Boat lift/hoist ??'s

(midwesty) · (midwesty) **Join Date: Aug 2003** 02-18-2006, 7:26 PM

we are in the process of thinking about putting the boat out on a slip at the lake. we can only have a hydro-hoist type lift but my question is this.

the docks at the marina are floating docks. i havent discussed this with the marina but i was wondering if there was a cheap way to lift the boat outta the water? here is the idea, 2 sets of ratchet/hand crank style straps under the boat to lift and lower the boat, like the straps they use at the big marinas to "cradle" the boats when lifted out. would this be too much weight on the dock to handle or what? how are the hydro-hoists mounted? basically 2 tow straps that cradle the boat. questions or comments please.

(peter_c) · (peter_c) **Join Date: Sep 2001** 02-18-2006, 7:57 PM

The most common type for your circumstances is a hoist that uses barrels that fill with water to sink it. Then when you want to raise the boat the use a 110 power supply to clear the water out of the barrels and the boat is now no longer in the water. They work great in tidal areas also. The lifts attach to the dock but will not put weight on the dock. The big question is do you have 110 volts available? I can not remember the brand but a quick search on the internet should reveal it.

(midwesty) · (midwesty) **Join Date: Aug 2003** 02-18-2006, 9:44 PM

i know all about the hoists you are talking about but they are pretty expensive and we are probably only keep the boat in the slip 4-5months of the year, so a hoist will be somewhat of a pain. that is why i kinda came up with the idea of the straps and ratchet type system concept.

(mbrown) · (mbrown) **Join Date: May 2005** 02-18-2006, 10:02 PM

You can often find used hydrohoists for half the price. They work great and it's hard to substitute their convenience.

(midwesty) · (midwesty) **Join Date: Aug 2003** 02-19-2006, 2:32 AM

please point me in the direction of these used hydrohoists. they are few and far between in the vegas area i know that.

(mobv) · (mobv) **Join Date: Jun 2002** 02-19-2006, 4:14 AM

There are winch systems that use straps to lift a boat. The winch is mounted overhead and steel cables attach to the straps. However, most marinas will not allow the weight of the boat to be suspended by the dock. If everyone did that it would sink the dock. Never hurts to ask.

(leetudor) · (leetudor) **Join Date: Oct 2001** 02-19-2006, 6:55 PM

If the dock is floating and waves hit the dock, what stops the boat from rocking?