I was at a boat show yesterday and purchased a Bennington 235R SHP. I will use this boat in the sound at North Carolina's Kitty Hawk where the water at my boathouse can get quite low with a north wind. The pontoon boat I am replacing sits on a lift made with 6" aluminum I-beams with bunks that support the boat under the deck. I have a V-hull fiberglass boat at the same location that I keep on a sling lift. The sling makes a big difference when the water is low. I asked the salesman that sold me the Bennington if I could lift the boat with a sling lift so I can give the boat 6" more water to float in. He claims that Bennington's are lifted with sling lifts all the time and the construction of the boat is such that it would not be damaged.
I have read a number of posts across multiple sites that warn against using sling lifts as they can cause damage to the pontoons or damage to the structure of the boat because the sling will create a pinching pressure. I know I could modify my existing lift and use an enhanced sling setup that has multiple slings between I-beams that I would turn length wise. I have to figure out how to support the I-beams so they don't create inward pressure or rub against the pontoons.
1) Has anyone used a sling lift for multiple years with a tri-toon so you can share your real-world experience?
2) Has anyone seen Bennington's stance on this topic? Would this void the warranty on the boat?
3) Has anyone come up with a creative solution for lifting a pontoon boat with minimum impact on how much water you need to float it when the lift is all the way down in the sand?
Thanks,
New Bennington owner
I have read a number of posts across multiple sites that warn against using sling lifts as they can cause damage to the pontoons or damage to the structure of the boat because the sling will create a pinching pressure. I know I could modify my existing lift and use an enhanced sling setup that has multiple slings between I-beams that I would turn length wise. I have to figure out how to support the I-beams so they don't create inward pressure or rub against the pontoons.
1) Has anyone used a sling lift for multiple years with a tri-toon so you can share your real-world experience?
2) Has anyone seen Bennington's stance on this topic? Would this void the warranty on the boat?
3) Has anyone come up with a creative solution for lifting a pontoon boat with minimum impact on how much water you need to float it when the lift is all the way down in the sand?
Thanks,
New Bennington owner