Buying a new 8 1/2 ft wide Bennington and wanting to put it on my existing powerboat lift. The powerboat also has 8 1/2 ft beam but with tapered bow only the mid section is wide...so it easily goes onto the lift. Does anyone use an 110in wide lift.....normal for most runabouts for their pontoon? I know it would need to be modified, but want to make sure only having 4 inches clearance on each side will it work.
I think it will be too tight to be honest. With my last toon we used a 114' lift and it was tight. Any cross wind and you were white knuckling it in. We now have a 120' and it is a lot nicer. You wouldn't even have room for load guides with your current lift.
I had a 114 on my old boat as well. My skirt was all rashed up from bouncing back and forth, many snaps got damaged or pulled out.
For a short time, I had considered using it on the new pontoon, but the extra weight sealed that one for me. at 3600lb max, it was no where near what I needed for the new boat.
I sold the old lift and used the money towards the new 120" lift.
I'm EXTREMELY happy with the decision AND the new lift.