Boat lift cost?

[jman]

Anyone in Northern California or on the West Coast know where to get decent pricing on boat lifts? Was quoted $12k total for a Hydrohoist 4400 and $10k for a Econolift 4500. Read somewhere on here should be about $1 per pound, plus tax. I’ve seen a couple used models, but confused if it matters about center or side mount. I’d assume could just tie the lift tightly to the dock. Apparently this doesn’t work. Thanks.

 

[John McLaughlin]

Boat lifts are expensive if you think about it. Need permits, pilings, electrical and then the lift. the one way you might be able to reduce cost is to find a company with good reputation that would install use parts. The use parts come for those who want to install anew lift. I did that for many of the parts and am very happy.

 

[PeterB]

$12k seems to a pretty common price range. Hydrohoist quoted me the same two years ago in Illinois and my brother in law paid about $12k early this year in Sarasota.
I managed to find a used lift for $4500 but had to replace bunks and do some refurbishing on the risers, and added a walkway so I can clean the boat easier. I did find that used lifts seem to go extremely fast. I will be selling mine soon but it would likely be too costly to ship to CA.
If you go with Hydrohoist give some thought to setting it up for either bow in or stern in docking. We prefer to dock stern in as it makes boarding really easy - hydrohoist can do that but it requires special cross bars to clear the running gear

 

[jman]

Boat lifts are expensive if you think about it. Need permits, pilings, electrical and then the lift. the one way you might be able to reduce cost is to find a company with good reputation that would install use parts. The use parts come for those who want to install anew lift. I did that for many of the parts and am very happy.

Those prices don’t even include installation or electrical work. Just the lift. No permit is needed in my area. That might add a few extra thousands. The lift is almost like 1/2 the price of the boat.

 

[jman]

$12k seems to a pretty common price range. Hydrohoist quoted me the same two years ago in Illinois and my brother in law paid about $12k early this year in Sarasota.
I managed to find a used lift for $4500 but had to replace bunks and do some refurbishing on the risers, and added a walkway so I can clean the boat easier. I did find that used lifts seem to go extremely fast. I will be selling mine soon but it would likely be too costly to ship to CA.
If you go with Hydrohoist give some thought to setting it up for either bow in or stern in docking. We prefer to dock stern in as it makes boarding really easy - hydrohoist can do that but it requires special cross bars to clear the running gear

I found a used one for $5000, but discovered it’s a center count lift. My dock is squared shape and was told that particularly Hydrohoist would not work. Need a side mount lift. Just thought a lift was a lift. Good thing the seller gave me some info or I’d be stuck with a lift I can’t use.

 

[brokitansky]

I had a new 7000 lbs lift installed earlier this year for $9k. It’s a front mount float-air. Very happy with it.

 

[jman]

I had a new 7000 lbs lift installed earlier this year for $9k. It’s a front mount float-air. Very happy with it.

What state are you in and what model was it? Maybe California is just super expensive right now.

 

[BigN8]

Buy used. Very few moving parts. Most lifts are gonna be side mount in a marina type setting.
Keep in mind if you set it up for stern in docking you will be challenged on windy days if your slip is in a cross wind situation. Stern in is nice but bow in us much easier and will result in a lot less dock rash

 

[jman]

Buy used. Very few moving parts. Most lifts are gonna be side mount in a marina type setting.
Keep in mind if you set it up for stern in docking you will be challenged on windy days if your slip is in a cross wind situation. Stern in is nice but bow in us much easier and will result in a lot less dock rash

Most of the used Hydrohoist I’ve seen here are center mount. Where it’s made for a dock / slip that has a U shape cut out accommodated the boat. Would of bought it, but seller said it wouldn’t work. My dock is just rectangular in shape. Apparently it’s more complicated than I thought.

 

[BigN8]

When I bought mine I found a used Boat Floater model. Very similar to hydro hoist. I think I bought it for $4000 used it for 6-7 years and sold it for $3500.

 

[Beachbummer]

The lift parts themselves are cheap, it's the piling, bulkhead and dredging that cost a ton.

