A boat winch lift is used to prolong the life of your boat by pulling it up out of the water at the dock. The winch system that you use will probably come from a kit so you have many different options to choose from concerning the power and size of the winch.
Why Do I Need A Winch?
A boat lift winch can reduce the wear and tear on your boat during the winter months and when you won’t be using the boat for longer periods of time. The winch works either using electric power or manually. For some, a manual winch is the simplest option for lifting the boat out of the water. The electric winch uses battery power rather than an electrical outlet as its main power source. A manual winch generally uses a ratcheting system to lift the boat.
The boat lift winch works using the pilings under your boat so you do need to have a dock for this system to work for you. There are also several other types of lifts, including cradle lifts and drive on boat lifts. The type that you choose should be based on the size of your boat and the type of water that you are on. For instance, boat lifts that use pilings are often used in the ocean while a cradle type boat lift may be used in lakes and in canals where the water levels change frequently.
Installation
Installing your boat lift winch is easy to do. You can purchase a winch kit that has everything that you need or you can build your own winch system to your specifications. You will need a winch motor, the connecting and mounting hardware and a backup bit. You may find that a remote for your winch is a good accessory to have when spending time on the water. There are many boat lift accessories that make using the boat lift simpler and also ensure your boat is well-cared for when not in use.
Your boat lift winch will typically operate with a turnkey that is on a pendant type control. This helps reduce the chances of someone else driving away with your boat since you need to have the right key to even operate the device. The voltages vary for each boat lift with the most common being an AC 110 volt lift. Other lifts need to use more voltage to work properly. 110 volts is a good choice as long as the motor for the winch is powerful enough to lift your boat out of the water.
Purchasing
Purchasing your boat lift winch online allows you to contrast and compare the many different brands and models on the market today. You should look at the type of boat that you have as well as the power source and voltage to decide which one is right for you. The water ways that you use are also important to consider since some winches need deeper water to work properly.
