hoists

Can any one recommend a good hoist (manual) to use for lifting the boat out of the water?

MI-nick wrote: i've had good luck with Hewitt cantelever lifts. good for shallow water and no load on the cable when fully raised...helps me sleep better at night.

I agree but depending on whats available in your area, you may want to consider a Shore Master cantelever as well. Same quality as the Hewitt.

I built this lift for in my garage and used two hand winches like this...
http://www.tractorsupply.com/vehicle-maintenance-accessories/winches-power-pulls-accessories/hand-winches/big-red-hand-winch-1500-lb-line-pull-0189341

Kirk,
I feel you'd be better off with actual chain hoists rather than the winches. The chain hoists are for lifting and the winches even though they have a decent rating, are for pulling. Plus a chain hoist is self locking. With a winch, you would need to play with the winch locking pawl while cranking them. The danger of loosing control is high.

Northern has some pretty inexpensive chain hoists of their own brand but also handle Jet. I just bought 2 Jet's for my shop.

BuffaloBFN wrote: That's pretty slick! Are the cross members a single 2x4? Is the engine in the boat?

Thanks it’s made it so I can easily disassemble it. The posts lift out of the bottom braces and the cross beam comes apart with two bolts.

The cross beam is a 2x4x1/4" steel box beam. I started with 4x4's across the top but they bowed way too much.

Yes the engine is in the boat.

Pete,
I ran the cable straight up to a pulley then across the top to another pulley then down to the lift ring hook. I have another pulley at the hook and then the cable goes back to the top cross bar and ends there. It is very easy to crank up and down with no fear of a runaway unless you let go of the handle.

Looks like you chose a good working width; how long are the box beams? With that length you have room to work between the uprights and the hull?

BuffaloBFN wrote: Looks like you chose a good working width; how long are the box beams? With that length you have room to work between the uprights and the hull?

I had the box beams lying around for years they just happen to be 10' long so that's what I went with. That's the other reason I went with the hand winch I got two of those for less than one chain hoist. Now that I know it works well I may change them out for the chain hoists.
It leaves enough room to pull the trailer in and out easily and enough room to run a buffer around the whole boat while sitting on a chair with wheels.

tullfooter wrote: Driver Look at my profile pic. Did I choose a good working width?

I think you could have gone just a tiny bit wider but I guess you have work with what you got.

Frank,
Where's your water???

FrankT wrote: Picture from winter 2010/2011 - water was down 6 feet or so for shore line maintenance. Frankt

Got it!!!

Good God Frank...the DNR would shoot you square in the face if you tried to do that where I go in the summer time.

Very nice setup you have there.

Paul,
I feel the 1 tons would work fine. Consider the total lifting capacity of 4000lbs and what you are actually lifting! On my secondary "hull roll over" W beam in my new shop, I actually put up 1/2 ton Jets. That's still 2000lbs!!

It all started with this,much like yours with chain falls



Then went to a Hewitt



Then to a lift "kit" where you would supply the wood



Then I got "evicted" and had to move over when my Dad decided to build this

Yes it is John.If you look hard that white house across the river can be seen in most pictures. My Dad bought that Chris Craft new in the late '40's for 1700. I think thats Don Johnson in that other pic, very '80's look eh? In that last pic you can just bearly see that white house again and his green topped boat lift,thats my old Hewitt still working,he's on the deeper side so it works well for him. Here is one more,it didn't have a lift so I didn't include it,thats my great grandmothers boat on the left,we still have it,but I have never seen it in the water,future retirement project???