Boat Lift suggestions?

[Seneca085]

We just purchased a 2008 22ve and are anxious for the season to begin. My old Shore Station is too small and I need to upgrade. I am inclined to stay with Shore Station as this one has lasted for 14 years with minimal maintenance and no needed repairs. Does anyone have another suggestion?

[JreisRZR]

we used to have a shoremaster, lasted us 20 seasons under out Malibu and still going strong but recently upgraded to a feighner hydraulic lift. I'm still waiting for delivery of our boat and lift I can tell you with assurance that the feighner we purchased was much beefier than any other lift they had on sight for 5k with solar panel, remote all the goodies. Gimee 3 weeks and I'll get you pics and a review if you want it

[Booms]

Last year I purchased the 5,600lbs Hewitt Hi-Lift Vertical boat lift for our 08 RZ2. What sold me on it, comes with an optional Wakeboard tower canopy. This canopy allows you to pull into and store your boat with out the need to fold the tower down.
The lift is big and has an optional wheel kit if you need to move it. I took two 12' green treated 2x10s and attached them to feet like skis. This stopped the lift from sinking (the feet/pads are only 12"x8" which is not big enough to distribute the weight and they sunk in the sand/muck) and makes it easier to move the lift in and out. I also purchased the 14' full length carpeted guide-step so I can drive the boat in/out without having to worry about hitting the vertical aluminum supports.

I would have loved to purchase a Floe lift. But it was $17k where the Hewitt was only $8k.

The attached picture was taken with my cell phone so the quality is not that good but it gives you an idea of how the canopy looks.

[IDBoating]

I've recommended them before and I'll recommend them again: AirDock.

Much more flexible, much easier to install and remove (if you're seasonal), much less expensive to buy and maintain. Also, if you change boat sizes you can simply swap out the affected components rather than starting all over again (we did that when we bought our 24Ve to replace a 20 footer). Moves with the water level rather than constantly shifting a traditional boat lift. Unaffected by wave action. The list goes on and on.

I have three of them (one for the boat, two for jetskis) and won't buy any other kind of boat lift.

No affiliation other than as an absolutely thrilled customer.

http://www.airdock.com

[JreisRZR]

....man that thing is goofy

[slonedigitty]

I've recommended them before and I'll recommend them again: AirDock.

Much more flexible, much easier to install and remove (if you're seasonal), much less expensive to buy and maintain. Also, if you change boat sizes you can simply swap out the affected components rather than starting all over again (we did that when we bought our 24Ve to replace a 20 footer). Moves with the water level rather than constantly shifting a traditional boat lift. Unaffected by wave action. The list goes on and on.

I have three of them (one for the boat, two for jetskis) and won't buy any other kind of boat lift.

No affiliation other than as an absolutely thrilled customer.

http://www.airdock.com

I just ordered one for my RZ2...have you had any issues with gettin your boat in and off the dock. I've seen the videos but would like a consumers opinion. They say you have to turn off the engine before it gets onthe dock...thanks for any info-SloneDigitty

[IDBoating]

I've found that the tracking fins on the bottom of the boat make getting it centered a bit more challenging with an inboard than with my earlier jetboat. (On that smooth-bottomed boat, I could just open all three air valves and things would center themselves.) After some experimentation, I seem to have it dialed it for the Tige too.

What I do is drive the boat over the bags with the hull reasonably centered. The tracking fins won't be touching the bags yet since the bags "fall" in the center when deflated. Then, while off the boat and at the airbox, I put just a bit of air into one of the rear chambers - just enough to pop the tail end to the surface. Then, with the first side closed off, I do the same to the second side and match the amount of exposed bag I can see above the water. At that point the hull is centered, the tracking fins have touched the air bags and thus "locked" themselves into position, and I can open both rear chamber valves and let them inflate. I also open the front chamber at this time.

No, you do not have to stop the engine "early". I drive mine on and off the bags every time. The trick, obviously, is to not drive too far and let the prop get a hold of the bags. That shouldn't be a problem since the instructions say to position the boat such that the prop is in line with the rear edge of the rear bags, and since the bags taper inward in the center the prop never really gets close. You can inflate the front bag's side chambers such that the boat really can't go too far forward.

One thing I'm careful about is making sure both rear corners have fully "fallen away" from the hull before starting the engine and (especially) engaging the transmission. There's really no risk as explained above, but since due to friction you probably wouldn't be able to drive away before that why not be extra careful?

Side note: The only real problem I've ever had with the AirDock was when we were new to driving an inboard, and I didn't have it straight when coming into the dock. I drove the tracking fins over one of the rear bags and sliced it up pretty well. I pulled the bag from the water and took my time carefully patching it using the patch kit they include, and it has been holding great ever since (over a year now).

If I were starting over, I'd buy another AirDock without hesitation.

Report back!

[lalhc]

I have an Econolift and have been very satisfied with it.

http://www.econolift.com/

[slonedigitty]

I've found that the tracking fins on the bottom of the boat make getting it centered a bit more challenging with an inboard than with my earlier jetboat. (On that smooth-bottomed boat, I could just open all three air valves and things would center themselves.) After some experimentation, I seem to have it dialed it for the Tige too.

What I do is drive the boat over the bags with the hull reasonably centered. The tracking fins won't be touching the bags yet since the bags "fall" in the center when deflated. Then, while off the boat and at the airbox, I put just a bit of air into one of the rear chambers - just enough to pop the tail end to the surface. Then, with the first side closed off, I do the same to the second side and match the amount of exposed bag I can see above the water. At that point the hull is centered, the tracking fins have touched the air bags and thus "locked" themselves into position, and I can open both rear chamber valves and let them inflate. I also open the front chamber at this time.

No, you do not have to stop the engine "early". I drive mine on and off the bags every time. The trick, obviously, is to not drive too far and let the prop get a hold of the bags. That shouldn't be a problem since the instructions say to position the boat such that the prop is in line with the rear edge of the rear bags, and since the bags taper inward in the center the prop never really gets close. You can inflate the front bag's side chambers such that the boat really can't go too far forward.

One thing I'm careful about is making sure both rear corners have fully "fallen away" from the hull before starting the engine and (especially) engaging the transmission. There's really no risk as explained above, but since due to friction you probably wouldn't be able to drive away before that why not be extra careful?

Side note: The only real problem I've ever had with the AirDock was when we were new to driving an inboard, and I didn't have it straight when coming into the dock. I drove the tracking fins over one of the rear bags and sliced it up pretty well. I pulled the bag from the water and took my time carefully patching it using the patch kit they include, and it has been holding great ever since (over a year now).

If I were starting over, I'd buy another AirDock without hesitation.

Report back!

Thanks sooo much for the detailed write up! Mine is being shipped out on this wednesday and I will let everyone know how the install/operation of the boat lift works.