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Basta or Sunstream


BantamVTX08

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I am looking for a new lift and I need advice. I have an 08 VTX that (based on specs) is 3,300lbs dry. I can get a good deal on a Sunstream 2004 or 2005 outside floor model (never in water) 4,000# delivered and installed for $6,500. I like the idea of using a local dealer to both install and support the product but am concerned about the max weight capacity. However, the Sunstream dealer assures me that I don't need anything more than a 4,000# lift for my boat.

I can also get a good deal on a Basta lift (shipping costly from WA to CT of course) that is rated to handle 5,000#. The extra capacity rating of this mfg. makes me feel more comfortable and I like what I've learned so far about the lift construction. The downside is there is no local dealer to help setup and install. Basta assures me that the assembly and install shouldn't be a problem.

Anyone have personal experience or advice on putting my boat on either lift?

Thanks.

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I have a Sunstream Sunlift but I'm probably not much help to you since mine is the 6000 lb version. For what it's worth, I really like the Sunstream lift - it's fast and has been reliable for the past 3 years with no problems.

I think 4000 lbs may be cutting it a little close if you add the weight of gas and a couple of occupants.

It's nice to have a dealer nearby (our local Sunstream dealer is extremely responsive and helpful). I had to ask them come out this year to install height extensions because our lake level is above normal this year. It's really handy to have them so close for questions and repairs (a friend needed repairs to his bunks after our winter storms).

I know this wasn't one of your preferred options but my suggestion would be to look into a 6000 lb Sunlift. :)

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I have a Sunstream Sunlift but I'm probably not much help to you since mine is the 6000 lb version. For what it's worth, I really like the Sunstream lift - it's fast and has been reliable for the past 3 years with no problems.

I think 4000 lbs may be cutting it a little close if you add the weight of gas and a couple of occupants.

It's nice to have a dealer nearby (our local Sunstream dealer is extremely responsive and helpful). I had to ask them come out this year to install height extensions because our lake level is above normal this year. It's really handy to have them so close for questions and repairs (a friend needed repairs to his bunks after our winter storms).

I know this wasn't one of your preferred options but my suggestion would be to look into a 6000 lb Sunlift. :)

Thanks... I bet I'd be happy with either one of these fine lifts. I agree that I should steer away from the 4,000# Sunstream as I'd be forever nervous about the payload I carry onto it. My dilemma is this. If I upgrade to a new 6,000# Sunstream with full guide-ons and installation, I'm in for about 10K. The nice this is that Sunstream has a good market where I am and I do have local support. The Basta 5,000# is about $3,000 less but will have to install and deal with no local support.

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I have a Sunstream Sunlift but I'm probably not much help to you since mine is the 6000 lb version. For what it's worth, I really like the Sunstream lift - it's fast and has been reliable for the past 3 years with no problems.

I think 4000 lbs may be cutting it a little close if you add the weight of gas and a couple of occupants.

It's nice to have a dealer nearby (our local Sunstream dealer is extremely responsive and helpful). I had to ask them come out this year to install height extensions because our lake level is above normal this year. It's really handy to have them so close for questions and repairs (a friend needed repairs to his bunks after our winter storms).

I know this wasn't one of your preferred options but my suggestion would be to look into a 6000 lb Sunlift. :)

Thanks... I bet I'd be happy with either one of these fine lifts. I agree that I should steer away from the 4,000# Sunstream as I'd be forever nervous about the payload I carry onto it. My dilemma is this. If I upgrade to a new 6,000# Sunstream with full guide-ons and installation, I'm in for about 10K. The nice this is that Sunstream has a good market where I am and I do have local support. The Basta 5,000# is about $3,000 less but will have to install and deal with no local support.

Ok but wait put actual numbers to it.....5 gallons of gas is about 25 lbs.... so lets say you have 30 gallons --add 120#, two people at 200 lbs each add 400# (you don't really have anyone in the boat while you are lifting it anyway?) -- you are still under the weight that the lift can hold (and they actually hold more in reality). You have the dealers assurance that it is enough....and you have a warranty....so you should really have no problems.

If anything does go wrong, you have parts right there --and things will go wrong at the most inopportune time.

My husband and I are VERY handy. We roofed our own house, siding etc etc etc...we thought about putting our new lift in ourselves....after seeing what they went through -- no way. For the small price you pay for actual installation, it is well worth it!

IMHO

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Have you looked @ the Hydrohoist lifts? They are used on our lake, and everyone I have talked to loves them. If you have an issue with water depth, they make one that only needs 1.8 feet, mim water depth, called UL2 shallow lift and its capacity is 6,000#. Good luck.

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Thanks... I do prefer the local support and install for sure. Here's my calculations on my VTX:

Dry weight = 3,300lbs

45 Gal Gas = 275lbs

3 Adults = 500lbs

2 Children = 150lbs

Gear = 100lbs

This totals 4,325 yet my dealer still doesn't see an issue....how come? Are the Sunstreams able to hold weigh more than rated? Albeit I understand you're not supposed to (nor need to) lift the people up and down on the lift but do most hydraulic lift owners do this anyway? Just have no experience or practice with these yet. Thanks!

