A waterfront property can be awesome, but it comes with challenges you need to brace yourself to overcome. The fact of owning a boat allows you to sail whenever you like and to invite your friends to enjoy a boat ride instead of having them sit in your living room or on your deck. Nevertheless, boats need maintenance and repairs, so you need to be able to take your boat out of the water whenever needed. If you don’t want a boat lift, you’ll have to drive your boat to a ramp to bring it out of the water. On the contrary, having your own lift would allow you to simply pull it out easily, without having to drive it anywhere.
Choosing the best shallow water boat lifts for your property can be a huge challenge. As every boat and boat dock is different, you’ll need to know what type of shallow water boat lift suits your specific watercraft and dock. This article takes a closer look at the main factors that have a direct influence on the boat lift you need to buy for a property located in an area with shallow water.
If you have a fixed dock, you can choose a bottom standing lift. Such boat lifts are powered by heavy-duty motors and they are made from aluminum, stainless steel, and wood. The number of posts and the motor power will depend on the weight of your boat or watercraft. If you don’t know how to use this information, ask a shop assistant for help or check out the technical capabilities of all boat lifts on your shortlist. Anyway, remember that an eight post lift with four motors will be able to lift up to 250,000 pounds. If you only need to lift a small boat, you’ll probably be fine with a four-post boat lift which works up to 28,000 pounds.
An elevator boat lift design is another excellent choice for shallow water. This device works like a forklift, the only difference being that it pulls the boat out of the water at an angle. If you have to deal with shallow but rough water or with level fluctuations, you’ll need to take into account the maximum level and ensure your lift is higher, in order to compensate for these variations.
In terms of costs, you should try to get at least three quotes from different companies. This is a good method to find the best deals and to avoid scams. When searching for suppliers, remember to search the web for client reviews and testimonials. You may even consider asking for several customer references.
As a rule of thumb, it’s usually best to choose a reliable, well-known brand. Big brands invest more in after-sales services and customer relationships. Also, they have better spare parts networks and qualified technicians who can address any issue on very short notice. The price is also important, as it needs to suit your budget. Nevertheless, you should never make it your first and foremost criterion of selecting your winner.
