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Go Back   WakeWorld > >> Boats, Accessories & Tow Vehicles Archive > Archive through April 26, 2009

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Old     (nvip9r)      Join Date: Feb 2004       04-18-2009, 4:39 PM Reply   
Looking for some advice. I am thinking about buying a boat lift for my new to me 2000 Malibu VLX Wakesetter w/ 180hrs. But with the way the economy is and job security should I save my money or just say scrXw it and fork out the cash to keep my boat looking new? Will it be bad for it to leave it in the water for the season and maybe have it professionally cleaned at the end of the season? Also if I were to look into lifts, suggestions on capacity?
Old     (deltadave)      Join Date: Mar 2005       04-18-2009, 5:59 PM Reply   
Get a lift if you have the money and you think your job is secure. It beats launching it all the time and you'll enjoy it more. No, I wouldn't leave it in the water. #4500 should do it.
Old     (amo)      Join Date: Jan 2009       04-18-2009, 6:11 PM Reply   
Convenience is nice with a boat lift, but if the launch isn't crowded too much and it's close to the house then don't get the lift. Lifts are expensive. What's a VLX, 3400-3800lbs. You'll need a 5000lb lift at least. I have a 7000lb Pier Pleasure for my X-Star and I spent $7800 with an electric drive motor for it. You don't want to be hand cranking a boat that big. Hell, I don't like hand cranking my bass boat. Shoremaster makes a good lift and so does Floe.

How deep is your water at the dock, that will also determine the lift you use.

Do you have power run to the dock or at the shore close to the dock?

If the water is too deep you could be SOL for an inexpensive lift new or used. I'm not sure what a hydrohoist cost now, but im sure it's around or more than the price of that pier pleasure. And a Sunstream is going to run you some serious change.

Do you own a home on the lakeshore or do you rent a stall at a Marina? If Marina it's deep water and you need a floating lift.

Nick, sounds like you may be trailering if you are on a marina if you are concerned about cost. Unless they rent the lifts.
Old     (nvip9r)      Join Date: Feb 2004       04-18-2009, 6:40 PM Reply   
Actually I live on a small lake, about 100acre. So really no trailering. SO the boat would be sitting in the water all season (6mo). I owned a 86' inboard which spent its life in the lake but now that I upgraded...figured might be worht the lift. I am pretty secure in the job, but just wasn't sure worht all that money. I am looking at a basic crank system due to $$. Thanks for the input. Also the CEO (wife) would rather pay off a credit card than me buy a lift...she doesn't have the same enthusiasm as me with wakeboarding.
Old     (mammoth)      Join Date: Apr 2005       04-19-2009, 5:45 AM Reply   
I'm a few years in to one of these. A few things to be aware of but they work great.

http://www.airdock.com/
Old     (chuckc983)      Join Date: Sep 2008       04-19-2009, 6:15 AM Reply   
No way I would leave the boat in the water for a season - I assure you - you will be sorry. In my early boating days - we left a Chaparral in the water for the summer - by the end of the summer there was so much growth on the bottom of the boat it would not go faster the 30mph (it would normally do about 50mph) - Also - you cannot simply clean the bottom - it often takes acid to get the growth off. I think others on here would agree - you should never leave the boat in the water for an extended period. We have a hydrohoist - cost between 4 and 5k installed - it should work for your boat if you have 4 to 5 foot of depth.
Old     (mobv)      Join Date: Jun 2002       04-19-2009, 10:12 AM Reply   
A lift will pay for itself in resell value on the boat in a couple years. The risk of osmosis (blistering) is to great to leave a boat in the water all summer.

Large boats that must sit in the water all have bottom paint to prevent osmosis and fouling from alge growth.
Old     (skier12)      Join Date: Mar 2006       04-19-2009, 10:37 AM Reply   
I'm not sure a 4-5k lift will pay for it self when your talking about a 20k boat.

I'm on my second inboard and we've left both in the water for 4-5 months at a time. At the end of the year we cleaned it off as soon as it came out and it looked great.

Also my boat is very sheltered from wind and other wakes which is another another reason one would want a lift.

BTW nice boat Nick, where are you located? I'm way out in the south west part of MA.

