Newbie Boat Lift Help

[Milwmarc]

Well after 4 houses and 28 years of Marriage at 48 my wife and I finally committed to building a home in a new Subdivision with a community Pier for 12 boats.

It's on the lake my wife was pretty much raised on weekends to vacation and I've been on it for 30 years by her side boating...so we are super excited to get on Lake Denoon in Muskego Wisconsin. It's a Spring Fed Lake, almost impossible to get on at the public launch so it's pretty much land locked. For the Home owners enjoyment. It's a watersports lake with tubing, skiiing, swimming being the only main activities and so far I'm the only one who Surf's the lake,,,hence the reason we wanted to be on this lake.

Most Likely i will get one of the first picks of where I want my boat slip since we are one of the 1st to build and the Pier is going in this year in August.

So, I got the boating down thing pat, I got the building a home thing down pat...as this is the 2nd build for us. BUT i'm NEW to having my own shared pier with a slip.

So questions. 1st My 2006 AR 230 I've always had Dock Snap Covers Custom Made and this boat is NO different. It takes less than 5 minutes to put the cover on tight and keeps all the scurvy out so I DON"T need a covered lift. Plus since I have a wake tower it would be one heck of a high cover.

So help with the boat lift on a pier?. Your Idea's, suggestions, rants, costs?

I'm budgeting for the new home and things like the UTV to get me to the dock from my house a football field and a half away.

Now I need to budget for the pier

We live in Wisconsin where we put the piers and boats in Mid May and take them out Mid to end of September. Not a long season and cold to put them in and cold to take them out.

Plus I've never put in a lift. If I have to go 100 feet through cat tails (guessing) are these things able to be carried on the piers? How do you get them set in the water if it's mucky (besides wearing waders.)

I've helped enough people on this lake put in piers and it's like pulling teeth each year to find enough people. I don't want to have to beg my 2 boys and friends each year to put the lift in and out...so easier and lighter and simpler with less people I think the better?

The things I know for sure our Pier is going to be LONG and we have to come out of Cattails into fresh Water, than I have to pull it out in Fall and store it right next to the pulled out pier. Our side of the Lake is the windy side so it will push boats into the pier.

I think I"m going to have my choice if I want to have my boat furthest out on the pier or closer to shore and right now I'm thinking be the furthest out I can, so if we want to chill at night on the boat, listen to tunes and watch the world slowly we have less boats to look over to see the lake. And Less Manuevering past other boats on the common pier..thoughts?

and what type of lift for these boats. I was thinking one of those floating lifts, but man if I'm reading searches right they are like 10K? Not spending that for plastic and air...but I thought that may be much lighter than a regular aluminum lift.

Or regular lift the goods and bads with them?

I saw someone post about Slings?

All I want to do is keep the hull out of the water. I DO have a daughter with Muscular Dystrophy hence the reason building a new home that will help with her mobilitiy challenges. Getting in and otu of the boat is a little challenging...is one lift over the other better? We love the Yamaha AR 230 becuase of the walk through between seats is so low to the swim platform. and the platform is ideal to enter and exit the water for her.

I lot of info to just say help me pick out the right lift that won't cost more than my first car and I don't have to Beg 10 family members to get in an out each season.

Thanks in Advance.

SOOOOO Excited to finally build the next dream home Going from 4,300 sq foot Colonial down to a 2700 sq foot ranch...and spending 100 to 150K more. I wish i liked the boating life less and running more...as that hobby all I need is new shoes....not a lake home, a boat and a lift...but MAN I'm excited.

It's A Good Life!

Marc

 

[RiverRat]

This sounds awesome! I think you’d be ok with a regular cantilever or similar type lift. I would call around to local marine dealers or I’ve seen services around here that do lift/pier installs that could point you in the right direction.

I pretty much drive right by you almost every day,my companies shop is on Six Mile Rd near 45, and I live near I43 and 164, so I cut across on Muskego Dam Rd and 7mile.

 

[RiverRat]

Also I think I would pick furthest out as well, easy in easy out and like you said, away from shore, less likely to annoy others with you music and such.

 

[GTBRMC]

When I was a kid we had a steel Shore Station cantilever style life. Worked well for our purposes, except it was a real pain to move. We ended up rigging some wheels to the lower frame of the lift that we could put on to push into the lake in the spring and to pull out of the lake in the fall. Suggest looking for an aluminum lift vs steel if you go this route. Much lighter plus no worries with rust.

Good luck!

 

[the MfM]

 

[rrmidden]

I haven’t seen many floating lifts in Wisconsin, we have an Aluminum Vertical Lift. Cost wise if you go new, it’s going to be similar to the $10k floating lift you priced.

The picture is the truth, just hire someone to lift it out and put it in every year. We have a steep shore line in northern Wisconsin so it’s our only option. Otherwise if your shoreline is flat they new make wheels the can raise and lower with a drill. That could make things easy, especially with a UTV.

