In the water. We’re on the windward side of the lake with a steep bank. We would like to leave them on the lifts all summer for access that’s easier than rolling them out of boathouse.
My neighbor has two types: One is a lightweight manual cantilever lift for a Jet-Ski which isnt anchored in any way.
The second is perched on a single aluminum piling that is "driven-in" by digging a spot for it. The rest is secured by bolting to the dock's edge. It is very solidly constructed compared to the cantilevered lift, which needs the weight of a boat (or lines) to keep it from tipping over.
When I told him I considered a lift advertised locally, he asked why I didn't buy it. I answered, "It was $500, and I didn't want to run wiring to operate an electric lift".