(Message edited by skier12 on April 19, 2009)
Old     (pavement_rider)      Join Date: Feb 2009       04-19-2009, 12:05 PM Reply   
Fiberglass boats with Gel coat finishes may blister or at the least discolor by sitting in the H20. Step up get a lift and you'll never be sorry
Old     (sbt3)      Join Date: Jun 2002       04-19-2009, 3:57 PM Reply   
Boat lifts are great especially if you get a canopy on it then you don't have to mess with covering it when you're done or if you do you can just throw a light weight cover over it to keep the dust out which is what I do. I have a shorestation which is ok. It's a 4000lb lift which would be plenty for you. If you can find a Floe look into those. I have a buddy with one and it's sweet.
Old     (nvip9r)      Join Date: Feb 2004       04-19-2009, 6:04 PM Reply   
Thanks for all the advice. I'd love to get one with a canopy, but I have the Tuna Tower setup which is not foldable so those canopies wouldn't work. I am guessing. I am just trying to figure is the lift worth all the $$. My boat isn't new, but with only 180hrs it basically is. Again thanks. So it sounds like a 4000lb would be right. Will have to start checking out Craigslist maybe can find a good deal out there. Was hoping with the economy stinking maybe prices would come down a lot. Thanks again.

Kyle, I dropped you an email. Maybe we can get together some time. I am always looking for help and riders...
Old     (lakelife)      Join Date: Feb 2003       04-21-2009, 7:39 PM Reply   
Get the boat lift you will never regret it. As mentioned, gel coats discolor and blister over time, but there's another reason...

A boat lift keeps its resale value better than the boat does; I have never seen a crank lift for sale for less than $3,500...
Not only that, but if you get a good lift it will last you 50 years if you maintain it...

Just my $0.02!
Old     (rallyart)      Join Date: Nov 2006       04-22-2009, 7:54 AM Reply   
I've left boats on the water for many years with never a problem. Do remember, they are boats and should be made for the water.

Mine are only there for about three months of continuous immersion and our lake is very clean. That might be why I've had no problem and some others might have. Mine just floats at the buoy happily waiting to go.
Old     (bcrider)      Join Date: Apr 2006       04-22-2009, 9:19 AM Reply   
I had my boat at the marina at a local lake sitting in the water for most of the summer with no issues as well. I think a lot of it would dependent on the water it's sitting in. Any scum that was on the hull was easily wiped off with a wash. A lift is still a good idea though.
Old     (shredhead)      Join Date: Jun 2003       04-22-2009, 9:45 AM Reply   
When I purchased my boat, I didn't even get a trailer. I put it on the lift w/canopy right away.
20 years later I still have the same interior.
Old     (wakemikey)      Join Date: Mar 2008       04-22-2009, 10:20 AM Reply   
Nick V if you are not in need of something fancy, they are very common to find used on Craigslist. Often people will give them away or small fee if you come and haul it out of the water at their property. Any old boatlift should do, it doesn't need to be something just for an inboard. When you pull on, it is easy to leave room for the prop (don't pull it on super far). Good luck.
Old     (absoluteboarder)      Join Date: Aug 2002       04-22-2009, 3:08 PM Reply   
....our boat sits in lake that will make plants grow out of your hull!!!

...but I give it a scrub with a soft car brush every weekend and at the end of the summer we only have the tea stain that comes off easily with a hull cleaner.

we have had boats on lifts and in the water...the benefits of lifts are obvious.

our boat is on mooring whips now and what we do like is that when you hang out on the boat its always in the water. You dont have to first take it off the lift....this is nice when you just hang out on it at night for a few drinks.
Old     (westsidarider)      Join Date: Feb 2003       04-22-2009, 3:34 PM Reply   
my experience is that a lift is well worth it. the resale on the around here is fairly descent as well. you might loose on a grand or 2 but my opinion is its well spent to save you time and worry about your boat sinking if something were to happen while your gone with no one to look over it. not to mention the time spent cleaining. also its nice to be able to lift the boat up to be able to pull the plug and let some water drain from time to time.
Old     (chuckc983)      Join Date: Sep 2008       04-22-2009, 3:52 PM Reply   
Something else to think about, around here (TN) boat lifts hold a pretty good value. Say you put 4-5k into purchasing one, you can likely sell it down the road for 3k or so. On the flip side - a good boat lift will last a very long time - so maybe you could purchase a used one in your area.

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