boat lift

[dadymat]

hello all....ive got a question about boat lifts for pontoons..... our dock was fitted for a bass boat and now we only have a pontoon...the electric lift has straps that go under and lift boat...which worked great on bass boat and fits and works well with the pontoon...but it seems to me that over time the straps would be putting too much pressure pushing the logs inward...does anyone else use the strap type lifts for their pontoon? or should i avoid this?...or any advice or ideas i should try

[jimrs]

I don't know, I do know that over the years I have seen pontoons hung in boat houses by that kind of system. I have never heard anyone say it hurt their toon. I think the deck is the widest part of the toon and thus has already cut down on the straps pulling the toons together pressure. There would be some pressure but I don't know if enough to push them enough to hurt them.

I had a friend weld my cradle and then had it hung. You have the expensive part the motor and the wiring. See about getting a cradle welded up to fit your toon. I don't know what it would cost but it would set your mind at ease to be sitting on runners like a trailer.

[badmoonrising]

Don't have a boat lift, but my marina used a strap travel lift to remove my PC from the water for bottom painting. They placed the straps at the welds and it wasn't an issue. The PC is 5500 lbs, and not a scratch.

[mikeherb]

My buddy has a lift for his toon. It's just two 4x4 posts with eye bolts through them at the ends cabled to the lift. Simple and effective.

I would think the spacing from stern to bow would be most important when you have a toon lift. You want to make certain you're lifting it at its strongest points. Someone who knows can share more on the spacing.

[limulus]

We are also needing a lift. The water under our slip fluctuates from ~2' in winter to ~10' deep in summer. I'd like to get one of lifts specifically for pontoons. Hewitt is a manufacturer of those, but I think 10' of water is too deep for that type to work.