New Bennington Owner in 2022 - Boat Hoist Questions

[Vikingstaff]

Torch Lake…fellow Spartan too!

Such a beautiful lake! We had a ski chalet at Shanty Creek resort for a long time. Used to pop over to Torch lake a lot, including often for 4th of July fire works. Nice area. Go Green!

 

[TheCrew]

Welcome to the forum and congratulations on the new to you Bennginton. Lots of Michiganders in the forums, including one right there where you are at. We are on Houghton Lake ourselves.

I 100% (!!!) echo the go bigger than 5,000lbs and buying a lift for your next Bennington if that is what you are determined to do in the next 5 years. It will be worth the investment now.

Also, as noted above, get one that holds your “anticipated” boat PLUS a FULL crew of people, gear and gas. I think people sometimes overlook that in trying to save a little money. A pontoon on a lift can often become a default “over the water” lakeside deck - particularly on hot sunny days with a canopy over it.

Also, when raising and lowering the boat, it’s going to be loaded up with everyone and everything. I’d recommend a good 2-3,000 pounds of extra weight allowance (above your anticipated future boat weight) if you will have lots of company boating.

Another lift manufacturer to consider because they are VERY robust and made here in Northern Michigan, is NuCraft/Craftlander. We got one of their lifts in 2017 per advice from another member on here. Super strong, and made out of Roscommon, Michigan. I wouldn’t hesitate to buy another one from them if we were looking. However, NuCraft makes vertical lifts, and as mentioned the hydraulic ones do lift faster and often quieter. The vertical lifts are slower.

Full Disclosure: Due to late summer HL water levels and shallowness, we did sell our lift system and switch to Sea Legs in 2019. Love them, but they wouldn’t make senes for you if you will replace this boat in a few years. Selling our lift had nothing to do with strength or quality of the it. Just had to do with late season water shallowness inside of 220’ of the shoreline on HL. We simply needed greater seasonal flexibility, and Sea Legs fit the bill for us and our lake conditions.

 

[TheCrew]

Thanks again —- this is so helpful as boat lift choice is quite daunting! How would you compare NuCraft/Craftlander to Bulmann? I know ShoreStation is considered top of the line but these also seem like quality and with a warranty will hold up just as wel?

 

[Vikingstaff]

Thanks again —- this is so helpful as boat lift choice is quite daunting! How would you compare NuCraft/Craftlander to Bulmann? I know ShoreStation is considered top of the line but these also seem like quality and with a warranty will hold up just as wel?

Unfortunately, I am not familiar with Bulmann. When we got our NuCraft in 2017, I was debating between them and ShoreStation or Shorelander. Ended up going with the local Michigan made NuCraft after getting very good recommendations from another forum member on their quality and durability. If it were not for our shallow water predicament seasonally, we would have stuck with it. It was a great lift.

 

[Michiman]

Thanks again —- this is so helpful as boat lift choice is quite daunting! How would you compare NuCraft/Craftlander to Bulmann? I know ShoreStation is considered top of the line but these also seem like quality and with a warranty will hold up just as wel?

I don’t have one, but several of my neighbors have Bulmann and they like them. They seem to be very quick up and down and are definitely a premium brand.

 

[Bill N]

Hewitt will be launching a new vertical hydraulic very soon. I'm hearing it will be similar to ShoreStation's.