Posted on September 29, 2022

What is a Boat Lift and Do You Need One?

Written by ShoreMaster Marketing

Your boat is the star of your waterfront show and deserves the best care. This means cleaning, maintenance, and lifting it out of the water when you’re not using it.

Wait. What?

New boat owners might be surprised to learn that boats shouldn’t be stored in the water at all times. Despite being built to travel on water and sit in it, being on the water full time can cause deterioration and other damage. At best, that means aesthetic damage; at worst, it can affect your boat’s performance and value over time. Preventing these unfortunate events is exactly what a boat lift is for.

What Boat Lifts Do

Boat lifts do exactly what it sounds like they do: through the action of either a manual wheel or a motor or hydraulic system, they lift your boat out of the water and hold it there when you’re not using it. Keeping your boat out of the water rather than, say, tied off to your dock supports it and protects it from the weather and elements in a way that leaving it out in the open doesn’t. It’s also a better storage solution than trailering or otherwise bringing your boat on land—it’s a lot of hassle to load your boat onto a trailer, drive it to the water, launch it, and then have to do the whole process in reverse at the end of the day.

Really, for the initial cost, boat lifts pay for themselves in the long run. They offer protection, convenience, and peace of mind for boat owners.

ShoreMaster offers a range of boat lifts and docking options for all of your watercraft needs. Whether you’re looking into vertical, PWC, pontoon, or hydraulic boat lifts, we can find one that’s compatible with your dock or waterfront system. Our boat lifts also have compatible accessories like canopy covers and motors available for purchase separately to complete your shoreline.

Why You Need a Boat Lift 

Here are a few of the benefits of a boat lift:

• Secure storage up and away from the dock and slip that your boat could otherwise hit when the wind and waves get strong
• Damage prevention, including protection from algae growth and corrosion
• Preserving the condition of your boat by maintaining its value, extending its lifespan, and reducing the number of expensive future problems you’ll have to face
• Increased boating time because you won’t have to put as much work into maintenance or have to trailer your boat every time you want to use it, and you can easily raise and lower it into the water right from the edge (especially if you’re using a hydraulic or motorized lift system)

Aluminum Boat Lifts from ShoreMaster

As lifelong boaters ourselves, we understand how important your boat and your time on the water are. That passion is what made ShoreMaster the pioneer of the aluminum boat lift and a leading innovator in the waterfront industry. We have options for nearly any size watercraft from a tritoon to a Personal Watercraft PWC Lift, as well as the boat lift accessories to make your waterfront meet your needs. For more information, questions about our products, or installation help, find a ShoreMaster dealer near you.