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Placing and removing lift / hoist

lakeliving

lakeliving

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Michigander living In Palm City FL
For those who keep their boats on lifts in northern climates, how do you set them in the spring, remove them in the fall aside from writing a check. For years I've used my neighbors float but want to do my own thing going forward (less dependent on others) 

Here is what I used in the past and they no longer make them.

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I've looked at a couple different systems (boat lift helper and boat lift lift) and they are around $1400. Seems a bit high. It looks like all I need are some dock floats and a couple winches and I can have my own. The lake bottom is mucky where the back corner of the lift sits so I need something to pop it up and move it to shore.  

Any ideas?
 
I talked to him earlier and the 6' bags are $1400 for the kit. I was looking for something less expensive. I really like that system though.
 
Maybe I could use my paddle boat for the float. It has a weight capacity of 825lbs which should give me good buoyancy. I'll just need to build a cradle to go on top and distribute the weight of the lift and support the winches.
 
lakeliving said:
Maybe I could use my paddle boat for the float. It has a weight capacity of 825lbs which should give me good buoyancy. I'll just need to build a cradle to go on top and distribute the weight of the lift and support the winches.
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Lakeliving, be sure your wife is filming when you do this.  Then upload the video to Americas Funniest Video, win the $10,000 then buy the salvage bags
 
Hire it done.

Way less expensive than chiropractic adjustments.
 
I like to challenge myself and develop homemade solutions to a problem. There is a sense of accomplishment I get from it.
 
I have a few accomplishment reminders. So far all of them only required stitches!
 
My neighbor is an engineer and I use his homemade system for floating/moving my lift.  I'll try describing it, but it's pretty hard to describe.  I'll be able to get pics in a few weeks - the pics will help - suddenly you'll see it and have that ah-ha moment!

Get some large sheets of styrofoam insulation (like they use on houses - pink or blue) - 4 foot X 8 foot, 2 or 3 inches thick.  Cut each into strips about 18 inches inches wide.  Glue several strips together until you end up with 8-foot long blocks about 18 inches by 18 inches.  You'll need 2 of these - 1 for each side of the lift.  (Depending on the size/weight of your lift you may need bigger blocks.)

Cut each block to length so that it fits in between the wheels of your lift, with a few inches of spare room. This is so the wheels can turn once you get it on land.  So, at this point you have 2 blocks 18 inches by 18 inches by 6 or 7 feet (depends on how much space between the wheels.)

You need 2 sets of long heavy duty straps.  Each set should have some method of adjustably attaching together, that could be ratchet-style or the kind that loops through 2 rings.

Take the open end of a strap and strongly attach it around the styrofoam blocks - you can rivet it, tie it, sew it, whatever.  You want to have 2 straps on each block, near each end.  Again, the straps have to be heavy duty and strongly attached to the blocks - there's a lot of force that the straps will need to hold.  The weak link will be however the straps are attached around the blocks - neighbor had them sewn on but they ripped so now we just tie them.)

If you're puttinjg the lift in, the lifting bed should be up a couple feet.  If you're taking out in the fall, make sure the lifting bed is down pretty low.

Place the styro blocks in between the wheels on the outside of the lift.  Run each strap under the fixed bottom rail on the side, up over the lifting bed (what the boat sits on) and attach it to the strap from the other side (using the ratchet or looping rings.)  What you're doing is attaching the ends of the 2 styro blocks together, running under the lowest fixed rail and over the lifting bed.  Pull the straps as tight as you can.  You should now have the 2 styro blocks attached to each other, side-to-side, with the straps running across the lift.

When you raise the lift bed up, the styro blocks are pulled down on the sides, floating the lift.  When you want to set the lift in place, lower the lift bed and the styro blocks will raise up, sinking the lift down into place.

I also put an inner tube under the front and back lower fixed rails to help with stability - they keep the lift from tipping back & forth.

Not sure if this helps, but it's a cheap solution and really works great.  The lift will float anywhere you want to take it, and raising/lowering the bed has the opposite effect on the lift - you can place the lift pretty precisely, and raise it up without killing yourself.

One more note - you want to have the wheels on the lift before you do the styro blocks - the wheels add a fair amount of floating power.

I'll post some pics once I can get at the neighbors stuff, but that will likely be a few weeks ... we still have at least 10 inches of ice on our lake  :(

Hope this helps - it's cheap and easy, and will float pretty much anything if you use enough styro!
 
Thanks! I can picture exactly how it works. I know some dealers have those foam blocks they set boats on. I wonder if those would work too. If you can snap a couple photos for me though I would appreciate it!
 
We just ordered one of these along with our new lift. May be over budget but very convenient given our situation. Not sure if it works with other brands lifts.

 
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Looks nice FarNorth. they sure don't give a good close up of how it attaches, lift on the lift. I think I might try tractor inner tubes as they seem to be pretty effective. In the mean time keep the techniques/tool ideas coming!
 
lakeliving said:
Looks nice FarNorth. they sure don't give a good close up of how it attaches, lift on the lift. I think I might try tractor inner tubes as they seem to be pretty effective. In the mean time keep the techniques/tool ideas coming!
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I'm trying to find a link, but we have 6 of these 5x5' x 4" thick dense foam (EVA?) lake floats. It's dense like the foam on a running shoe. I use them every year for the docks, but I can literally stand on one and it doesn't sink. I've used them on the lift too, but the ShoreStation I have now is such a beast I pay someone. They sell these in many colors, all around the lakes here and lower Michigan, as I've seen them along US12. I paid ~$40 each a long time ago, I'm sure much more now, but they are worth every penny. 





The nice thing is we use them for swimming and playing in the water all the time. Some have used them to "ski" on, standing up. Our granddaughters love them as they're very safe and stable.

Maybe these guys?

http://www.foamforyou.com/contact.htm
 
How many would you say are needed for a lift? I just called a tire place out here in farm country and he has tractor inner tubes (no leaks) he'll sell me for $10-15 bucks depending on size. I figure that is worth a shot and if it doesn't work it will give kids something to play on.
 
lakeliving said:
How many would you say are needed for a lift? I just called a tire place out here in farm country and he has tractor inner tubes (no leaks) he'll sell me for $10-15 bucks depending on size. I figure that is worth a shot and if it doesn't work it will give kids something to play on.
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I used one under the front crossmember and one under the back one on our 4000lb Hewitt lift. My neighbor uses 4 on his ShoreStation, and does it by himself. I have one of THESE lift jacks to pick the corners up.
 
Thanks Tom. This is really helpful. I bet my 4500lb lift is similar to your old Hewitt (non hydraulic)
 
Hey Lake,

I posted these last year after I made them.  They worked fine for my SS Hydraulic 5000lb lift.   

I've got chain on each slide of the lift (4 corners).  I like these winches as I can just run them up or down with drill and not have to worry about any mech, latch, ratches, etc... to hold them.



 
Those look really nice. Should last you a real long time. Where did you get the winches? Looks like the floats are KL industries two chambered floats.
 
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