Your boat is a big investment, so of course you want to take care of it. What's one big way to do this, you ask? By having a boat lift to hold your boat out of the water and taking care of that boat lift. Just like your boat, your boat lift requires maintenance and upkeep to ensure it stays in the best shape as possible.
Keep Weight Limits in Mind
Your boat weighs a certain amount, as well as your gear in your boat, fuel etc. Be sure you are getting a boat lift that can very well hold the weight of your boat. Be sure you include all the gear and fuel in your boat as well as the dry weight of the boat when you are figuring out just how much your boat dock weighs. You don't want to have a boat lift that doesn't carry as much weight otherwise you will put a lot of strain on your cables and other parts of your lift.
Keep it Out of the Water
When you are not using your boat lift, be sure to raise it up out of the water. Your lifts cables and cradles will last much longer if they normally sit outside of the water. Maybe you're headed out for a full day on the lake? Consider lifting your lift out of the water when you go out and then lowering it to pull onto the lift when you get back.
Regularly Lubricate
Boat lift cables are made of stainless steel and can erode if they rub against each other without lubrication. Use a penetrating oil that does not contain grease to do this.
Inspect Cables for Wear & Tear
Check the cables on your boat lift regularly for signs of damage. Taking a little bit of time to do this is extremely worth it.
Keep an Eye on the Winder
When you check the cables for damage you should check on the winder too. You don't want your cable to be wound too tightly or have too much slack. Having uneven wear can make it so your cables do not last as long, which nobody wants.
Doing all of these things will ensure that your boat lift stays in shape for as long as possible.
