See full version: All About Boat Lifts
Be sure the electrical controls and drive (winch) equipment is of a “gear drive” type and it is contained in sealed and waterproof housings. With careful consideration it is possible to locate manufacturers who sell these types of drives, which have replaced the old style worm gear, pulley and belt systems. [links]
Furthermore, look for a lift that has engineered grease fittings and grease pockets adjacent to the fittings so injected grease can stay in the reserve. It is suggested that the buyer stay away from bronze or other material bushings where sea and other water can get trapped and cause binding of the rotating parts. A flowing grease fitting can move accumulated salt and other debris out of the way of the rotating parts. Taking these “cautious minutes” early on to explore engineered materials and features will result in years of trouble free lift performance. more
Let’s take an example of a rough cost estimate for a lift that only includes the direct costs associated with the lift system and relate it to an average boat.
Boaters should have……Security! When your 20, 40, 60 or 150 foot long conventional, go-fast boat or yacht must be secure, “LIFT IT”!
Therefore select a larger boat lift than the weight of your present boat so you have expansion room in the future.
Depending on the boat you have and the investment you made, you may or may not be concerned with cosmetic blemishes. However, most boat owners take great pride in their watercraft and want it to remain as pristine as possible. Furthermore, blistering and hull delamination seriously decrease the safety of the vessel. In the end, your best defense against blistering is to be a good boat owner and invest in all of the proper precautions. Storing your boat off of the water on a high quality lift will help to reduce time consuming maintenance and will reduce the likelihood of damaging your barrier coat. In addition to being a time saver, using a boat lift also will help to maintain the appearance of the boat and improve its resale value down the road. here
Protect your investment! Watercraft dry-docked on a boat lift do not need lines or bumpers. Boat lifts prevent the watercraft from hitting the dock during heavy wake or inclement weather, avoiding scrapes and bruises from bouncing around in a tied-off wet slip mooring. When properly configured, a boat lift can dry dock your vessel well above storm surge. Also, the Boat Owner’s Association of the United States recently took a look at insurance claims and found that 69% of boats sink at the dock or mooring. With a boat lift you do not need to constantly worry about your bilge pump. If your bilge pump fails while you are away, your boat is still safely dry-docked with a boat lift.
Unfortunately, before this paint can be applied, the hull will typically need to be pressure washed, scraped and then sanded. As you can imagine, this requires removing the boat from the water. By keeping your boat on a lift, you will help to decrease the likelihood that aquatic life will be able to affect your hull. This means a whole lot less washing, scraping, sanding and painting!
Storing a boat in the water may not seem like a bad idea, but it is truly damaging to the boat. Some of the effects are merely cosmetic (hull staining), while others pose a threat to the boat in more significant ways. Most boats have areas that are porous, like the fiberglass and resin structure. As fiberglass hulled boats remain immersed, osmotic pressure causes water to seep underneath the gel coating. This can lead to blistering and eventual delamination of your fiberglass hull. As you can imagine, this sort of damage can be more than just expensive to repair. Many times it can mean the end of your vessel!
Imagine pulling your boat from the water only to find metal fittings, props, and more all but eaten away. Even worse, the same sort of damage can take place inside your engine block, manifold and pumps as well. This sort of damage can be extremely bad as you can’t typically see it until your boat simply breaks down. The use of special anodes can help offset this to a degree; however, the best means of preventing it is through the use of a boat lift. This will give your boat the time out of the water it needs to keep the damage to a minimum. here
Do you have rope, weeds or wire wrapped around your propeller? I s your fuel filter dirty or plugged? Is your engine oil low? Tip: If you use an in-line primer bulb, do not over pump the Mikuni carburetor aftermarket engines. These carburetors have very small needle and seat valves and if you over-pump the bulb, you can push small particles of debris past the fuel filter element and into the needle and seat where it will plug the carburetor. This can stop the engine or restrict fuel during acceleration or at full throttle. Also, the Mikuni carburetors have a low speed idle jet on the side of the carburetor. (brass screw). If your motor experiences hesitation at throttle-up, turn the screw in. The idle screw is normally set at 1 and a half turns out, but it can be run as far as all the way in. Each engine and carburetor are slightly different. If you are in a state that is using 10% ethanol and you aren't using our fuel tank and new fuel lines, the ethanol can deteriorate the older system and cause particles to enter the fuel system, plug up fuel filter, etc .
I accidentally reversed the battery connections when I reinstalled the battery. What potential damage could I have caused?
- Generally improves rough water ride. [links]
A cuddy cabin holds its value so well that you might consider buying a new one and selling it every three years. In this case, you’ll lose 13% to depreciation, but you’ll have a brand new boat every three years.
A boat is a much bigger commitment than many people realize before they buy it. Firstly, the engine needs to be taken care of through regular maintenance, flushing the cooling system after use in saltwater, and yearly winterizations. [links]
Upgrades to stay away from are stereo systems and exterior lighting systems. If you’d like to make these upgrades for yourself, then, by all means, do so, but don’t do them to increase the value of your boat. Buyers usually don’t care about stereo systems, and they won’t even see your fancy new exterior lighting unless they come to look at your boat at night.
Some people decide that they’d rather sell their boat at the end of the season to avoid storing it all winter.