This is the most expensive part:

Flat-Plate Gear Plates | Boat Hoist Assembly - BH-USA

Flat-Plate Gear Plates are the base of the boat hoist. It has a gear that attached to the drive pipe of the boat lift. A motor is mounted onto the gear plate to complete the hoist.

bh-usa.com

What do you already have on site where you want the lift?

 

[jman]

The lift parts themselves are cheap, it's the piling, bulkhead and dredging that cost a ton.

This is the most expensive part:

Flat-Plate Gear Plates | Boat Hoist Assembly - BH-USA

Flat-Plate Gear Plates are the base of the boat hoist. It has a gear that attached to the drive pipe of the boat lift. A motor is mounted onto the gear plate to complete the hoist.

bh-usa.com

What do you already have on site where you want the lift?

i have a dock that’s rectangular in shape. About 25 x 12 feet. That’s why the Hydrohoist center lifts won’t work or I’d bought the used one already. Seems like no one in this area is selling the side mount models used.

 

[BigN8]

The lift parts themselves are cheap, it's the piling, bulkhead and dredging that cost a ton.

This is the most expensive part:

Flat-Plate Gear Plates | Boat Hoist Assembly - BH-USA

Flat-Plate Gear Plates are the base of the boat hoist. It has a gear that attached to the drive pipe of the boat lift. A motor is mounted onto the gear plate to complete the hoist.

bh-usa.com

What do you already have on site where you want the lift?

You’re talking about a different lift. We are discussing pontoon type lifts that use a frame mounted to pontoons that fill with air.

 

[Canuckjetboater]

Anyone in Northern California or on the West Coast know where to get decent pricing on boat lifts? Was quoted $12k total for a Hydrohoist 4400 and $10k for a Econolift 4500. Read somewhere on here should be about $1 per pound, plus tax. I’ve seen a couple used models, but confused if it matters about center or side mount. I’d assume could just tie the lift tightly to the dock. Apparently this doesn’t work. Thanks.

@jman ..... I lived on a lake for years and used a Shoremaster Aluminum Lift that two of us could remove each winter and put on land. I had placed four cement patio stones on the lakebed for the four wide "feet" to sit on and to level it and make removal easy. I installed electricity to the dock to operate the remote controlled motor. This was a highly effective and reasonably priced lift. Because it was not fixed/welded/bolted to a dock it was easily moved so when I sold it after 15 years of use I got more money that I paid. The guy brought an old boat trailer which we lifted the lift onto. Shoremaster is a solid American company. In Canada you can get Shoremaster (the one I chose) or now a Canadian company Naylor. Both are excellent unless you are dealing with crazy tides!......just checked the price of the same type of lift today - about $3,500.00 for the non electric lift. Add $1,000.00 for the electric motor.

 

[H2OBoy]

My lift is being installed once our water warms up. Cost is $15,800. Includes permit, canopy and remote, but not electrical. All other installers were right in line with the price.

 

[Soonerlt]

Agree with the others. Try and buy used if you can and make sure the marina will accept the type of lift you are planning to purchase. As for pricing, I’ve found the $1 per pound is more of a rule of thumb on used lifts, not new. By the way, you’ll probably get most, if not all of it, back when you sell. There always seems to be another buyer waiting in line if the current prospective buyer is trying to negotiate. As for CA prices, I’d probably charge more there as well if I were running the business. Not a lot of leverage in that market for the buyers, considering most in the market for a lift already have their boat and treat them like they’re made of gold. Best of luck....

 

[brokitansky]

What state are you in and what model was it? Maybe California is just super expensive right now.

I’m in NC. Not sure of exact model, but it is a Float-Air brand front mount model with 7000# capacity.

 

[KCAR250]

I’m in NC. Not sure of exact model, but it is a Float-Air brand front mount model with 7000# capacity.

Do you remember what you paid for it?

 

[Nakk]

I envy you guys. Mine was $21K. It's the one with the rotating floats to lift the boat up. It's the only one that would both fit in my slip and work during our low water months. (It needs very little water depth to operate.) On the good side it ties up to the slip like any boat would, so installation was just pushing it into the slip. Selling it will be easy too, just pull it out and tow it to the next owner's slip.