I've been changing my lower unit oil on the lift for 9 years. I use a paddle board, yeah I've dropped a few things in the water over the years, but a strong magnet on a rope, makes the job much less stressful. One tip for changing the oil anywhere, is to first clean the unit near the drain hole and put a piece of electrical tape right under the hole and long enough to reach into your drain container. The oil will run down the tape like magic. No mess, no second person needed. Try it.
