Have pier, need boat lift advice

[jdlough]

Yo,
I'm finding lots of info on boats in this forum (thanks!), but not much advice on boat lifts. I'm looking for a max 19' bowrider in the max 2400 pound range. I have an 'L' shaped pier, and I had 2 extra pilings added outside the 'L' for a future boat lift that would attach to the 4 corner pilings.

I live on the Nanticoke River where it runs into the Chesapeake Bay, so tides and storms can toss up 4' waves to smash anything expensive, plus the barnacles are tenacious.

I see that I have 3 choices, a manual-wheel lift - a battery/solar recharger lift - or run a 350' power line for an electric lift.
So:

How much of a biatch is it to lift a 2500lb boat with the manual wheel?
Do the battery/solar lifts work well?
Do the benefits of running a 350' power line out to the end of my pier outway the costs?

Any advice on which brands I should look at? Or which kind of lift can switch easily to my next boat (whatever that may be)

Thanks,
Jim

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Have pier, need boat lift advice, PLEASE

Re: Have pier, need boat lift advice, PLEASE

not a lot here. imho, bite the bullet and do it right. full electric, with remote control. makes boarding easy. you lower boat to dock height, load it, then lower boat. then when you return you ease in to the lift, and raise the boat, to unload, and then on up for storage. also have the electrics, mounted in a water proof box, with a lock, keeps mischievous, people from lowering your boat. as said there are a lot of lift companies. you will do better with a local company, due to service. i would do a frame with bunks type lift, rather than a sling lift, it supports your boat better. http://www.hewitt-roll-a-dock.com/lifts07/hyd_cantilever.html

 

[shorts&chanclas]

Re: Have pier, need boat lift advice, PLEASE

Re: Have pier, need boat lift advice, PLEASE

install the largest capacity lift you can structurally support. Just because you want a 2400lb boat now doesn't mean you will always have that boat.

 

[gstanton]

Re: Have pier, need boat lift advice, PLEASE

Re: Have pier, need boat lift advice, PLEASE

I think lifts come in 2 sizes???? One is 10,000 lb and the other is something heavier? Good advice on going ahead and getting the heavier lift for possible sale later on - or a bigger boat! Also you'll want to consider freshwater plumbing out to the lift in order to flush the engine once you get it up out of the barnacles.
Our is an-- http://www.ablboatlifts.com/index.html -- but it is our first and only. I have nothing to compare it to, but ours is good!

 

[jdlough]

Re: Have pier, need boat lift advice, PLEASE

Re: Have pier, need boat lift advice, PLEASE

Three good advices in a row.

1 - Get a locking control box (great idea, I could also use one on my house's heating and A/C thermostat)
2 - Get bigger than I think I need (definitely makes sense)
3 - Run H20 pipe while I have the trench dug for the electric line (yep, current 400' hose just trickles enough to clean a theoretical fish, if I ever get get time to actually catch one)

I have an email out to the ABL site, to see if they have a dealer/installer in Maryland. They look like they have what I want.

My next-door-neighbor got a quote of $10,000 for a lift installed for his 26' boat, including running the new electric line. I'll do my own research, but that's more than I'm hoping to spend for my first real boat, so

Does anyone have any experience with manual lifts, or battery/solar recharge lifts?

I have to deal with brackish tidal water with the occasional storm, so I need to lift the boat at least 6 feet.

There's not much info here or anywhere on real experience with boat lifts, and I'm sure a lot of folks here have at least considered getting a lift, so I'm sure your insights would help many here.

Thanks,
Jim

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Have pier, need boat lift advice, PLEASE

Re: Have pier, need boat lift advice, PLEASE

it takes a lot of power to lift the boat, most of it is gear ratio. but to me the battery/solar won't cut it. get it 1/2 way up, and the battery dies. you come in tired and still have to crank the boat out of the water. if you are going to spend the $ do it right, with the electric, and remote. i getting ready to go to the Fl Keys next week, every year event. those with lifts use electric, and most with the remote. as i said before the set the boat for loading, and then lower for launching. come in slide in the the lift, and raise to unload, the raise for storage. some of the lifts have walk board on the away side of the boat, to make washdown easy. this is a big plus, in salt/brackish environment. the boats are washed down, and then cover, so they are clean, not salt sticky, for the next use.

 

[salty87]

Re: Have pier, need boat lift advice

having lights down there and an outlet to plug tools, etc in would be pretty big.

the manual lift will just make it more tempting to not raise it up all the way i'd think.

