At Gibson Marine, we specialize in complete marine solutions: seawalls, docks, and boat lifts.
A boat lift is the best means of keeping your craft accessible and away from the damaging effects of water storage – from delamination to storm damage. The best way to protect this pricey possession is to lift it out of the water when not in use.
Our boat lifts range from standard to full systems designed to resist weather and corrosion, including:
- Aluminum Boat Lifts
- Galvanized Boat Lifts
- Davits
- PWC Lifts
- Swinger Style Lifts
The same principle applies with boat lift installation as it does to DIY Docks – don’t get in over your head. There are those who like to believe they are saving themselves money by installing a boat lift on a brilliantly sunny Saturday. The reality is you will quickly regret the decision to take on this challenge:
- You can compromise the structural integrity of your boat dock
- You can damage your boat
- You can create an unsafe area where you invite all manner of injury
- All of the above
Although it may seem ironic that a marine vessel should not be stored in the water, it is the fact. Many types of boats have been designed and manufactured with the intention that they be dry docked, regardless of the protective sealants applied.
The caveat that a brand new automobile begins its descent into depreciation once you drive it off the dealership’s lot? So it goes with your boat. Actually, storing it in the water contributes to a decrease in its performance and accelerates the loss of value rather significantly.
It is also true that personal watercraft (like jet-skis) and any others whose purpose relies on speed and performance benefit tremendously from being taken out of the water when not in use.
What Type of Boat Lift Do you Need?
We will consult with you on the variety of features and options. Fortunately ours is an industry which has incorporated aesthetics into functionality, so there is depth of choice.
The best place to start is with the material as that speaks directly to the waters upon which you live. Here on Florida’s Gulf Coast, stainless steel and galvanized steel are the recommended materials for boat lifts to combat the corrosive effects of saltwater.
The size of the boat lift is a function of the right width and length to support your boat of course, but we do recommend considering future boat purposes. Will you be upgrading your vessel to a larger one and therefore would you potentially “outgrow” your current lift sooner than later?
And finally, you can get a lot of boat lift bells and whistles like powered winches and remotes to control them, etc. We will make certain that those inclusions are made easy by confirming your dock’s accessibility to a sufficient power source and to keep your new boat lift in line with your budget.
Once you become acquainted with the costs of water-worthy vessels, you will understand the importance of having a professionally installed boat lift.
