to get ahead of the freeze. Even then we hunted a river. Ice will destroy a lift, I’ve seen it here in Ohio where you should pull the lift on shore. Ask about any freezing in the last 10-15 years.

I would pull the lift (come along and chain with 2x6 board ramp) and store the boat indoors. Even if you can check on the boat, what are you going to do when it really freezes some winter and the ice melts and starts to shift?

I bought a 48x50 storage building 13 miles from my lake place. I would shop for one of those. It really helps clean out the garage and is a great place for woodworking tools etc. I figure the building will go up about as much as the boat depreciates, making my ownership a wash. I too cannot stand paying storage fees.

Even if the ice does not get you this year, it will get you and all those other guys saving a few bucks staying on the water. One alternative is ice eaters (do a search) if you can check on the boat and drop one of those in if needed might be an option. I would still fear shifting ice.

My $.02, worth what you paid for it.

SD2

I see you are in Dayton. Do you want to rent part of my building? It is outside of Hillsboro, gravel road in, cement floor, electric, door high enough you do not have to drop the tower. Small leak in the roof I'm still trying to fix.

$70/month (in advance I'm not fooling with nonpayment eviction hassles) we coordinate moving the boat in and out so nothing gets damaged (e.g. my boat) but I'll give you a key so you can go down and work on it during the winter. The building is insulated.

I think I can find you $25/mo indoor storage just off Cowen Lake if you just want to park it and forget it until spring. They stack them in and you cannot get it out, but it is cheap (dirt floor if I recall). Call the Cowen Lake Sailing Club and ask about sail boat storage (not a wake board boat;) )

Did you buy from George?

SD2

At the risk of getting no work done this morning.

Happy Birthday

SD2

I agree, if there's a chance that it might freeze I'd get the boat off the lift and if you're on an open part of the lake take the lift out of the water. I live in MN so believe me if it can freeze and the ice were to shift your boatlift will crumple.

Thanks for the replies. I will do so more research. Talked to three other guys, two Malibu owners and a MC guy(not that they know more but rather I think in general inboard guys are knowledgabe, serious boaters), and all three leave their's on the lift, so who knows. I really don't think Norris freezes, but I will check. Thanks for the offer sd2, but that defeats the purpose. I actually am now in NoKy, and already have an indoor storage facility in Corbin I keep it at tha is only 1 mile off 75, 3 miles from a ramp for Laurel Lake and right on the way to Norris. Trying to see if I can eliminate that altogether. There is a place down there for slip owners that will allow a trailer for $100/year. Put a boat on it, it jumps to $1200, and that is outdoors.

yea, I've got a friend with a camper and a friend with a new Supra, one of them will rent it.

I have another friend's sail boat in there now. I'm sure I can fill it.

SD2