 

[dave11]

Re: Have pier, need boat lift advice

1.Be your own General contractor
2. Get your permits
3. Rent a trencher
4. Run your water pipe and conduit (The second and following sections are easy)
4a. Make sure youe gauge is plenty heavy. A heavier gauge electric cable will conduct electricity better and more efficiently
5. Have the lift installed
6. Have a licensed electrician out to hook up the power. While he is out there, have him check for any problems in the house. What does your wife want added (lighting, wall sockets, etc.)?
7. Don't forget the cordless phone extension
8. When it is finished, make daily inspections by taking the boat out

 

[bchboater]

Re: Have pier, need boat lift advice

I have a 380 ft pier with boatlift.

You will need minimum 6 gauge wire, 4 is better but will cost more, and need a larger conduit. Buy a 500 ft spool, and minimize any splices. The more junctions, the more heat, the less power at the end of the line. That makes your motor work harder, it will burn out a little faster. Plus, you will want power for an outlet, and a light over your boat so it can be seen at night. And, you may want to put another lift in later, we are looking at a Jetski lift.

We have a 10,000lb Alumivator lift, it is great. No problems in 7 years sitting over salt water. Just lube the rods every year, and the motor.

Get a remote for the lift control, so you don't have to hop off your boat onto the pier to raise and lower the lift. GEM remotes are the best.

I ran garden hose down the pier to get water. 4 100ft sections, works great, easy to replace a section, cost $125 plus my labor. It has lasted 7 years, but run it out of direct sunlight, under the boards along the stringers.


Good luck!

P.S. If you can afford the 12,500lb lift, go for it.

 

[jdlough]

Re: Have pier, need boat lift advice

This may sound ridiculous, but I found a boat lift that supposedly operates on h20 pressure from a garden hose.

http://www.aqua-lift.com/

I have a hard time believing that this works.

Meanwhile, in the real world, I want to run an electric line to power a future boat lift. (Since my skiff sank last weekend, I'm totally convinced I need a lift. See http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=275872 for the sad story and pier pics) I think the lift may need 220V 30amp, but while I'm at it I also want to install 110V for lights and an outlet at the end of the dock. (And while the trench is dug, I'll run an h20 pipe out there) (and a phone line {thanx for the idea, dave11}. Maybe a bathroom and a skeet-shooting station too, hmmmm. Maybe next year.)

The new-and-improved pier/boat lift company says they'll rearrange pilings and provide and install an 8000lb lift (if I do the electric) for $5000.

It's about 300' - 400' from my electric service to the end of the pier.

I'll do the gruntwork (trenching, conduit install, etc) and have an electrician hook it up. I'll check with the electrician, but for planning, do I need to run separate 110v and 220v lines? (Guessing I need, say, 6 gage) Do I run 6 gage 3/1 or two separate 6 gage 2/1 lines? (I don't know how 220v works, linewise)

Anybody know what guage I need?

Plastic Home Depot conduit under the pier? Rigid? Flexible? Galvanized? Some special Marine Conduit at 4x the price?

I hope this isn't considered hijacking my own thread.

Thanks,
Jim

 

[roadrunnr]

Re: Have pier, need boat lift advice

Jim:
Most of the lifts around me are ShoreStation. My brother-in law has one that has a 110V motor on it. The only issue is that the motor replaces the wheel, so if you lose power your suppose to able to raise or lower via a cordless drill with an allen wrench chucked in that fits into the motor shaft on the bottom of the motor. What a disaster!!!! He had to use this a couple of times and it always turned into a major project. He's is now looking into the ShoreStation model that keeps and drives the wheel. Make sure what ever motorized lift you get keeps the wheel in case you have to raise or lower manually. Quite a few guys I know have the battery operated lift motors and have no problems with them, but that 's your call and preference.

 

[jdlough]

Re: Have pier, need boat lift advice

Manual raise and lower back-up capability, with wheel, not drill. Yet another good tip.

Thanks, this is money that I'd otherwise be spending on a better boat, so I want the best lift for the buck.

Jim

 

[triumphrick]

Re: Have pier, need boat lift advice

You will need four wires run to the dock. Three of them should be 6 gauge. One of them could be as small as a 10 gauge. The first three are for the 220v and your neutral wire. The smaller wire is for your ground. You will get 110v from your neutral wire to either side of the 220v. Your colors should be red and black for the 220v. White for your neutral. Bare wire for your ground.

You will get 110v from the white wire and one side of the 220v wires.


I would run thhn (stranded) wire as it will be easier to work with than solid.

I would bury at least a 1 or 11/2 " pvc with pull boxes every 100'. Pull boxes only, don't splice this wire untill you get all the way to the dock. I would put in at least a 6" x 6" pull box at the dock. I would break out of this box with smaller 3/4 pvc sched. 40 minimum for the 110v runs. It should not matter what side of the 220 v you tap into for your 110v.

Also, any low voltage run out there, phone, intercom cable should be in a seperate conduit, probably 1" with at lest a couple pull boxes seperate from your 220v lines.

