Boat LIft?

[muskielaw]

Will a cantilever boat lift work on a really mucky shoreline or will I need to go with a vertical lift? I just purchased a lake home and all I know is that at end of neighbors dock the water is only about 2-3 feet deep but the muck is about 5 feet deep. Once there is activity with boat traffic the muck clears and the water gets to 4-5 foot deep around his lift. Just trying to figure out my options as I found a good deal on a cantilever lift.

Thanks

muskie

[leech~~]

I like cantilevers because you don't have that cable bar in the middle to climb over to get in and out of the boat. The real issue with a cantilever is that they need to be on more of a level shore line or have some real good adjustment depth in the back legs. If the front is angled to high and you go to raise a heavy boat she may tip back wards or just bend out of shape or break. You may have to rig up some new longer legs for the back because most are only 2-3 feet long from the MFG's. Good luck!

[BoxMN]

Either should work fine in muck or clear bottom, the main difference is that the cantilever is not as good for water levels that fluctuate. If the water level is pretty constant, cantilever should work fine. Most decent ones have rear legs that can be adjust for the slope I am pretty sure - I know mine does and my slope is pretty good. Good luck and congrats on getting a cabin, you will love it.

[solbes]

I think either would work. I have a cantilever and love it. You can blow out the area behind and ahead of your lift. First blow it out behind the lift using your prop with your boat pusing against the motor stop. Then crank it up a little and put 'er in reverse to push stuff under the boat up on shore. I have a nice deep hole behind mine that is down a foot into the sand (have 2 feet of muck everywhere else). Holds lots of nice pannies most of the summer.

My water level does not fluctuate much at all as its spring fed and we have an outlet on the lake.

[muskielaw]

Thanks guys, good to know about the water fluctuation as the lake I am on is controlled by a dam so water level can fluctuate quite a bit throughout the year.

[gunner55]

We have a cantilever lift & have for 20 yrs.This year we moved it 4 times by the end of July.In fact at 1 time we couldn't bring it in any farther(end of June?) so we had to go up with the legs.It's not unusual for us to have to move it 2 or 3 times a season & for that reason we usually start & end the season with it on it's wheels.No dam for us but we are on the Big Fork River chain.