New Boat Lift

[TRBenj]

We've had a few different lifts. We still have one of our first- a 3600lb Harbormaster vertical crank lift. Really easy to crank, and lightweight. We've replaced the cables twice over the last 20 years.

Some friends have Shoremasters and Shorestations in the 3000 capacity range and they have lasted a long time, but are very difficult to crank in comparison.

Dad had a Hewitt 4000 lb cantelever with an electric winch for a while. I briefly had a 3000 lb of the same, but manual crank. Very solid lifts. The electic winch (110v) was painfully slow though.

We've since switched over to 12V hydraulic lifts. Dad got a used 4000 lb Nyman (not the waterlift style) a few years back and we've been fans of these ever since. Very solid construction and super fast up and down. Then we each got one more as we started accumulating more boats. Theyre not cheap new, but I would be hard pressed to go any other way. The only downside is that theyre not light- so putting them in and taking them out takes several (4) guys, especially with a canopy added.

I just bought a used Sunstream Sunlift this fall, and havent seen it in person yet, but am excited to add it. The ones I have seen in person seem to offer very nice construction and 2 pistons (the Nyman has 1). It may be a half notch better- we shall see.

[NigelC]

I just bought a used Sunstream Sunlift this fall, and havent seen it in person yet, but am excited to add it. The ones I have seen in person seem to offer very nice construction and 2 pistons (the Nyman has 1). It may be a half notch better- we shall see.

The Sunlift 3010 only has one piston. The 4000 has two.

[shag]

I have to agree with the ease of operation of the hydraulic lifts. And I was able to float mine to where I needed it by strapping dock floatation to the bunks. Once you have it where you need it, you can just operate the lift (lower the lift) to set it where you need to.
Mine is the 6000# model and it lifts a 230 no problem. I was so very fortunate though, I found someone who got a larger boat and had to upgrade. All I did was replace the lines and battery and it works like new. I don't even want to say what I paid for it because it was such a steal....
Just in case someone is unfamiliar, they use a biodegradable fluid so as not to be a pollutant to the lake.

[KPNautique]

I have a Hewitt 4400# 120 volt hydraulic lift. I feel it was expensive but it has been very reliable

[WakeSlayer]

How much would a 3,000lb Sunlift sell for?

I question those long Shorestation guides as well. They look good in theory, but I've seen a few boats get slammed around in them when docking with incoming rollers.

I did not mean the side bunk rail type guide-ons, those could mess up your boat if you screwed up driving in to it. I meant the lousy white foam ones that are on spring plates.
ShoreMaster has flexible rod ones that have blue bumpers at the top. Lakeshore Equip will know what you are talking about. They have done it for me a few times.

Lame ones: http://www.boatliftanddock.com/p-313...ng-guides.aspx

[swc5150]

Well, I just pissed away 6 hours of driving time to pick up what was supposed to be my new lift. The dude even called me at 7 this morning, to move the pick up time from noon to 10:00. I get to his house, and am told he's down by the lift. So as I'm walking down to meet him, he's walking up with some other guy who bought it out from under me! As the 3 of us continue up the hill, another dude shows up to buy it as well! This is an example of an a-hole, whose word is crap, and shows total disrespect for people's time. We agreed to his asking price on Wednesday! Very p.o'd right now!