How to adjust boat lift

Hey all,

I had a new boat lift installed last year. Since then the cable for the lower beam at the bow end has stretched (I guess) so that the two lower beams (bow and stern) are at the same level. With my boat's hull that means the bow actually dips lower than the stern, hence, no water drains out of the scuppers when it rains. I had a guy trying to start a new dock/lift business give me an estimate and he want's $200 to adjust it. He said he would raise up the lift then chain the lower bow beam to the top support beams on each side, then lower both bow/stern to create slack at the bow and then adjust the cable so the bow will be higher than the stern.

So far I've balked at having him do this. First, because I don't think it's a $200 job, and second, I'm thinking I could do it myself. The more I look at it the more I believe I could do it. I'm not sure if I need to go buy chains or if some strong rope wrapped around the beams 4-5 times would work. I would have to stand on the beam to adjust the outer cable since there's no maintenance platform or catwalk. Since I weigh 211lbs not sure if rope would hold me and the beam. Of course, the boat would not be on the lift at the time.

Has anyone done this? Any advice from a pro?

As always, TIA!

Troll
p.s. I'll try and post a pic or two later.

Pic of boat on the lift

Pic of boat on the lift

I've attached a pic of the lift with my boat on it. The top support beams with the motors run east/west. The lower beams which the bunks are attached to run north/south. The bow end is the problem one.

Re: Pic of boat on the lift

Re: Pic of boat on the lift

not knowing exactly how your lift works, can't say for sure. if it is cabled, shorten the front cable.

Re: How to adjust boat lift

That's exactly what I'm trying to figure out, how to shorten the cable. The top beams which the motors are attached to turns to draw the cables and lower beams up. The cables simply wrap around the top beam at each end (bow and stern). I need to create slack in the cable at the bow end by supporting the beam so that I can unclamp the cable restraint without dropping the beam into the water. Just trying to figure out the best and simpliest way to do it.

Troll

Re: How to adjust boat lift

Lower the boat into the water and float it off the cable. Then adjust the length with the weight of the boat off it.

Re: How to adjust boat lift

I guess I need to be more clear. My lift raises/lowers the inboard/outboard sides, not the bow and stern so to speak. What I mean, is when I engage only one lift motor then the lift raises or lowers one side only. So if my boat is on the lift it leans to port or starboard depending on which motor is engaged.

Now, with that said, I don't want to just lower the lift until it bottoms out for two reasons; the canal bed is uneven from one side of the lift to the other, about a 3 foot difference, which means all the cable wrap points on the top support beams will unravel, the inboard ones much more than the outboard. I can see this becoming a pain to get to rewrap. I'd need several friends to monitor each corner to ensure no over-wrapping. The other reason is the outboard side has no catwalk so I'd have to get two ladders into the water to be able to monitor the cables as they rewrap and so that I could reach the outboard cable clamp to reset the bow end do a shorter length.

The method the boat lift guy said he would use sounds much more simple and easier and I can probably do it by myself. That method was detailed in the initial post. I just want to figure out how to safely secure the bow end beam (inboard and outboard) so when I engage both lift motors the stern end will lower while the bow end remains at the same level but it's cable (port and starboard) unravels a bit to allow me to unclamp them and pull up the slack, thus making the bow high than the stern when it's returned to normal service.
Whatever method I use to secure the bow end beam has to support the beam as well as my 211 lbs since I'll stand on that beam to unclamp the cables, etc.

I dont' know how to explain it any better. It's a pretty standard cable type boat lift which everyone around me has. But none of my neighbors has ever had this issue so they have no advice.

Troll

Re: How to adjust boat lift

trobinson017 said:

I guess I need to be more clear. My lift raises/lowers the inboard/outboard sides, not the bow and stern so to speak. What I mean, is when I engage only one lift motor then the lift raises or lowers one side only. So if my boat is on the lift it leans to port or starboard depending on which motor is engaged.

Now, with that said, I don't want to just lower the lift until it bottoms out for two reasons; the canal bed is uneven from one side of the lift to the other, about a 3 foot difference, which means all the cable wrap points on the top support beams will unravel, the inboard ones much more than the outboard. I can see this becoming a pain to get to rewrap. I'd need several friends to monitor each corner to ensure no over-wrapping. The other reason is the outboard side has no catwalk so I'd have to get two ladders into the water to be able to monitor the cables as they rewrap and so that I could reach the outboard cable clamp to reset the bow end do a shorter length.

The method the boat lift guy said he would use sounds much more simple and easier and I can probably do it by myself. That method was detailed in the initial post. I just want to figure out how to safely secure the bow end beam (inboard and outboard) so when I engage both lift motors the stern end will lower while the bow end remains at the same level but it's cable (port and starboard) unravels a bit to allow me to unclamp them and pull up the slack, thus making the bow high than the stern when it's returned to normal service.
Whatever method I use to secure the bow end beam has to support the beam as well as my 211 lbs since I'll stand on that beam to unclamp the cables, etc.

I dont' know how to explain it any better. It's a pretty standard cable type boat lift which everyone around me has. But none of my neighbors has ever had this issue so they have no advice.

Troll

Click to expand...

Your best bet is to pay the feller the $200.00 and be over it. It sounds that the job is WAY over your head. Be safe and spend the $200.00

Re: How to adjust boat lift

As a marine contractor and having installed well over 150 lifts of all makes and capacities..i suggest paying the Professional to do it,with all due respect ,if your posting a question on how to do it...then you don't need to be doing it, plus there's lots of things involved, that not done correctly, may result in the cable unwrapping and boat going down.

Re: How to adjust boat lift

Thanks for the replies and the advice! That's pretty much what I was looking for, the best way to get this done. I'm going to shop around and see if anyone can do it cheaper than $200. I just can't afford that right now. I've called the guy and left messages with a counter offer but he hasn't responded.

Troll

Re: How to adjust boat lift

Sell the kayak..hell, ya cant fish from the darn thing

Re: How to adjust boat lift

Picture sure helped. Had the same problem. Get the boat off the lift, run the lift up so you can get to it. Secure the front cross member with good anchor rope and chain to the top I beam. Let the lift down until the rope goes tight and the cable loosens. Am assuming you have a idler pulley on the cross member so you will need 2 additional cable raps on the pipe.
Watch the pipe and lower the lift at least 3 or 4 revolutions. Now the cable is all bird nested, dont be concerned. Disconnect the cable and hopefully the turn buckel will pass thru the idler pulley. If not remove the pulley and wrap the cable around the pipe 2 times. Reinstall the pulley and secure the cable. Wearing gloves, semi adjust the screwed up cable on the pipe while someone else operates the controls to tighten the cable. Keep tension on the cable with your hand until the weight of the lift takes over. Remove the rope/chain and run it up/down a few times to tighten up the cable on the pipe.
So much for the easy side. I would recommend at least 2 2x10s as a platform to work on the outboard cable, they can be laid over the bunks or wood crossmember going from piling to piling if you have one. Do the same thing out there and dont fall in. Important thing is to keep the cable correct as it spooles up. Dont let it overlap, can tear it up real fast. 2 additional wraps will give you good drainage. If there is no pulley on the lift cradle, one wrap should work.
One more thing, looks like that is one of those remote controled lifts. If so, be SURE to turn it off when you are not using it. Saw some real bad things happen when 2 lifts close to each other were on the same frequency. Created quite a mess. FRED