How to Inspect and Maintain a Boat Lift (Cables, Pulleys, Motor, Bunks and Storm Prep)

Hose the lift down with fresh water and a mild soap, especially cables, pulleys, the drum and the cradle. BoatUS quotes a lift builder who calls washing the lift one of the best things you can do for it. In salt water, rinse every time you use the boat.

With the boat off the lift, raise and lower the empty cradle a foot or two. It should move smoothly and evenly on all corners. Stop if you hear grinding, popping or clicking, or if one corner moves faster than another. Those point to a misaligned or seized pulley, debris in a groove, or a worn or stretched cable.

Cables are the weak point of almost every lift; BoatUS calls them the Achilles heel of lifts based on its insurance claims, with breakage the big worry. With gloves on, look and feel along each cable, including the part wound on the drum. Replace a cable if you find:

• Broken wires, burrs or a fuzzy, frayed look
• Kinks, flattened or crushed sections (don't try to straighten them)
• Rust, pitting or flaking (light surface discoloration can be normal on stainless)
• A section that looks thicker, thinner or looser than the rest

Damage can also be inside where you can't see it. If a cable is old, replace it on schedule. ShoreMaster says cables can last up to about five years depending on use and water, and suggests shorter cycles (two to four years) in salt or brackish water. Follow your lift maker's interval.

Use the cable type, diameter and length your lift maker specifies. BoatUS warns not to swap galvanized for stainless or the other way around: pulleys are sized for one or the other. Replacing a cable means supporting the cradle so it can't fall. If you're not set up for that, have a lift dealer do it.

With the cable slack, spin each pulley by hand. It should turn freely without grinding. Try to wiggle it sideways; it should barely move. Check that the cable runs straight in the center of the groove. A stiff, wobbly or misaligned pulley chews up cables fast. Clean out the grooves, lubricate the bearings or bushings as your manual says, and replace any pulley with deep groove wear, cracks or play.

The cable should wind neatly in even layers. Watch for a "riding turn," where one wrap jams under another and the lift can't move. If that happens, shut off the power and free it with tools, or call your dealer.

Wipe cables with light oil or the cable lubricant your lift maker recommends. BoatUS and ShoreMaster both say to avoid grease on cables: it traps moisture and grit inside the strands. Grease goes only where your manual says (often pulley bearings or gearboxes).

Turn off power to the lift at the breaker before touching anything electrical. Make sure the motor and drive have their cover in place. Look for:

• Corroded, loose or chafed wiring and connections
• Cords hanging into or near the water
• A missing or damaged GFCI on the lift circuit (test it with its button)
• A motor that runs slowly, hums or trips the breaker (often voltage drop on a long dock run, a corroded connection or a failing motor capacitor)

Wiring repairs and GFCI problems are a job for a licensed electrician who knows docks. Hydraulic lifts: look for leaks at fittings and cylinders and wipe exposed rods with a corrosion inhibitor. Air-assisted lifts: spray soapy water on hose connections and watch for bubbles.

Bunks can only be checked properly with the boat off. Look for rotted or split boards, worn or torn carpet or pads, missing or rusted bolts, and cracks at welds and brackets. Check that bunks are level and evenly spaced and still match your hull. Also look at what holds the lift up: pilings, dock frame or seawall. Loose hardware, rot or erosion there is a lift failure waiting to happen. ShoreMaster adds that pilings should stand firmly upright with no decay or damage from marine borers (wood-boring sea creatures), and seawalls should show no erosion or cracking from wave impact.

Drive or float the boat in slowly with the cradle low enough that the hull clears the bunks. Line it up so it sits centered side to side and fore and aft so the weight is shared between the front and rear lifting points. Your lift maker or dealer can tell you the right fore-aft position; heavier engines usually mean moving the boat forward. Guide-ons and a bow stop or motor stop make it repeatable. Raise slowly, stop when the hull first touches, check that it's centered, then lift the rest of the way. Raise it high enough to clear normal waves and tides but no higher than needed.

A boat full of rainwater or snow can weigh far more than the lift is rated for. BoatUS describes a winterized boat left on a lift with the drain plug in: it filled with snow, the lift collapsed and both were a total loss. When the boat is on the lift, pull the drain plug (and remember to put it back before launching), keep cockpit drains clear, and use a cover that sheds water with a proper support frame.

Winter: follow your lift maker's layup steps. ShoreMaster's general advice is to raise the lift clear of the water, disconnect power, cover the motor, rinse and dry everything, and store removable controls somewhere dry. In ice country, many lifts must be pulled out or have the boat removed; ask your dealer.

Hurricanes and big storms: BoatUS, West Marine and ShoreMaster agree the best plan is to take the boat off the lift and store it ashore well before the storm. If the boat must stay:

• Pull the drain plug and clear the cockpit drains so rain can't overload the lift.
• Strip off canvas, cushions and anything that catches wind.
• Strap the boat to the lift and run lines to solid dock points too; BoatUS claims show boats secured to both the lift and the dock fared best. Back up lines in case one fails, and protect them from chafe.
• Shut off power to the lift.
• Plug the engine exhaust outlets if your engine maker allows it, and plan to remove the plugs before starting.
• Follow your lift maker's advice on cradle height for storm surge. ShoreMaster's hurricane tips say to raise its lifts to the highest point and to cross the bow and stern lines into a web tied to well-anchored cleats and pilings, with each line backed up by a second one to a different point. Surge can still float the boat off the bunks.

Write your storm plan in BoatMend before the season starts.