Boat lift question

[HawkTX]

I recently had a hydrohoist boat lift installed on my slip. I really like it and highly recommend it based off a few weekends of use so far. This may be a dumb question, but I wanted to see what other boat lift owners are doing. When putting the boat on the lift for the weekend I plug in my trickle charger to the battery so its always topped off, but do I leave my bilge pumped button turned on? My thinking is that if the lift ever failed and lowered the boat into the water I would be covered. My slip is actually covered so it would not take on rain while on the lift. Any thoughts on this or am I being a little too cautious?

 

[billyb]

My lift is about 9 years old. When I leave the boat up for the week, month, winter, I always shut the batteries off.

Lift failure only really happens when you have dock failure (too much snow on roof). And when that happens, your bilge isn't much good at that point. That's what insurance is for.

Just my opinion...

 

[HawkTX]

My lift is about 9 years old. When I leave the boat up for the week, month, winter, I always shut the batteries off.

Lift failure only really happens when you have dock failure (too much snow on roof). And when that happens, your bilge isn't much good at that point. That's what insurance is for.

Just my opinion...

Good point. I was sitting there last Sunday going "do I leave this on or turn it off". I debated for about 20 mins while we packed up and decided to turn it off. I was wondering about what others do ever since so thought I would post up.

 

[Bruce]

The factory bilge pump comes on every few minutes to check for water then pumps it if it finds any. There must be some wear caused by spinning up the pump dry. I believe that leaving it on while the boat is on the lift will cause you to need to replace it more often.

I suggest installing a second bilge pump with a float switch or water sensor if you want to leave it on all the time.

I installed a second bilge pump with a water sensor - Installing second bilge pump in Yamaha SX230

 

[BigN8]

Turn your batteries off. Bilge will be disabled, but boat can't really sink since the bunks are several inches below the hull in the full down position. The frame of the lift won't allow the bunks to drop very far, so if you did have something happen, cant imagine what, then the boat could only sink so far. Basically the dock must collapse for the boat to sink.

 

[0627Devildog]

Lord knows I am am going to get flack for THIS comment. . . . But I am in a freshwater lake, without a lift, and I leave the batteries and switch in the OFF position. I leave it covered with the shipping cover, and any rain that might get in should/does wash out the scupper. I have had it in for 2 months through some SERIOUS Northeast storms (4" of rain in 12 hours) and there was NEVER a drop in the engine compartment. I am so far away from her when I am not there that the bilge pump would run out and fail before I got there anyway.

 

[Big Shasta]

Change your pump to one that is water sensing if yours has to run to check for water (worst design ever). I put in a rule 750 and wired it directly to the battery with a fusable link. It only runs if there is water and I don't have to remember to turn on a switch ever.

 

[Bousbous55]

X2

Change your pump to one that is water sensing if yours has to run to check for water (worst design ever). I put in a rule 750 and wired it directly to the battery with a fusable link. It only runs if there is water and I don't have to remember to turn on a switch ever.

 

[cyberlock]

Hawk- my boat has been on a covered lift all summer for years and never had a problem with the bilge off.

 

[HawkTX]

Thanks for the replies. I have the battery and bilge pump off and she is tucked away for a few weeks.

 

[jonw9]

Mine has been on the lift all summer too. I didn't consider that is would be near impossible for the boat to sink if the lift failed. Heck, as shallow as my lake is I think the hull would touch the bottom before the water was over the rails.

I do make sure I tie off to the dock still, so if there is some sort of failure, my boat doesn't float away.

I am thinking about getting one of those small solar chargers with the cigarette lighter adapter to plug in the boat when I am not using it. I don't have power on the dock currently, and don't really want to open the engine bay to plug in a direct battery connection. I just need to get around to checking if the power outlet is energized with the boat off.

 

[jonw9]

Wow, your boat looks awful close to the roof. It might be just that one cross beam that makes it look deceiving.

Are you in a no-wake zone so there aren't any big waves that could bang your boat into the ceiling?

 

[HawkTX]

Wow, your boat looks awful close to the roof. It might be just that one cross beam that makes it look deceiving.

Are you in a no-wake zone so there aren't any big waves that could bang your boat into the ceiling?

Yeah...That pic is awful deceiving. I actually have about 2 foot to the cross beam. I'm three rows back and there is little to no wake in there. Last weekend I had a buddy come by in his boat semi-aggressive and it barely moved. It sucks putting the wakeboard tower down every time I have to put it on the lift, but we got such a good deal on the slip and docko I couldn't pass it up. We never use the wakeboard tower either so I'm in limbo right now deciding whether to take it off and just keep it in my garage in the event we ever sell it. I would have to put an aftermarket bimini on it though.