Boat lift plumbing?
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Category: General Correct Craft Discussion
Forum Name: General Discussion
Forum Discription: Anything Correct Craft
URL: http://www.CorrectCraftFan.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=48436
Printed Date: March-06-2025 at 7:51am
Topic: Boat lift plumbing?
Posted By: Dreaming
Subject: Boat lift plumbing?
Date Posted: March-09-2020 at 1:51pm
| Hi all, I have been helping a friend on the lake who has a hydraulic boat lift. The plumbing needs to be redone as it currently has no labels and tons of valves for different operations. When the owner’s husband passed a couple of years ago, he took the operational knowledge with him. She is not mechanical so therefore needs something simple to remember. Anyone have basic rules or piping schematic so that I can make sure I don’t miss anything while re-piping? |
Replies:
Posted By: Trakout
Date Posted: March-09-2020 at 3:24pm
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Hydraulic? As in a hydraulic oil or hydraulic water? I could see some interesting plumbing on a water lift but I don't think there's much you can do on an oil lift. ------------- 2004 206 Air Nautique Limited - family style 1997 Masters Edition Nautique - gone (amazing ski wake) 1982 Mastercraft Powerslot - gone (primitive but wonderful) Bellevue WA |
Posted By: Dreaming
Date Posted: March-09-2020 at 3:47pm
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Water, the pump sits on the dock, and draws water from the lake. I know that I need a supply/pressure line to the hydraulic cylinder in the lift, and also need to be able to release the water from the cylinder when the boat goes back in the water. I also want to plan ahead for winterizing and priming as the lift and pump stay plumbed year round. |
Posted By: 8122pbrainard
Date Posted: March-09-2020 at 3:57pm
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Kris, Post some pictures if you can. Something isn't adding up. Is this a hydraulic system using water as a fluid? Is it homemade or purchased? ------------- /diaries/details.asp?ID=1622" rel="nofollow - 54 Atom /diaries/details.asp?ID=2179" rel="nofollow - 77 Tique 64 X55 Dunphy Keep it original, Pete < |
Posted By: Trakout
Date Posted: March-09-2020 at 4:15pm
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My buddy's lift on Lake Washington is a water lift....If you get stuck I could go and and see how it's setup. I seem to recall it being pretty simple. Inlet draws from a hose bib and feeds a pressure pump...that leads to a two way toggle valve - one side allows high pressure to the cylinder and the other side releases pressure and the water just drains to the lake. Don't think there's much more to it than that. It's a pretty old (and simple) lift so it's possible newer ones have more to them. My lift is a 12v oil hydraulic so I'm less familiar with with water types. ------------- 2004 206 Air Nautique Limited - family style 1997 Masters Edition Nautique - gone (amazing ski wake) 1982 Mastercraft Powerslot - gone (primitive but wonderful) Bellevue WA |
Posted By: Orlando76
Date Posted: March-09-2020 at 4:22pm
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I worked on a hydraulic boat lift once. This particular one resembled a car lift, I always assumed it was one until now even though the owner claimed it was a true boat lift. The hydraulics were fairly straight forward I thought, took two pressure lines but to get the up and down I had to use a reversing barrel switch. I don’t remember the details but reversing the motor was easy in this case as the dock had 3 phase delta. ------------- Please support The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation 1976 Ski Nautique 351 Escort 1993 Ski Nautique purple and black 351 HO PCM |
Posted By: Dreaming
Date Posted: March-09-2020 at 4:48pm
I'm not on the lake so getting an actual photo would take a couple of hours drive time. This one looks very similar, including the cylinder color and approximate size, so it could be the same brand.  https://www.aqualiftinc.com/hydraulic-boat-lifts.html" rel="nofollow - Aqualift Website |
Posted By: ultrarunner
Date Posted: March-17-2020 at 7:23pm
| THAT is a very cool cantilevered lift. I didn't open the link. Looks pretty simple though, as everything is done by what's going on in that cylinder. Draw water into the cyl. by way of the pump, water pushing on some sort of bootstrap system? Then open a valve, let the water out, lift comes down. |
Posted By: Dreaming
Date Posted: March-19-2020 at 6:19pm
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Thanks Ultra. I think that is how it works too, I was thinking that I needed to make some provision for winterization/draining on the valving system, along with a way to prime the pump in the spring. Another buddy of mine was also working on it before we all got told to work from home... I think he has a plan, so I'm in a holding pattern for now. original valving got ripped out during a dock repair, so hopefully we'll get it corrected before the lake gets all the way filled up. |