A boat lift is an excellent investment in any boat owner’s waterfront lifestyle, as it protects a vessel against hull damage and makes departures and docking a much easier and more convenient experience.

If you are in the market for a new boat lift fitting service or are just curious about how they work, we have compiled some basic information to educate you on boat lifts.

Top Beam

Most boat lifts that you see will have a top beam.  This will either be made of galvanized steel or aluminum. There are several different designs of a top beam depending on the manufacturer and model. The top beam spans between two or three pilings depending on the lifting capacity. The purpose of the top beam is to span the weight of the boat between the pilings.  It also has drive units and cable winders attached to it.

Drive Units

There are several different types of drive units made depending on the manufacturer and model. The drive unit acts as the transmission of the boat lift.  As the motor turns, it rotates the gears inside the drive unit which rotates the drive shaft. As the drive shaft turns it wraps cable onto the cable winder, moving the cradle and bunks.

Boats that can be lifted out of the water will be protected from damage from the water's energy. Also, they will not be subjected to the rot which can occur when a boat is in the water too long. This is why most boathouses will have the right kinds of lifts to keep high and dry.