Thank you for taking care of the dock removal. Please also proceed with the work you describe in order to get the dock ready for installation next spring….Thank you again for saving us this summer. Look forward to working with you in the years ahead.
Lizzie G. Door County
Thanks so much.
The pier placement was great this year and we enjoyed it!
Jeanine J – Wisconsin
Hi Guys,
I trust you will put it in this spring. Remember the problem (brief drawing) you were able to correct it. Thanks for your help & assistance
George A. Door County
Lift Cable replacement depends on a variety of conditions:
Properly wound Boat lift cable
The best time to inspect the cables is when it is on dry land. That way you can check all of the critical points. Ideally, the lifting rack is in the lowered position, so more cable is exposed at the winch. Try not to let the cables go slack by lowering the rack too far.
If you inspect the lift while it’s in the water, raise the lift rack out of the water to do the inspection. A complete inspection at the bottom of the lift cable should be done when the lift is on the shore again.
In both cases, examine all exposed cables for frayed or rusted wires. Pay particular attention to the cable coming from the winch.
Frayed Boat Lift Cable
Look for frayed or rusted areas on the cable. The greater the number of frayed wires the greater the risk of failure.
Excessive rust on the cable means there could be major rust inside. Rust indicates a major weakening of the cable
and should be monitored carefully.
CAUTION – Always wear leather gloves when sliding your hands on these cables. The leather will protect your hands from a frayed wire which can be a painful experience for unprotected hands. Cloth gloves will not protect you.
What type of pulley material is used on the lift rack? To cut costs, some manufacturers still use a hard, black plastic pulley. These require extra attention. DO NOT lubricate any of these pulleys. Doing so will only contaminate the water.
If you have the black plastic pulleys (or any plastic pulley for that matter) follow these instructions:
With the rack above the water look inside the exposed ends of the rack tubes:
To completely check the pulleys, you should have someone raise the rack so you can see the entire pulley as it turns. The pulley sides could be damaged, and you can only see a portion of it from the ends of the tubes. Do this at all four corners.
A plastic pulley on a boat lift Cable
Brass pullies on a Boat Lift Cable
DO NOT place your fingers inside the tube to inspect it when it is moving. You may lose your finger.
A lift cable will easily slip off a cracked or broken plastic pulley. With the lift cable off the pulley, the load on the cable is more than double the usual tension. It also results in broken internal wire strands due to the reduced diameter of the new bearing surface.
In this situation, the pulley needs to be replaced immediately. The heavier the boat, the more important this is.
FYI in the case of the brass pulleys used on a ShoreMaster lift, we have never seen a broken or chipped pulley. Note: Only the original vertical jet ski lifts from ShoreMaster had plastic pulleys. ShoreMaster corrected this problem almost immediately and only use brass pulleys on all their lifts today.
If you have a sandy beach, look for sand inside the tubes. If sand is built up inside the rack tubes, remove it as soon as possible by flushing the tube out. A sand packed tube can happen after a storm when:
Sand can pack so tight in the tube that the cable can not move through it. The same is true of seaweed that gets into the tubes.
In Part 2 of this 2 part series, we discuss the types of cables used on lifts today. We will also address the life expectancy of cables.
SEE also – When Should a Lift Cable Be Replaced? PART 2 of 2 – UPDATED
PWS is located in the center of Door County at 7325 St Hwy 57. It is located 1 mile North of County MM (Hwy 42) and South of Sturgeon Bay. Look for the intersection of Idlewild Road.
Want us to address a dock or boat lift topic for you? Feel free to give us a call.
Boatlifts come in several configurations. In part 1 of this 2 part series, we discussed vertical and cantilever lifts. What about boatlifts for larger boats?
Next, we’ll discuss Elevator and Hydraulic boatlifts.
The elevator boatlift can only be mounted on permanent piers. These piers usually consist of a concrete pier (or concrete capped, boulder pier) or as an alternate a pier mounted on permanent pilings. As shown below, the elevator lift raises the boat parallel to the pier for easy access to the boat. They are commonly used in channels and lakes with significant fluctuations in water depth.
Elevator BoatLifts
The elevator lift is powered by one or two synchronized A.C. electric motors depending on the unit size. There is no need to hand-crank this lift. A wireless remote control is used to raise or lower the boat.
Elevator boatlifts are capable of stopping anywhere along its vertical travel so it makes it simple to load and unload a boat. This boatlift makes the boat readily accessible for covering with a boat cover and loading.
In general, Hydraulic boatlifts will travel 4’, 5′ or 6’ vertically depending on the model ordered. They will handle loads up to 32,000 lbs.
Because the base is wider than a typical cantilever or vertical boat lift, you have more stability in storms.
The Hydraulic lift is one of the best for high waves and water surges. The D.C. operated units are quiet and use solar-powered batteries and wireless remote controls. No A.C. power required.
Hydraulic BoatLifts by ShoreMaster
PWS is located 1 mile North of County MM (Hwy 42) at 7325 St. Hwy 42/57. That’s just 3 miles South of Sturgeon Bay. Look for the Idlewild Road intersection.
Our staff is ready to assist year round.
Call if you want to see an issue discussed on our site.
Contact Jerry at 920-493-4404 or Email Jerry@wisconsinpws.com with your questions.