The pier is the bigger concern to me, if you have a fisherman’s frontage that is going to require a super long pier, I would go with a permanent structure, there’s no way in hell you want to put in and take out a hundred feet of pier every year.

 

[Milwmarc]

I haven’t seen many floating lifts in Wisconsin, we have an Aluminum Vertical Lift. Cost wise if you go new, it’s going to be similar to the $10k floating lift you priced.

The picture is the truth, just hire someone to lift it out and put it in every year. We have a steep shore line in northern Wisconsin so it’s our only option. Otherwise if your shoreline is flat they new make wheels the can raise and lower with a drill. That could make things easy, especially with a UTV.

The pier is the bigger concern to me, if you have a fisherman’s frontage that is going to require a super long pier, I would go with a permanent structure, there’s no way in hell you want to put in and take out a hundred feet of pier every year.

That is all helpful. I'm meeting the developr tomorrow and this is his first bigger development. I was thinking with how long the pier will be that maybe a permanent pier like I've seen on Lake Geneva in Wisconsin may be the route he/we take. But this is all happening fast and all this help is appreciated.

I'm gonna assume for now I'll be budgeting 10 k. Where in my head I thought 4 to 5 k..so just like building spend more than u think.... And thinking I'll be biting the bullet and paying for someone to put it in and take it out.

Another question... solution? Boat ing straps? So ce we don't have props..run straps across open area of my slip. Cradle it? Straps to be mounted and in mounted and rolled up and take. Off a pier sure sounds cheaper and easier than this whole lift thing..upside , cheap and gives support under boat...down side. Boat remains in water...that even a thing?

 

[rrmidden]

I’ve seen a guy on the Throughfare of Lake Tomahawk in northern Wisconsin build a custom sling lift on piles of a permanent pier structure. It looked very nice but highly custom, don’t think their are any commercially available systems like that, at least for boats our size.

 

[captras]

Cradle for sure.... straps are cheaper, but a cradle is much better for your boat. I have had both and will never do straps again. Sounds like you are going first class all the way... don't skimp on support for the boat.

 

[biffdotorg]

I haven’t seen many floating lifts in Wisconsin, we have an Aluminum Vertical Lift. Cost wise if you go new, it’s going to be similar to the $10k floating lift you priced.

The picture is the truth, just hire someone to lift it out and put it in every year. We have a steep shore line in northern Wisconsin so it’s our only option. Otherwise if your shoreline is flat they new make wheels the can raise and lower with a drill. That could make things easy, especially with a UTV.

The pier is the bigger concern to me, if you have a fisherman’s frontage that is going to require a super long pier, I would go with a permanent structure, there’s no way in hell you want to put in and take out a hundred feet of pier every year.

This is not an option in MN/WI. They have to be pulled out as the ice will destroy them. Unless you are on a protected bay where the ice does not move, it has to come out. That is why we spend so damn much money on Aluminum rolling docks and lifts. Slings are not an option, as they have to be mounted on permanent pilings.

As others have said, talk to your local dock/lift guys. They will either set you up with a put in/pull out plan where they deliver and store it in the winter. Or they can rent you items like the Floe Float/roll that allows you to move the lift by floating and roll it up the shoreline.

Your biggest concern is how deep the water is. As if you get out over 5ft of water, you will run out of leg on the lift. So under 5' of water is the general rule with lifts. Avoid steel, that's old school crap that has gone away in this day and age.

Aluminum lifts in this region used run $.50/lb and $1/lb with canopy. So if you don't need a canopy, or don't want to buy one, there you go. New lifts will run you double that. $1/lb or $2/lb with canopy. That's on average. Better brands like Floe, Shoremaster etc may be higher, but you truly get what you pay for.

Our floe has a 24v screw drive system that is fast and quiet for our 24' yamaha. We went with a 5000lb lift as a minimum based on wet weight toys and people. I have 6 guide posts for ease of entry. And the legs all adjust with a 1/2" drill and 3/4" socket. So there is no going underwater with a wrench to raise or lower the legs. We also have wheel kits installed, so we literally lower the legs and pull it out with a winch on our wildcat.

We have a 24' canopy over our 242, and the 2011 model does not have tip down tower. It tucks up in there really nice. Snap on covers keep the birds and crap out.

Hit me up with questions, as this is a different scenario than what our friends down south experience.

Good luck!

 

[Milwmarc]

This is not an option in MN/WI. They have to be pulled out as the ice will destroy them. Unless you are on a protected bay where the ice does not move, it has to come out. That is why we spend so damn much money on Aluminum rolling docks and lifts. Slings are not an option, as they have to be mounted on permanent pilings.

As others have said, talk to your local dock/lift guys. They will either set you up with a put in/pull out plan where they deliver and store it in the winter. Or they can rent you items like the Floe Float/roll that allows you to move the lift by floating and roll it up the shoreline.

