www.iFourWinns.com

Hey guys and gals, this is most likely a stupid question with an obvious answer, but wanted to get your thoughts. I have a friend that has a very nice Shore Station boat lift complete with electric lift and very nice canopy for sale. He paid like $3200 new and wants to sell it to me for $2000.00. Sounds like a really good deal considering that I have priced them out to be about $4000+ new. The only obvious issue is the weight capacity of the lift (2700 lbs max) -VS- the weight of our boat (3250 lbs). I have never owned a boat lift before and I suppose Im wondering if there is plenty of built in bias on the max weight the lift can hold. I know with some consumer products manufactures will post less or lower in order to market their other equipment. Any thoughts on this? Thanks in advance.


Jim

_________________
2011 H210 SS
MerCruiser 350 MPIC/Bravo I 300hp
"Crooked Wake"


Prior Boat
1999 Bayliner 1950 CL

What boat did he have on the lift ? Did you ask the manufacturer for their thoughts ?

_________________
One of 4 Previous (Sold) Boats:
2000 Four Winns 268 Vista

Current Boat: 2004 Chaparral 235 ssi cuddy

What style lift is it?

4 post vertical
Cantilever
Cable
Hydraulic

_________________
Current Operational Boats:
'04-Four Winns 180 Freedom 150 HP Evinrude
'72-Chris Craft Commander 31 Sedan Twin-350Qs

Its a "shore station". I was going to ask the manufacture but they would just try and sell me something bigger and more expensive. You know how sales people are....ewww! My friends dad had an 18' ski boat of some kind.

_________________
2011 H210 SS
MerCruiser 350 MPIC/Bravo I 300hp
"Crooked Wake"


Prior Boat
1999 Bayliner 1950 CL

_________________
One of 4 Previous (Sold) Boats:
2000 Four Winns 268 Vista

Current Boat: 2004 Chaparral 235 ssi cuddy

I understand that it is the "Shore Station" brand.

Shore Station makes several different styles of lifts.

Some of them may be more sensitive to the weight limits than others.

If it is a cantilever style, don't even consider putting your boat on it.

If it is a 4-post vertical style, while it should not be overloaded, you MAY get away with it.

I would guess for the price you are looking at this is a "manual" lift that uses cables to lift the load. The big fear with this style is the load limit on the cables.

Cables are great, however, every time they are bent around a pulley or drum they are stressed and eventually they will be weakened to a point that they will no longer have near the strength they did when new. Add to that the inevitable corrosion and you need to be very careful.

Even brand new the lift you are looking at wasn't intended to hold a boat as heavy as yours. Given some years of use, I would say it isn't a good idea to over load it.

I won't claim to know anything about the Shore Station design beyond that. They are a well respected brand and have been around a lot longer than most other brands of boat lifts out there.

_________________
Current Operational Boats:
'04-Four Winns 180 Freedom 150 HP Evinrude
'72-Chris Craft Commander 31 Sedan Twin-350Qs

Sorry, I didnt know there were different kinds out there. This one lift the load from all four corners with cables.

_________________
2011 H210 SS
MerCruiser 350 MPIC/Bravo I 300hp
"Crooked Wake"


Prior Boat
1999 Bayliner 1950 CL

Is your weight 3250 dry? Don't forget gear, fuel etc..this will add consideralbly to the total weight being lifted.

_________________
Michael Bova


"Swept Aweigh"
2003 Four Winns 328 Vista

Previous Boat
2003 Crownline 230CCR

I have also been looking for a boat list and one of the guys I talked to at the boat show told me rule of thumb is they tested them with more load and make a safe number by 500 pounds less. I've got the same boat and I'm looking at a 4500 to 5000 pound unit. Gear fuel and yourself possibly on it. So if it where me I would look at a larger unit. Better to be safe then sorry, not to sure what your insurance company may say if you had to put a claim in because the unit failed.

_________________
2007 Four Winns H210 SS
1996 16' Lund (fishing boat)
2008 Ford Expedition Max Limited

Yeah, the more I think about it, I agree. I was letting the cheap cost influence what I was thinking. Im going to look for one with a 4000lb capacity. I may have to buy a new one, there simply isnt a ton of used ones around. Not yet anyway.

jim

_________________
2011 H210 SS
MerCruiser 350 MPIC/Bravo I 300hp
"Crooked Wake"


Prior Boat
1999 Bayliner 1950 CL

What's wrong with this one
This is a 4000 lb. Shore Mate lift in excellent condition. It has the long, 23 ft. I think, cover in very good condition.
Cables were professionally replaced with stainless cables 4-5 years ago and are in excellent condition.

http://grandrapids.craigslist.org/boa/2187971210.html




Our how about one close to your lake for $500 ????
Shorestation 3600# steel hoist with canopy and electric lift motor. East side of Mullet Lake.
http://nmi.craigslist.org/boa/2218075265.html


Or.....

New 4000 pound capacity, 108 inch wide hoist/lift
http://nmi.craigslist.org/boa/2217427715.html

$3500 (Richland)

Well I guess that is not a "ton" but 3 minutes of searching found these.......

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

_________________
One of 4 Previous (Sold) Boats:
2000 Four Winns 268 Vista

Current Boat: 2004 Chaparral 235 ssi cuddy

After breaking down and talking to the manufactures, it looks like I would need a 4000# lift with 120" beam. I did see the first one that you listed in Rockford. The next question is how in the hell do I get it 150 miles north. I know right, these are good problems to have . The other one you listed I saw also, but it has a 108" beam, I think that one would be a little tight. Im going to call the person in rockford today. BTW, thanks for looking for me.

_________________
2011 H210 SS
MerCruiser 350 MPIC/Bravo I 300hp
"Crooked Wake"


Prior Boat
1999 Bayliner 1950 CL

You could maybe rent a trailer from U-Haul and tow the lift to your lake.

_________________
One of 4 Previous (Sold) Boats:
2000 Four Winns 268 Vista

Current Boat: 2004 Chaparral 235 ssi cuddy

I just spoke with the seller and it sounds like the perfect lift for our boat. He's going to get back to me on the overall width, but he thinks its like 115". This could be the one. Its hard to justify $7000. on a new lift with canopy.

_________________
2011 H210 SS
MerCruiser 350 MPIC/Bravo I 300hp
"Crooked Wake"


Prior Boat
1999 Bayliner 1950 CL

Why not just take it apart? I'm sure it's bolted together. Make it into manageable pieces...

_________________
Marc, Kathlin & Nathalie


'89 Chaparral Laser 32

'93 Vista 245, 5.8L w/ King Cobra

Former Boats
'01 H260, 7.4 VP Duoprop
'98 H200, 5.0 GL w/VP SX drive