Anyone use a PWC Boatlift?

L

LaserChef

New Member
I was wondering if anyone uses a boat lift to keep the Laser on the shorefront. In another thread I Detailed the challenge we have launching from a direct on shore breeze location at our lake house, with a steep rip rap sea wall.

We're thinking about buying a lift style PWC station, so we can rig out of the water, and then launch from along side a pier. This should allow us enough of an advantage to fully rig, push off and get on a closehauled course before being blown backwards into the seawall or not clearing the dock. Any suggestions?

We're looking at a ShoreMaster 1064, with an internal with of 64" and 8' carpeted bunks. It's overkill as far as handling the weight, and we're not planning on trying to sail onto it, since there would only be 5" clear on the beam (each side).

Thanks, and i hope everyone had a great winter. It's time to go sailing in the Midwest.

Chef
 
Sorry, I know nothing about boat lifts. If I understand what you are talking about, Texas Corinthian Yacht Club solved a similar problem with an unusual ramp. If you look on their website (search google), I'm sure you will find a picture.
 
The pwc lift sounds like a genious idea!

I should have thought of that myself, i build a ramp that is about 1/2 feet off the water and drag my old boat up and down it (hard on the gelcoat).

The only thing that crosses my mind about the idea is you will want to have some kind of tie down lines so the boat doesn't get blown off in a storm or waves knocking it off. since their are only bunks to cradle the boat and you may have difficulty slinging ropes around them.

Also, you may want to consider how your going to store the laser as well, since belly down will eventually make the boat soft and stretch out and be ugly, so maybe constructing some kind of gunwall brackets to take the load off the hull (sceitech dolly style?) would be the answer, if possible.
 
Can- thnks for the reply.

The tie downs are a good idea. I have a seitech dolly for long term storage, thought for the summer that the hull would be ok on the carpeted bunks? Is 100 days long enough to distort the hull shape? I could prolly modify the lift to add gunwale (sp?) supports if necessary.

Happy sailing.

BTW, the frustration of sliding the boat down a pair of 2x12 planks, off the dolly gave rise to my idea of using the lift. Also, the backward capsizing after attaching the outhaul into the wind was a real PIA. :eek:
 
I'm sure that the summer upright on bunks wont hurt it much, laser is really light. But if your planning on doing it every year, then maybe you might want to consider better support, plus with better support you will reduce the possibility of having it blown away, etc... I'm open to a large lake so that's the main thing on my mind mostly.
 
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