Your biggest concern is how deep the water is. As if you get out over 5ft of water, you will run out of leg on the lift. So under 5' of water is the general rule with lifts. Avoid steel, that's old school crap that has gone away in this day and age.

Aluminum lifts in this region used run $.50/lb and $1/lb with canopy. So if you don't need a canopy, or don't want to buy one, there you go. New lifts will run you double that. $1/lb or $2/lb with canopy. That's on average. Better brands like Floe, Shoremaster etc may be higher, but you truly get what you pay for.

Our floe has a 24v screw drive system that is fast and quiet for our 24' yamaha. We went with a 5000lb lift as a minimum based on wet weight toys and people. I have 6 guide posts for ease of entry. And the legs all adjust with a 1/2" drill and 3/4" socket. So there is no going underwater with a wrench to raise or lower the legs. We also have wheel kits installed, so we literally lower the legs and pull it out with a winch on our wildcat.

We have a 24' canopy over our 242, and the 2011 model does not have tip down tower. It tucks up in there really nice. Snap on covers keep the birds and crap out.

Hit me up with questions, as this is a different scenario than what our friends down south experience.

Good luck!

Fantastic help , our pier for the 12 homeowners goes in Monday. Once in I'll share some pictures to help give ideas. I'm thinking it's gonna take a local boat dock guy with. Yearly take in take out plan as the dock design is a little funky.

 

[biffdotorg]

Once a person learns the best way to float a lift of this size, moving it around and placing it is super easy. That's the trick. If you have a place to pull it in and out, that's not a huge concern that can't be addressed with a long tow strap and a 4x4 truck or SXS.

That being said, we have a nice steep drop. So going down was hairy enough, going up may not happen this fall for us. I think I have an alternate route cut out of the reeds on our shoreline where I can float our lift to in the fall and pull out.

Now to get the damn waverunner lifts in. (small floats)

 

[Milwmarc]

Bought a floating jet dock at a very good price one year old. Tuesday we get it delivered and me and a couple.local boys will get it set up. I'll try to.snap some photos. I'll be starting a new thread about The good bad and uglies of a floating jet dock brand. I need to ad another 5 feet of length to it ordering direct from jet dock. Even with all that extras and paying a guy to drive the wide Xtra wide load down to me for 2 hours it only cost $5,800 and it's only 2 years old! A 12 x 25 lift is 18,500 right now plus shipping. I'll have a total of 8,000 Into ours. We'll see how this goes..than the questions n keep it in water year round in Wisconsin?

 

[Dixie Highway]

Not likely. My folks have 2 of those (smaller) for their jet skis, just like any other they should come out in the winter. Ice will tear that plastic up pretty quick.

 

[Milwmarc]

Well the "great jet dock" launch and set up is 90 percent done. Bad..took an extra 10 hours of set up in a swampy area till we get the Aerators in because had to change one row of u rsthat made it too wide for slip..move the row forward to make it longer.
Took longer then thought. But the goods..won't need to buy more jet dock cubes..so saved 2800 on new add ons.. whole jet dock lift one year old including deliver to me..only $5,800!

So now to work on rigging it better to the pier.

It was extremely easy to launch and get to dock..and since I saved 3000 on budget I have enought to buy a 4 place snowmobile trailer to put the lift on in winter and store..

I love it when a plan comes together. Got it on lift easy. The "launch off lines" were to short. So ccranked her on but still have to see how hard it is to get it off.

 

[Weeb]

Looks great.

 

[biffdotorg]

I sure hope you get a path chopped up coming into your slip space. Those lily pads may be a pain for a while until then.

 

[Jimmers]

I know that this is an older post but I run an add in Craig’s List, offering $25.00/hour, guaranteeing a minimum of $75.00. I will often get 15 responses. I usually get two guys. The guys I get generally take direction well but wouldn’t have the slightest idea of what to do with out directions. I have a 48’ dock with a 8’ x 12’ pad and a 5000 pound lift. Put the ad in on Monday for a Saturday insall/removal, don’t reply till Thursday, confirm with them again on Friday. Pay them well and they will be back, I have been doing this for 10-12 years and often have people help out for a couple of years in a row.

 

[Southernerd]

Well the "great jet dock" launch and set up is 90 percent done. Bad..took an extra 10 hours of set up in a swampy area till we get the Aerators in because had to change one row of u rsthat made it too wide for slip..move the row forward to make it longer.
Took longer then thought. But the goods..won't need to buy more jet dock cubes..so saved 2800 on new add ons.. whole jet dock lift one year old including deliver to me..only $5,800!

So now to work on rigging it better to the pier.

It was extremely easy to launch and get to dock..and since I saved 3000 on budget I have enought to buy a 4 place snowmobile trailer to put the lift on in winter and store..

I love it when a plan comes together. Got it on lift easy. The "launch off lines" were to short. So ccranked her on but still have to see how hard it is to get it off.

How do you do getting the boat off?