alternative boat lifts

[boodalu]

Anyone have experience with jetdock.com or airdock.com? Im looking for a shallow water lift for my boats.
Thanks in advance.

[BrentB]

Nope and I am interested, too. If we buy a CD, it is not made to be lifted by davits unless you add bottom lift straps and 2 spreader bars. A boat dock in El Jobean has 2 large ones. Unsure of the vendor and didnt see any boats use them.

[thataway]

I have bunks on the lift for my Tom Cat--and have used Both bunk and strap lifts--Prefer the bunk. With the straps, you can use pullies on each side of the frame and wind to a center 2" pipe, with one motor. This will handle up to about 5,000 lbs, and no spreader bar necessary.

From what I see, the floating docks are more expensive than lifts (I am also interested in floating docks for my 18 foot center console boat)

[BrentB]

good tip
I dont know if there is enough height clearance in our situation.
I believe the max height from ground to hook is a few inches over 7' and I have one spreader bar already.

[jstates]

In March when there were 3 posts about www.JetDock.com - I did some research and found one Jetdock used for much less than new. I did as much on line research as I could, called the factory - about CDory hull design, being very flat and perhaps harder to get off the dock. Their major concern was bottom paint making it stick more. Local Jet dock guys will help to tune the stern float beam that is under the main dock sections - adjusted for each boat weight by blowing air in with simple pump and displacing water in the beam.

I plan to take possession of the used one this weekend as my boat is in salt water all year except for maintenance and checking. I think I remember Roger saying at Seattle Boat show he wouldn't leave his boat in water year round.

I did go try the dock out - it was set up for single engine boat up to 25 feet and my CD 22 went on just fine - stopped about 3/4 on as we didn't have battery to attach to winch to help slide it back off.

So based on the videos I have watched it doesn't seem to damage the hull. SeaRay in Lake Union had the dock - and had been using for quite a while with 25 foot boston whaler - didn't see any hull damage as they demo ed the launch and landing. They were very patient and helpful with my attempts to figure this out.

Does anyone have concerns about this seal landing and launching - technique? - Am I buying more trouble sliding on and off or leaving boat in the water with bottom paint service, etc.?



Thanks
Jim

[img]

[marvin4239]

I keep my 22 in a strap lift because of the low tide depth at my boat house. A cradle lift works better but needs deeper water than I have. Problem with strap lifts is the cables will cross easily on the 2 inch pipe if you aren't careful because you don't have the weight of the cradle on the cables. I'll soon be putting in another lift for my 16' Carolina Skiff and the floating lifts look interesting but I wonder how seaworthy they are and how they hold up to marine growth? Barnacles and boat wake are and issue where I'm at.

[thataway]

I looked at Jet dock and several other floating docks at the recent Pensacola Boat show, for my 18 foot Century--about the same weight as the CD 22. According to the sales people, the boat would back off using its engine--but I wondered about that.

The major reason I didn't get one, was that they had to be taken out of the water during hurricanes--even in our well protected bayou. The points of attatchment seemed a bit flimsy, but if there is no surge or wake present I am sure that they would be fine. With a high tidal range, are they as useful as when there is minimal tidal variation?

I would put teflon slicks on where the C Dory rests--like bunks--and thus the C Dory would run on these, rather than the dock material. Of course there is the issue of marine growth fouling the float--not sure if it has to be scraped off on not. The sales people told me that it had to be pressure washed (bottom) yearly--this may be illegal to do in some areas. (Marine growth is "toxic" and "Hazardous" in some people's books--not mine.

[jstates]

Bob and Marvin

Thanks for the info

Jim