One more thing that your electrician will need to do. Since more than 50' from the panel another form of disconnect will be required at the dock. Either breaker or simple knife switch.
Good luck!

 

[mthieme]

Re: Have pier, need boat lift advice

This wouldn't be a result of the skiff sinking ?
just curious.

 

[jdlough]

Re: Have pier, need boat lift advice

Hey mthieme,

Check the dates for my posts on boat lift advice and skiff sinking. I must have had some unconscious feeling of impending doom! (or does everyone feel this way all the time.... nevermind)

The skiff is/was sort of my practice, starter boat. It was a rental in Ocean City, MD for the past 30 years or so. I got it for $100 for the boat, $200 for the motor. I learned much from it, such as:

1. Bottom paint can cost more than a boat.
2. 2-year bottom paint lasts exactly 2 years, then barnacles are free to eat the boat.
3. If you buy a rental boat, make sure they didn't use drywall screws to attach the oarlocks, in case your motor won't start out in the bay.
4. Enough stainless screws, bolts, and 5200 caulk to keep it from leaking can cost as much as a boat.
5. Battery and auto bilge pump are overpriced in a marine store (so I didn't buy), but underpriced at home in a storm wondering if your boat will make it thru another one.
6. Don't, under any circumstances, name your boat 'Leaky'. Leaky is not amused.
7. Don't name the motor, 'Rusty'. (Or, 'C'mon, you F'n POS')
8. Think 'Happy Thoughts', for Rusty's upcoming description on Ebay.
9. Don't rename the boat, 'Poseidon.'
10. If, after a storm, you're more concerned about how badly your pier is smashed up, than how badly your boat is smashed up, then you need a crappier pier or a better boat.

I am grateful to Leaky. (A bit irritated at Rusty - not his fault tho) Until Leaky, my wife thought she didn't like boating. Then she suggested we get a 'real' boat, for skiing/tubing. (WOOHOO!!!) So I thought I found an OK boat to buy, she says, "We're not ready. We don't even have a boat lift yet." (Double WOOHOO!!)

So, I'm trying to get this done while the window of opportunity is open, before any minds get changed by reason.

The skiff sinking just sort of helped. 'Yep, you're right, we DO need a lift!'

Jim

 

[mthieme]

Re: Have pier, need boat lift advice

Your lessens are funny, but I know they are true.

I wish my wife were willing to spend $ on anything but the growing number of grandkids. (Although toys still manage to show up!)
That's a good woman you have there.
Hope everything turns out.
As I'm sure you know, there are a lot of people who install lifts hereabouts.
Expect to be in the $5K neighborhood.

 

[jdlough]

Re: Have pier, need boat lift advice

Triumphrick,
Thanks, I think I get it now, maybe. The black and red each carry 110v, the white common is common for all. The ground grounds. The electrician connects all this at my breaker box with a couple of GFCIs inline (GFIs either at the house or at the end of the pier) so I don't get electrocuted on the pier. So I need something like 3/1 (black,red,white/ground) at a thick enough gage.

Stranded wire makes sense for pulling through that much conduit. (So the electrician basically connects the black and red at two points on the lift motor power input to make 220v, using the white as common? {I told you I don't quite get it})

I don't know if schedule 40 pipe is ok for electrical use, codewise. I'll check.

I also don't know, but will check, if there exists 3/1 of the right gage, in a spool already encased in a flexible plastic conduit that I could use underground and continue on under the pier to the new mini-breaker box at the end of the pier. If so, I suspect it's expensive as hell, but worth it. (I can imagine pulling wire this thick through this much conduit would suck) When I find out, I'll post here for future generations.

Of course, before I get into any of this, I'll check with the electrician. I just wanted some idea of what I was getting into.

Besides the obvious benefit of protection against sinking, a lift means I wouldn't have to bother with the pain and expense of bottom painting.

Thanks again,
Jim in Nanticoke

 

[jdlough]

Re: Have pier, need boat lift advice

mthieme,

Regarding grandkids, I'm hosting a wedding for my step-daughter here in 3 weeks. No grandkids yet!

Jim

 

[mthieme]

Re: Have pier, need boat lift advice

Ah, good. Then I've caught another in time.
The trick is to justify all toys for the benefit of the grandkids.
The first grandson, Christopher, lives with us and is 9 y.o..
So he'll be soloing after I can get through Power Squadron class. Naturally he has to have something to solo with. Just so happens, I found a 14' McKee Craft this season with a Merc 35hp on the back. I've...er....he's been having a lotta fun with it.
Christopher also has a Farmall Cub.........
He's gonna need a new log splitter shortly too.

Which reminds me....anyone out there have a log splitter they can part with?

Hope the wedding goes smoothly.
Congrats.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Have pier, need boat lift advice

i don't think the get better than these.