Im building a boat dock and Im looking for design info for actual lift.

[37tr3n5k]

I have built a boat dock with two bays and am about to build the actual lifts that hold the boat out of the water. Does anyone have basic dimensions for bunk widths, typially where on the boat the bunks are in contact with, if the beams are normally in a v-shape (and what angle if so), etc? Any pictures you guys may have of your lifts would be a huge help. FWIW, my boat is a 2006 220 TE SANTE

[charlesml3]

39 inches, outside to outside. Should be fine for just about any Nautique.

-Charles

[37tr3n5k]

I have this drawn up for fabrication. I took your 39" outside to outside. Im curious if anyone has any insight on the other dimensions. Also, if my slip is 24', how long are you making the overall lift from end to end and where in the 24' slip is it placed? If anyone can help, thanks in advance.

[37tr3n5k]

If anyone feels like diving into this, here is a link to my interactive 3D model thus far (its not done). Ignore the lack of structural material under the actual bunk board. Any input is greatly appreciated.

https://app.sketchup.com/viewer/3dw?...e-f206fe816d55

[Scooter G]

Trimble? That doesn't look like some run of the mill free download app, man could I have fun with that. That sure takes the "what I should of done" equation out of the mix. Nice sketch up! Good luck on the project 37tr3n5k, throw some pictures in along the route, I'm sure others could benefit...

[37tr3n5k]

Heh. Thanks. It's SketchUp Pro that I use, however all the features of that model are available in the free version. The pro version is like 500 bucks a year, I believe. I used it to design the entire dock while the water level is down due to the dam being rebuilt. Now I'm down to the fine details on the lift and only want to fab it up once

[gary s]

Fab'd our rear cross member like this since I have keeled Shamrocks that sometimes sit on this lift as well. Extra kink gives you room in case your not exactly centered.
You can always change it out later if you get a different boat.

[charlesml3]

You're making this way more complicated than necessary. Here's a lift on one of my customer's docks:



The steel beams are 9' long and 6" tall. The bunk boards are 2x12x12 PT lumber with carpet. The adjustable brackets are 10" tall.

Cables are 5/16" Stainless and it's a two-motor lift capable of 8000 pounds. With steel overhead beams it would go to 10,000 pounds.

[Scooter G]

Simple by design, but efficient, I like it!
I always tend to make things more complicated than necessary and way over build.
For future reference is 12" enough to clear the prop on a G or a 220, or would it be outside the lower beam?

[charlesml3]

2x12 lumber is plenty tall enough This is the same lift my 2022 G23 is on.

Are you fabricating and building this lift custom? There are plenty of kits you can buy that already have all of this done. It's just a matter of installing it.

-Charles

[37tr3n5k]

2x12 lumber is plenty tall enough This is the same lift my 2022 G23 is on.

Are you fabricating and building this lift custom? There are plenty of kits you can buy that already have all of this done. It's just a matter of installing it.

-Charles

I am no stranger to custom design and fabrication. I can build it from scratch for a fraction of the cost it takes to order from another fabricator and have it shipped. I have the steel onsite and guys ready to build it.

In terms of the simple design photos in the previous post with 6" straight I beams, I agree that would work. The information I'm specifically looking for if I was to go with that configuration are illustrated in the attached photo. Thanks for everyone's input

[charlesml3]

OK, let's start with beam width. I'm referring to the big dimension you have in the photo above. The beams line up with the brackets above. The brackets go where they have to go, which is generally right over the posts. If the brackets have to land inside of the post span, steel "C" channel is put up to distribute the load across and down to the posts. Make sense?

Bunk width. Again in the photo above, I set the bunks so they're 39" apart outside-to-outside. That works for 99% of the boats I see.

Bunk placement front to back. There's no real set dimension here. I usually look at how the boat is going to hang in the lift and set the bunks so that the stern isn't hanging outside of the boathouse in the rain.

-Charles

[Scooter G]

"SketchUp Pro", thanks for the share. I think I'm going to have a little nerdy fun with that, for sure.
Dude, that boat house is looking over the top. I can see the vision, definitely going to turn some heads on the boat/drive by, very nice.
3 portable Miller's and a Lincoln, those guys are set up for some serious business, looks like that's not their 1st rodeo...

[GMLIII]

Fab'd our rear cross member like this since I have keeled Shamrocks that sometimes sit on this lift as well. Extra kink gives you room in case your not exactly centered.
You can always change it out later if you get a different boat.

I went with this stern crossbar design for my G23 lift. Glad I did

[37tr3n5k]

"SketchUp Pro", thanks for the share. I think I'm going to have a little nerdy fun with that, for sure.
Dude, that boat house is looking over the top. I can see the vision, definitely going to turn some heads on the boat/drive by, very nice.
3 portable Miller's and a Lincoln, those guys are set up for some serious business, looks like that's not their 1st rodeo...

Those are almost all my toys in the pics. It makes building the dock a relatively quick task. I'm in the heavy infrastructure business.

If you are serious about wanting to learn SketchUp Pro, feel free to DM me. I can give you some pointers that shorten the learning curve by a big margin. I use it to design stuff from houses all the way to municipal water treatment plants.