Congratulations, for purchasing a nice boat, and you have a dock, wait, you also need a boat lift? That’s the nicest thing you can do for your boat. It means you love and can protect your investment at whatever cost.
But are you conversant with the boat lift purchasing process? Do you know the things you need to put in mind?
You can get plenty of boat lifts options out there but not all are suited for your type of boat.
You need to choose a good lift that will protect your boat against the water waves, corrosion, and the damages it can encounter in the water.
But choosing the right boat lift is no easy task. With too many options to choose from, the process of selecting yours can get overwhelming. Here are six things you need to know when buying your boat lift as shared by HydroHoist Boat Lift.
1. Size and Weight Capacity of Your Boat
The first thing you need to know before you go out to shop for your boat lift is the size and weight capacity of your boat. There must be a good match between the size of your boat and the lift size. Any mismatch in size can make the boat lift not usable.
There are a few key things you need to consider when it comes to the size and weight capacity of your lift. These include your boat make and model, dry weight of your boat, batteries, and any additional gear you will be carrying on your boat.
2. Automatic or Manual?
Boats can either be manual or electric. At first, you might think it foolish to buy a manual boat lift given that there are plenty of electric models out there, but there are plenty of things you need to consider apart from the power and manual operations.
Well, a manual boat lift will require you to use your energy to spin the wheel and raise the boat whereas an electric boat lift uses a small motor to do the operations. However, with an electric model, you will have to make sure there is a power source to the dock. Besides, electric boats require extra maintenance and care.
3. The Material Used in Constructing the Boat Lift
Most lifts are made of stainless steel and galvanized steel. If you intend to use your boat lift in saltwater conditions, then go for stainless steel. This will help to protect your boat lift from corrosion.
For freshwater conditions, choosing a boat lift made with galvanized steel would be a nice move. Either way, if you are concerned about corrosion, cracking and the impact of UV rays, you can choose a lift made with stainless steel material regardless.
4. Water Levels
The level of the water where you are going to use the boat lift is also another thing you want to put into consideration.
Shallow water lifts are useful in low water levels, especially in lakes.
5. Maintenance
All the parts of your boat lift from the cradle, cables, motor, to the winch require regular maintenance to make them operational for a long time. As such, you need to familiarize yourself with the type of maintenance required from the boat itself to the dock and boat lift as well. Remember, buying a boat lift is an investment that you must protect and maintain it regularly can save you money and make your lift last longer.
6. Length and Width
As a rule, the beam of the boat lift must support the boat. As such, your lift needs to support the strength and weight capacity of your boat.
At the moment, the length and width of your boat will determine the type of lift you want to install but what if you make other upgrades on your boat in the future, can your lift still support your boat properly.
Just make sure the lift you are installing on your coastal property can handle your boat and any other vessel you plan to purchase in the years to come.
Wrapping It Up
Before you set your eyes on that boat lift for sale, you should make sure you understand all the things that make it suitable for use with your boat.
