Boat lift install/removal

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Canrider22

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Re: Boat lift install/removal

Agreed it is much faster to lift it up and pull the wheels off the axles.
Sometimes man power isn't there, and the jack idea might give the option of
Doing the Job with 2 people not by yourself.
There is also wheels that retract up with cables but this may be expensive
If you need to buy 4.
 
Bondo

Bondo

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oldboat1

oldboat1

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Re: Boat lift install/removal

Looks like more than i would want to take on. Don't some boating or waterfront communities contract with companies to remove and replace lifts on a certain date (or period) in the Fall and Spring? In a boating club up in Michigan, i know we contracted with a local marina to lift boats on a schedule in the Fall (pretty clever -- called it "lift out" day), and to launch them in the Spring. The individual rates were way below market, and the marina made out well too on the volume in a two to three day period. Boats were blocked and stored on the club property.
 
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captmello

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Re: Boat lift install/removal

Bondo said:
Ayuh,.... Are ya in Farm country,..??

Tractor tire Tubes could be used/ lashed into the corners, probably cheaper,...
Just store 'em outa the sun when not in use,...
Click to expand...

Everywhere that isn't a city or suburb around here is farm country. Good glacial soil.
I am looking into tractor tubes as well. Agreed, much cheaper I'm sure, but haven't found a source (Haven't looked very hard yet).
Just looking at all the options. I live 4 hours from the cabin and don't get a lot of free time, I'm looking for convenience and ease. My kids are not at a helpful age yet but may be in a few years so I need to be able to work alone or with one other helper...safely.

oldboat1 said:
Looks like more than i would want to take on. Don't some boating or waterfront communities contract with companies to remove and replace lifts on a certain date (or period) in the Fall and Spring? In a boating club up in Michigan, i know we contracted with a local marina to lift boats on a schedule in the Fall (pretty clever -- called it "lift out" day), and to launch them in the Spring. The individual rates were way below market, and the marina made out well too on the volume in a two to three day period. Boats were blocked and stored on the club property.
Click to expand...

The cost of the service is not really the issue. It's the service I've received for my money that has me considering my options.
 
oldboat1

oldboat1

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Re: Boat lift install/removal

sounds like you are kind of isolated out there too -- which is great. But not for community or contractor services. Dock looks good, but heavy. Maybe a lighter weight aluminum dock (portable dock) would help with part of the problem -- lot of wheeled docks like that around here in the Finger Lakes, along with lifts, and they all get pulled in the winter. If money isn't the issue, maybe you can come up with both a lighter portable dock and a lift system, at least for next season. Some of the folks here use rail systems -- maybe another option.
 
lakelover

lakelover

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Re: Boat lift install/removal

I put mine in and out every year, but it's smaller than yours. I'd think with enough manual labor, you could do yours fairly easily.

I put removable wheels on it last year and it made the job tons easier. One thing I learned is you should go with the largest diameter wheel you can get, especially if you have to go over rocks. First time we used them, the wheels floated off the axles, but I drilled a hole in the axle ends and put in these j-bolts to hold them on. They slip in and out easily.



Also, I don't know if you've ever seen these handles, but our neighbor had a pair that he paid tons of $$ for; we borrowed one to show a local welder, and he made us some a lot cheaper:





It's amazing how much easier it makes it to carry a lift, you just slip it on a vertical post.
 
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Canrider22

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Re: Boat lift install/removal

lakelover said:
I put mine in and out every year, but it's smaller than yours. I'd think with enough manual labor, you could do yours fairly easily.

I put removable wheels on it last year and it made the job tons easier. One thing I learned is you should go with the largest diameter wheel you can get, especially if you have to go over rocks. First time we used them, the wheels floated off the axles, but I drilled a hole in the axle ends and put in these j-bolts to hold them on. They slip in and out easily.



Also, I don't know if you've ever seen these handles, but our neighbor had a pair that he paid tons of $$ for; we borrowed one to show a local welder, and he made us some a lot cheaper:





It's amazing how much easier it makes it to carry a lift, you just slip it on a vertical post.
Click to expand...

This is how we remove boat lifts. Its simple and easy to do with no air tank to float the lift. and it has its own wheels to go over almost anything espesialy with ramps. We do about 150 lifts per year like this. It is more equipment but don't have to break your back lifting.
Aluminum Boat Lift Removal - YouTube
 
lakelover

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Re: Boat lift install/removal

Once we get to shore, we use a winch on an ATV to pull it up over a 3' vertical wall, on ramps. Good video, can't find the machine online though?
 
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Canrider22

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Re: Boat lift install/removal

lakelover said:
Once we get to shore, we use a winch on an ATV to pull it up over a 3' vertical wall, on ramps. Good video, can't find the machine online though?
Click to expand...

don't really have to much info on it at
Its kind of a custom unit Cost is approximately $1500.00 All aluminum with over a ton of floatation. There has not been a lift that we can't handle yet.
I really like the idea of the Float bag guy. Does anyone know the cost ?
 
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captmello

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Re: Boat lift install/removal

lakelover said:
Looks like this is it. Portable Winch Gas-Powered Capstan Winch — 2.1HP, 50cc Honda GHX-50 Engine, 1-Ton Capacity, Model# PCW-5000 | Gas Powered Winches| Northern Tool + Equipment

View attachment 224862
Click to expand...

I've looked at winches. Even the 12v winches look like they would be helpful for removing. Getting it in the lake, and moved into position is the tough part. Lifting and carrying it is not an option.

Thanks for your responses.:)
 
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Canrider22

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Re: Boat lift install/removal

Yes the gas winch works amazing I paid a little over $2000.00 it came with 300' of rope in a nice storage bag, Pulleys, chain, Straps, clips, and a second drum for extra speed. This thing is amazing because you can do so much with it and so portable. The winch company is PORTABLE WINCH and are made in Quebec I've had mine for 5 years or so. I thought really hard about building a 12v System winch or even a gas powered hydraulic winch but it wouldn't give me the reach that we need sometimes. With the capstan drum style winch also give you continuous pulling force unlike a drum style winch with cable etc.. I've tried a chainsaw winch before buying this one, It worked for a while but we ended up stripping the gears out of it trying to pull some really heavy wooden floating docks. This is one of the greatest tools we own, not only for pulling stuff out of the water, when you double up the pulleys you double the winch capacity.

I ment the floating boat lift remover was around $1500.00 tho.
 
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