Posted on January 26, 2023
How Does a Floating Boat Lift Work?
Written by HydroHoist Marketing
A boat lift will always be a great idea, no matter what kind of shoreline you’re on or what type of watercraft you have. However, some boat lifts will work better for some shores than others. A lot of waterfront owners look at floating boat lifts as an option for everything from their PWC to their pontoon boats, especially on shorelines with very deep or fluctuating water.
Floating boat lifts work just like floating boat docks—and can attach to them!—with the obvious addition of being able to lift your boat. It might be hard to imagine a floating boat lift supporting something as heavy as a boat, but innovations in marine engineering have made floating boat lifts just as secure and stable as any other kind of boat lift. Read on to learn more about how they work.
How the Lift Works
A floating boat lift system works like any other boat lift system, with the ability to raise and lower the boat and the power and stability to keep it stored out of the water and close to the shore. Floating boat lifts also have air-tight, buoyant pontoons that displace the water and allow the system to float on the water. Pontoons are made of polyethylene or another stable material. They are either hollow or full of expanded polystyrene to allow them to keep floating even if something manages to puncture the drums. The boat lift is also anchored in place to keep it from drifting away but is also likely connected to a floating boat dock that’s connected to the shore with a gangway.
The lifting mechanism is very user-friendly. When the boat is on the lift, the platform vents air out of its tanks to lower the boat into the water. When it’s time to come in, and the boat is in a position to lift, the air gets pumped back into the tanks to raise the system and boat back up. Floating boat lifts can lift as many as tens of thousands of pounds, so you don’t have to worry about the safety and security of your watercraft.
Floating Boat Lift Benefits
Floating boat lifts are becoming popular for many boaters and shorelines, and the benefits make this clear. Floating boat lifts can be easily installed and removed for the seasonal boater that needs to keep changing weather conditions in mind or even for the year-round boater that needs to be mindful of bad weather.
Floating boat lifts are also great for deep or fluctuating water levels. Their ability to float means that the boat lift can adjust along with the water without you needing to make adjustments to legs, and the anchors can reach further and have more give than legs or piles. This also makes floating boat lifts great for shorelines with delicate bottoms because anchors have a minimal impact on the sediment under the boat lift. If your floating boat lift has an electrical system as part of the mechanism, you can rest assured that the flotation will also protect the system. Keeping electrical components out of the water is a good idea. Also, since your boat lift is always floating on top of the water, your electronics are never submerged.
The Ultimate in Protecting Your Boat
HydroHoist is a company filled with talented marine industry professionals determined to find the best solutions to waterfront problems and complications. We design, assemble, and install industry-leading, free-floating boat lifts for fresh and saltwater conditions. Wherever your area, and whatever season you’re in, we can help you find the boat lift set-up and system that works for you. Find a nearby dealer to get started with us today.