P23 on a lift

Posted By: Lee P23 #495
Date: 7/16/08 2:49p.m.

Report: outside forum guidelines

In Response To: Sure, you can do it (link) (Tom Ray)

As Tom mentioned, depth depends on the lift frame. I am up against a sea wall. Looking at my pictures, I need about an extra 1.5 feet in addition to boat draft. In reality I am on a canal about 5 foot deep. My lift was built by a guy with experience with sailboats and who does work in Annapolis. It has a big aluminum beam down the middle. My recommendation is make sure you get someone that knows what they are doing. It was not cheap. As mentioned by Tom, the pvc pipes are for alignment only. However, only three are useful due to beam of the boat in the center. I alignt agains the two in the front and the port side in the rear. The fourth pvc pipe does not do anything. My reasons for a lift are I am about three hours away from the house with boat. I am there only a couple of times a month. I wanted to be sure the boat was safe while I was gone and there when I arrived. And not on the bottom due to a slow leak. I avoided having to bottom paint and I did not have to buy a trailer. Set up is very quick. I have a roller furler. To get on the water I press a button, motor a couple hundred feet and raise the main. Drawbacks, are I dont have a trailer. So I can not trailer-sail as these other guys do. I also can not run away from bad weather by heading inland. Maintenance is more difficult (e.g. waxing the bottom while in a canoe and working on the engine). Good luck. Lee.