HELP! Our Sport nautique is stranded on the lift!

After waiting for rain all summer we have found our boat is stuck on the lift. Only about 10% of the boat is in the water. I don't think that even ten+ people could move it. We are in Wisconsin so we really can't wait for rain any longer because of the weather changes that will be starting to come. The fins on the bottom will catch the lift as it comes off so we really can't rip it off with another boat. What are our options? Are we screwed? Any advise other than fill the lake or you should have taken it off earlier would be greatly apprieciated
Thanks

take a picture

Hey Brady,
What part of wisconsin are you from. Our boat is kept up in minocqua and there has been some problems with people getting their boats off their lifts too. Its been a crazy summer this year. I guess having all those hot sunny days is kicking us in the butt now.

danny

Im from Hartland on Beaver lake. I'm trying to find a camera

We used to use inflatable pontoons made by Avon, they were about 3 feet in diameter. We would place them on the sides of the boat and inflate them lifting the boat up in the air and as we deflated them we would pull on the boat. This would only move the maybe a foot at a time but it worked. This is the only we could get fins past the lift frame.

brady,
sorry to hear about the boat stuck on the lift...
You could pick up some intertubes and inflate them under the boat and try to float it back that way...

Btw.. we are still riding strong, if you need to get out give one of us a call!

Gordon

These are the pics of it stuck on the lift

intertubes bro, this is how we move our shorestations around.

yeh i would first remove any weight, gas, anything that can be taken out, then get a couple of thoes really big tubes and inflate them under the boat, and you should then be able to move it out of the lift area. Hope that helps.

We might have too try the big inner tubes but I have my doubts. That is how we move the lift but the boat weighs like 2000lbs more (I think)
Mike or Gordon give me a call @ 734-358-4766 if you want to ride

check with your local heavy duty towing company, they usually have BIG AIR BAGS that they use to right semis. This is as a last resort, because it will cost you some $$$$.

Another idea....can you put lifting straps under the bottom of the boat and somehow attach them to the tops of your lift support poles?
You would then have to use 2 come-alongs to lift the boat up enough to clear the lift.
They use large straps to pick-up yachts with a travel-lift.

I like the straps idea, if the canopy can hold some weight.

Same thing happened here in Michigan. I think that the lake has gone down about a foot to a foot and a half this summer. It's nice to have the sunny weather with no rain, but it kills you at the end of the season.

What we did was take a 55 gallon drum and a rachet strap to the back of the shorestation just enough to get the pressure off the pins to pull the leg and shortened it, but we only needed a few inches or so.

In your case you might be able to get a bunch of drums and float the lift out or shorten the legs.

On a side note the boat is on the trailer and we can just launch it from the driveway now until it is time to put it away for the winter.

I'm on Okauchee and we had the same problem until this past weekend. We have a dolly on tracks that pulls it into a boat house and we just couldn't get it down far enough. I put another 11' of tracks in this weekend to fix the problem.

As to what you can do, there are those crane barges on Okauchee that they use to put in piers, shore stations and things like that. I'd call them, see if they could hook up to the lift and maybe move the whole thing, w/ the boat back a few feet. Otherwise, straps, floats and whatever else kind of rigging you can figure out. If you don't know of anyone on that lake doing barge crane stuff, shoot me a pm, I know our neighbors have used it a few times, I'll get you a phone number.

we also did what Dale said with the pins and lowering the actual bunks on the lift with our pontoon boat, but that was a heck of a lot lighter to lift and move around while we moved pins than your nautique would be.

unfortunatly our legs are already down as far as they can go on the lift and also we would have to drag the lift out afout 60+ feet (over rocks) to get it any deeper. How strong are the teak platforms? I was thinking if we put a jack under water and tilted it about 45 degrees so it was under the boat pushing on teak and pointing away from the lift we might be able to jack the boat off 6 inches at a time. Once we hit the fins catch point though we may have to figure something else out. Where's Mcguiver when you need him?

If you can drive a truck close enough for about $500 your local tree service company or sign hangers have boom trucks (small crane) that can easily lift your boat. Or call a local construction company they are used to handeling heavy equipment.

.02- grease up several intertubes, inflate and use another boat to pull it off the lift once the fins are elevated above the frame. Will take a little work and coordination, but not to much $$$

AM I THE ONLY ONE HERE THAT THINKS "JACKING A BOAT OFF 6INCHES" AT A TIME IS WIERD.

PERSONALLY ID GO WITH THE STRAPS AND 50GALLON DRUMS.

Brady,
I wouldn't mess with putting a jack on the teak. It isn't that strong and you will probably mess it up. I live on Okauchee as well. Drop me a email I can get you a guys name who operates one of the barges. He has a hydrolic crane which may be able to get the boat off. stan.tanner@techna-tool.com

I would try 2-4 large truck tubes per side and float that sucker off! Keep in mind that 4 tubes can support the back end of a 33,000 Lb. truck!!!