Removing boat with an auto lift.

[skongolf]

I want to restore my trailer, well mostly replace the axle, bunks, and paint it. I have access to a swing arm car lift that I could use to lift my boat off the trailer since it is only a single axle trailer. I saw an Direct drive boat removed this way, but of course the boat has a centered motor. Has anyone ever removed an I/O this way? I have a 20 foot maxum with a 5.7 and am just wondering where I should place the arms to balance the boat. I know most of the weight will be in the rear of the boat so I know I need to put 2 of the pads as close to the rear of the boat as possible. This is the lift I can use.

Any thoughts?

 

[tdrudd87]

Re: Removing boat with an auto lift.

Use straps, under the boat to each arm. I would think those pads would do a nasty job on the hull.

Terry

 

[skongolf]

Re: Removing boat with an auto lift.

Use straps, under the boat to each arm. I would think those pads would do a nasty job on the hull.

Terry

Good idea. As far as the pads go I plan on using 2x4 blocks with carpet to pad the boat and protect the hull.

 

[dockwrecker]

Re: Removing boat with an auto lift.

Check your owner's manual for sling locations. One is obviously near the transom, the other probably at the cowl or windshield. My boat came with tags on the side identifying these locations. Keep in mind that you're not only looking at a point of weight balance but a high compressive point load if a sling is used. Thus, the transom takes the compressive load as would also the windshield bulkhead/cowl. The bunks on your trailer are also pretty indicative of where your boat is going to want to be picked from.

 

[smclear]

Re: Removing boat with an auto lift.

Good idea. As far as the pads go I plan on using 2x4 blocks with carpet to pad the boat and protect the hull.

Straps MAY not work. Then again, maybe they will. Depends on the travel of the lift. The lift will lift a car to about 6 ft above the ground. Your boat (using straps) will hang below the arms of the lift and may not raise high enough to clear the trailer.

 

[skongolf]

Re: Removing boat with an auto lift.

Straps MAY not work. Then again, maybe they will. Depends on the travel of the lift. The lift will lift a car to about 6 ft above the ground. Your boat (using straps) will hang below the arms of the lift and may not raise high enough to clear the trailer.

The boat will be resting on the arms underneath the boat. So I only need to lift the boat about a foot to get the trailer out. I will have to try and find an online manual to locate strap locations. My biggest fear is the boat tipping backwards. So I figure the farther back I can get the arms the better.

 

[Rscardina]

Re: Removing boat with an auto lift.

If it were me...I would invest in some jack stands..

Once you have the back of the boat up..I would place two (boat jack) stand along the transom..and as you slowly pull the trailer out...look to see if the straps are holding the boats bow properly...the reason you go slow is becasue you will know instatntly if the boat will tip foraward..once the trailer is out i would then add another two jack stands to the bow...for left right shift and such..

i think you want to be very cautious...so take your time..its not a lift and go process!!

you have another option...take her to the water...and tie her up...no damage to anything... figuring a day to do the axles and bunks..tops..??

just thinking..

 

[Rscardina]

Re: Removing boat with an auto lift.

WAIT WAIT WAIT>>>>

you cant use that lift... if you put straps to act as a craddle then the weight of the boat will pull those swivel arms toward your hull...so on 4 points your hull will bear both down and side pressure..I think you will dammage the hull or worse...

that lifts swivels are designed to accept various widths of lift spans across a horizontal plane... not as a hanger if you would.. thats why the weight will turn the arms in toward the hull...under all that weight...

forget it...put it in the water or get a cherry picker!

 

[Rscardina]

Re: Removing boat with an auto lift.

now if you had a chain fall...fixed to the top of your lift...and some nice heavy duty crane strapps then you could craddle that way......

again...not using the arms of the lift....

 

[H20Rat]

Re: Removing boat with an auto lift.

WAIT WAIT WAIT>>>>

you cant use that lift... if you put straps to act as a craddle then the weight of the boat will pull those swivel arms toward your hull...so on 4 points your hull will bear both down and side pressure..I think you will dammage the hull or worse...

yep!

It will work, under one condition. The lift arms need to be ABOVE the level of the boat. At that point you can run a strap from one arm to the other, and only the strap will contact the load. You won't have any extra compressive force, and will have less than a normal strap load without a proper spreader bar.

problem that someone else mentioned is that you might run out of vertical travel on the lift first though.

 

[skongolf]

Re: Removing boat with an auto lift.

This is what I want to do.

 

[Gary H NC]

Re: Removing boat with an auto lift.

The lift and a couple of these would work great.
http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_22733_22733

 

[skongolf]

Re: Removing boat with an auto lift.

The lift and a couple of these would work great.
http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_22733_22733

Wrap the straps around the boat and the arms to hold them in place?

 

[Rscardina]

Re: Removing boat with an auto lift.

This is what I want to do.
View attachment 57433

Man..either i am a whimp..or just not that crazy... the picture looks like it could work but my knees are shakin lookin at that...wow

whichever way you go...good luck. Keep us posted and take pics..!

 

[skongolf]

Re: Removing boat with an auto lift.

Yeah I know where you are comming from. I only need to lift the boat maybe a foot to clear the fenders on the trailer so I don't need to go that high. My biggest fear is the boat tipping backwards. So I will deffinately go slow.

 

[Rscardina]

Re: Removing boat with an auto lift.

why do you need to clear the fenders?..the boat is sitting between the fenders..on either rollers or bunks..

I think a few inches should do you fine...

 

[H20Rat]

Re: Removing boat with an auto lift.

This is what I want to do.

You MIGHT get away with that, but in that particular case, I would be extremely worried about crushing the chine. It isn't meant to support the entire weight of the boat on 4 little points on the chine like that, very likely you would damage them.

 

[windsors03cobra]

Re: Removing boat with an auto lift.

I have a 2 post car lift and have lifted many things when it came time to paint my trailer I rented a slip and left my boat tied up for a night while I worked on the trailer. Worked great cost a few bucks.
I actually did it 4th of July and on the 4th I just hoped in and went and saw fireworks.

 

[skongolf]

Re: Removing boat with an auto lift.

I may run a 2x4 from point to point so it makes it as though the boat is resting on a bunk. May distribute the weight better. As far as slips go, the lake by my house wants $55 a day or $275 a month. I was there and they have about 75 open spots. I offered them $50 for 5 days and they said no. Made no sense to me. I feel like I can get stuff done fairly quickly, but I the axle and redoing the brakes alone may take a couple days.

 

[windsors03cobra]

Re: Removing boat with an auto lift.

Be careful man you dont want to bust up your full.
I have never had a car fall off a lift but I'm pretty sure that would get ugly fast.