BoatU.S. - December 2011

RULES FOR THE BOAT HOIST

n Take the plug out of the drain while the boat is on the hoist. If the plug is left in, rain-
water collects and can wreck wiring and machinery. The additional weight can also col-
lapse the hoist.
n Put the plug back into the drain when the boat is being placed into the water. Without
the plug, the boat will sink. (You should leave the drain plug — or a duplicate — on the lift
switch as a reminder.)
n Use penetrating oil (not grease!) to lubricate cable strands and reduce internal abrasion.
n Rinse off the cable and lift with fresh water whenever they’ve been dunked in saltwater.
n Don’t leave cables dangling in saltwater while you’re out on the boat.
n Don’t use the hoist to raise more weight than it’s designed for.
n Don’t replace galvanized cable with stainless steel, or vice versa; they require different
sheave and drum sizes.
n Don’t carry people up or down on a boat. A boat lift is not an elevator. People jump-
ing in and out of a boat create shock loads that strain the cable and hoist motor. The
effect is multiplied with davits, which are cantilevered five or more feet away from its
vertical support.

cable lasts depends on how often it’s used. It also depends on where it’s used — salt or fresh water — and the care it receives.

First, rinse saltwater off the cable every
time you launch the boat. Especially in salt-
water, cables should not be left overboard
while you’re out on the boat. Aside from
keeping salt crystals out, galvanized cable
requires a squirt or two of penetrating oil
occasionally, to preserve the galvanized coat-
ing and minimize abrasion between strands.
Grease should not be used, as it traps mois-
ture inside the strands. Stainless-steel cable,
which is more expensive, but holds up better
in saltwater, also benefits from a few squirts
of penetrating oil between strands. Note:
Don’t be tempted to replace galvanized cable
with stainless steel; the two cables require
different sheave and drum sizes.