Independent boat lift research
Choose, size, fix and maintain your boat lift, with the numbers shown.
Boat Lift Lab explains how every kind of boat lift works and what it takes to own one well: real loaded weights, water depth math, cable life by water type, motor and wiring basics, and honest cost ranges. Clear enough for a first-time buyer, detailed enough for the person holding the wrench.
Start with what you need
- I'm buying a liftType, capacity, materials and permits, in the order that avoids regrets.
- What size do I need?Size from loaded weight, not the brochure dry weight.
- Something's wrongMotor dead, lift slipping, cable fraying, boat crooked.
- What will it cost?Installed ranges by lift type, capacity and water.
- Will it fit my site?Water depth swings, tides, bottoms and pilings.
- Keeping it runningSeasonal checklists, corrosion, ice and storms.
Calculators that show their working
Every result comes with the assumptions behind it, so you can check the arithmetic and take real numbers to a dealer or contractor.
- Boat Lift Capacity CalculatorFree boat lift capacity calculator. Adds fuel, water, ballast, batteries and gear to your dry weight, applies a safety margin, and suggests a lift rating.
- Boat Lift Type FinderAnswer six questions about your boat, water, level swings, structure, ice and depth to see which boat lift types fit your site best, and why.
- Boat Lift Cost EstimatorEstimate the installed cost of a boat lift by type, capacity, water, pilings, power, canopy and region. Itemized 2026 ranges with the assumptions shown.
- Boat Lift Solar Charger and Battery SizingSize the solar panel and battery for a DC boat lift from motor current, lift time, trips per week and sun hours, with days of reserve and battery type.
- Boat Lift Water Depth CalculatorCheck whether a boat lift works at your site at both low and high water: depth to float the boat on and off, and lift travel to clear waves at high water.
Explore by topic
- Fundamentals & TypesHow lifts work, and every lift type from cantilever lake lifts to beamless hydraulics.
- Selection & SizingCapacity from real loaded weight, materials, permits, and buying used.
- Boat & Dock CompatibilityMatching the lift to your hull, slip, water depth, bottom and pilings.
- TroubleshootingSymptom-first diagnosis, from the safest check to the hardest.
- Motors, Electrical & ControlsAC vs DC, solar, safe dock wiring, remotes, limit switches.
- Cables & DrivetrainWire rope, gearboxes, sheaves, and how to replace a cable safely.
- Bunks & CradlesWhere the hull should bear, bunk materials, guides that make docking easy.
- Hydraulic & Floating SystemsCylinders, pumps and buoyancy, with comparisons and upkeep.
- Maintenance, Corrosion & WinterChecklists, corrosion control, ice, hurricanes and cleaning.
- Brands & ModelsIndependent brand profiles and how to identify an unknown lift.
- Cost & ReferenceCost guide, cost index, boat weights, lifespans, glossary.
- Tools & CalculatorsCalculators for capacity, cost, depth, solar, and a lift finder.
Essential reading
- TypesHow Boat Lifts Work: The Mechanics Every Lift SharesHow boat lifts work: load paths, cable reeving, gear ratios, brakes, hydraulics and buoyancy, with worked arithmetic and the failure modes each one creates.
- SelectionBoat Lift Capacity Sizing: How to Calculate the Lift You Actually NeedSize a boat lift from real loaded weight: fuel, ballast, batteries and gear plus a 15 to 25% margin. Worked examples: wake boat, tritoon, center console.
- CompatibilityBoat Lift Water Depth Requirements: The Depth Equation, Worked at Low and High WaterHow much water a boat lift needs: the depth equation, keel drop, low and high water checks, wave clearance, and worked examples for lakes and rivers.
- Cables & DrivetrainBoat Lift Cable Replacement: A Step-by-Step Procedure That Gets Length and Wraps RightHow to replace boat lift cables safely: measure the right length, keep 3 dead wraps on the drum, terminate correctly, and plan time, tools, and cost.
- Hydraulic & FloatingFloating Boat Lifts: How Air-Chamber and Floating Hydraulic Lifts Work, and How to Size ThemHow floating boat lifts work: air-chamber vs floating hydraulic types, buoyancy math for freshwater and seawater with a sizing example, depth needs, and costs.
- TypesVertical vs Cantilever Boat Lifts: A Side-by-Side ComparisonVertical vs cantilever boat lifts compared: lift height, capacity, arc geometry, depth range, cost, and maintenance, with worked math and scenario verdicts.
- MaintenanceBoat Lift Corrosion Protection: Galvanic Series, Fasteners, Anodes, and Stray CurrentStop boat lift corrosion: the galvanic series, stainless fasteners on aluminum, isolation, zinc vs aluminum vs magnesium anodes, and stray current.
- TroubleshootingBoat Lift Motor Troubleshooting: Motor Won't Run, Hums, or Trips the BreakerDiagnose a boat lift motor that will not run, hums, or trips the breaker or GFCI. Step-by-step checks with expected voltage readings and fixes.
- Cost & ReferenceBoat Weight Database: Typical Dry Weights and Estimated Loaded Weights by Boat Type and LengthTypical dry and estimated loaded weights for PWCs, jon and bass boats, bowriders, deck, wake, pontoon, center console, bay, walkaround and cruiser boats.
How Boat Lift Lab works
- Independent. No manufacturer or dealer pays for coverage, placement or verdicts.
- Math you can check. Sizing, depth, power and buoyancy figures are worked out on the page with stated assumptions.
- Sourced. Guides cite the codes, standards and agencies that govern docks, wiring and waterways.
- Corrected in public. Errors are fixed promptly and significant changes are logged on our corrections page.