How Long Does It Take To Install a Boat Lift

Boat Lift installation can provide an excellent option for your water boat. A great boatlift protects the boat against waves from your dock, your boat, or the sea itself. Your boat lift can be used to help you clean your boat. A boat lift canopy helps keep your vessel protected against weather damage. Hence, we can say that a boat lift is a highly useful appliance to have but how long does it take to install one? Is it convenient to install a boat lift yourself? Or do you need to hire professionals to do that? All these questions will be answered in this blog. Boat lifts are an excellent investment in your waterfront property. Some lifts are not suitable for every boat. In the interest of protecting the boats you are building and lifting, consider the conditions under which it operates in their journey.

Float On, Float Off

The ships are hauled and launched from floating dry docks using large vessels or even really large ones, like plane transporters. Sink the waterdock in the sink, put the vessel in a bucket, and let the water flow through. Some boats use similar hydrodynamic techniques. Free-float Lifts are mini floating drydocks, anchored to floating tanks that flood. Once your boat reaches the water level, fill your tank up with water and the lift will lift your boat from the water. These are some simple tips that you can use to install the boat lift yourself or supervise the professionals keeping these tips in your mind.

Different Sizes

Three standard sizes are built to fit most boat lifts. The size of the system that’s best for you depends on the size of your boat lift. The width of your lift is measured from the inside vertical columns. If you’re unsure, you can provide a professional boat lift and docking company with the information about your boat and they can guide you through the process. As there are different sizes of boats, it becomes very difficult to get the perfect boat lift for your particular one. For that very reason, many boat lift manufacturers offer custom boat lift designs to accommodate your boat perfectly.

Types of Boat Lifts

There is a variety of boat lifts that you can choose from according to your preference:

Bottom Standing Lifts

A bottom-standing lift that is positioned next to the dock is supported by its bottom-supporting legs. When the water is between two and nine feet deep, the bottom is hard and even, making bottom-standing lifts a popular option. Installing the lift securely and level may be difficult if the ground is soft or uneven. The lift can be manually raised and lowered by turning a sizable wheel, or it can be operated by an electric motor, which of course needs power at the dock. The most expensive lifts raise and lower the boat using hydraulics, which is faster and quieter than using pulleys and cables.

Pilling Mount Lifts

A fixed dock or piling mount lift is immediately connected via a piling mount boat lift. Naturally, this calls for a dock or piling structure that is sturdy enough to hold both the lift and the boat. This frequently necessitates the special installation of pilings, which can be costly. Any difficulty with a piling mount lift is neither the depth of the water nor the bottom structure. Electric power is typically needed for these elevators to operate.

Floating Lifts

On air-filled metal or plastic chambers, floating lifts support the boat. To release the boat, the chambers are flooded, sink below the surface, and remain submerged while the boat is in operation. When you get back, lay the boat over the chambers so that when air is displaced by electric pumps, the chambers float, and the boat is raised above the water. Larger marinas with floating docks and freshwater impoundments where the lake level can change seasonally are where floating lifts are most prevalent. A floating lift needs electricity, and because the chambers are submerged at all times, marine growth may accumulate and need to be periodically cleaned off.

Shore Mounted Lifts

A shore-mounted lift consists of a ramp that extends into the water from the shore. Driving the boat onto the ramp is the first step. The next step is often to lift the boat the ramp, over the beach, and out of the water using a winch and line tied to the bow. It can be relatively cheap and simple to install and maintain, but it does require a shoreline that gradually rises from the ocean.

Elevator Lift

The elevator lift is good for narrow canals where there’s limited room. Its frames attach at the top to a seawall or two pilings, while the lower ends sit below the water. You lay the boat alongside, push a button and the elevator lifts the boat like the arms of a forklift. The four or eight-post lift is supported by pilings with aluminum beams running lengthwise across their tops. It’s like a slip, but with a boat lift attached. The lift is raised and lowered by stainless steel cables attached to the four corners.

Weight of the Boat Lifts

All boat lifts are sold by capacity. Add about 10 percent to what you think your boat weighs to compensate for gear, fluid levels, and so forth. If you’re planning to move up in boat size before moving out of your waterfront home, buy a lift for the boat you plan to own. A quality lift installed by competent, licensed professionals will last a long time. When you have equipment that lifts thousands of pounds, if it is not turned off properly, bad things will happen. Serious damage is caused when a lift isn’t shut off will end up costing more than the remote control.

Conclusion

The benefits of a boat lift include a reduction in marine growth and corrosion, peace of mind during rough weather, and easier washdowns. Living on the water isn’t always beer and skittles. In many areas, some harborside homes face enough open water for the wind-driven chop to make things boisterous along the bulkhead. Foothills Dock & Lift Repair offers a variety of boat lifts to choose from if you are looking for buying a new boat lift. Our services also include dock repair, lift cables lubrication, dock cleaning, and flotation tank repair. Contact us today and book an appointment!

How Long Does It Take To Install a Boat Lift