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I have a Sunstream Sunlift but I'm probably not much help to you since mine is the 6000 lb version. For what it's worth, I really like the Sunstream lift - it's fast and has been reliable for the past 3 years with no problems.

I think 4000 lbs may be cutting it a little close if you add the weight of gas and a couple of occupants.

It's nice to have a dealer nearby (our local Sunstream dealer is extremely responsive and helpful). I had to ask them come out this year to install height extensions because our lake level is above normal this year. It's really handy to have them so close for questions and repairs (a friend needed repairs to his bunks after our winter storms).

I know this wasn't one of your preferred options but my suggestion would be to look into a 6000 lb Sunlift. :)

Thanks... I bet I'd be happy with either one of these fine lifts. I agree that I should steer away from the 4,000# Sunstream as I'd be forever nervous about the payload I carry onto it. My dilemma is this. If I upgrade to a new 6,000# Sunstream with full guide-ons and installation, I'm in for about 10K. The nice this is that Sunstream has a good market where I am and I do have local support. The Basta 5,000# is about $3,000 less but will have to install and deal with no local support.

Ok but wait put actual numbers to it.....5 gallons of gas is about 25 lbs.... so lets say you have 30 gallons --add 120#, two people at 200 lbs each add 400# (you don't really have anyone in the boat while you are lifting it anyway?) -- you are still under the weight that the lift can hold (and they actually hold more in reality). You have the dealers assurance that it is enough....and you have a warranty....so you should really have no problems.

If anything does go wrong, you have parts right there --and things will go wrong at the most inopportune time.

My husband and I are VERY handy. We roofed our own house, siding etc etc etc...we thought about putting our new lift in ourselves....after seeing what they went through -- no way. For the small price you pay for actual installation, it is well worth it!

IMHO

not to step on anyone's toes, and I have talked to directly to brad about this, but I totally disagree with the weight statement above. first, 5 gallons of gas weighs 30 lbs (according to wikipedia: At 60 degrees Fahrenheit, a gallon of pure water weighs 8.34 pounds, whereas a gallon of vehicular gasoline weighs about 6.15 pounds at that temperature), so 30 gallons weghs 180. Also you need to add in all the equipment into the boat. the original weight of the boat does NOT include anchors, fire extinguishes, stereos, etc. ICBW, but i think the weight of a tower is not included either). then factor in those times when you need to get out quickly, and you approach the lift with the ballasts full. Also think about boat upgrades. What happens when you get 2 foot idus, and now you also have to upgrade the lift at the same time. even if you were to buy too big now, it would be better for resale of either just the lift, or the house and the lift some day.

There is no way that I would leave a boat weighing in close to the limit on the lift, and feel comfortable - MHO.

Edited by jgouveia3
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I have a Sunstream Sunlift but I'm probably not much help to you since mine is the 6000 lb version. For what it's worth, I really like the Sunstream lift - it's fast and has been reliable for the past 3 years with no problems.

I think 4000 lbs may be cutting it a little close if you add the weight of gas and a couple of occupants.

It's nice to have a dealer nearby (our local Sunstream dealer is extremely responsive and helpful). I had to ask them come out this year to install height extensions because our lake level is above normal this year. It's really handy to have them so close for questions and repairs (a friend needed repairs to his bunks after our winter storms).

I know this wasn't one of your preferred options but my suggestion would be to look into a 6000 lb Sunlift. :)

Thanks... I bet I'd be happy with either one of these fine lifts. I agree that I should steer away from the 4,000# Sunstream as I'd be forever nervous about the payload I carry onto it. My dilemma is this. If I upgrade to a new 6,000# Sunstream with full guide-ons and installation, I'm in for about 10K. The nice this is that Sunstream has a good market where I am and I do have local support. The Basta 5,000# is about $3,000 less but will have to install and deal with no local support.

Ok but wait put actual numbers to it.....5 gallons of gas is about 25 lbs.... so lets say you have 30 gallons --add 120#, two people at 200 lbs each add 400# (you don't really have anyone in the boat while you are lifting it anyway?) -- you are still under the weight that the lift can hold (and they actually hold more in reality). You have the dealers assurance that it is enough....and you have a warranty....so you should really have no problems.

If anything does go wrong, you have parts right there --and things will go wrong at the most inopportune time.

My husband and I are VERY handy. We roofed our own house, siding etc etc etc...we thought about putting our new lift in ourselves....after seeing what they went through -- no way. For the small price you pay for actual installation, it is well worth it!

IMHO

not to step on anyone's toes, and I have talked to directly to brad about this, but I totally disagree with the weight statement above. first, 5 gallons of gas weighs 30 lbs (according to wikipedia: At 60 degrees Fahrenheit, a gallon of pure water weighs 8.34 pounds, whereas a gallon of vehicular gasoline weighs about 6.15 pounds at that temperature), so 30 gallons weghs 180. Also you need to add in all the equipment into the boat. the original weight of the boat does NOT include anchors, fire extinguishes, stereos, etc. ICBW, but i think the weight of a tower is not included either). then factor in those times when you need to get out quickly, and you approach the lift with the ballasts full. Also think about boat upgrades. What happens when you get 2 foot idus, and now you also have to upgrade the lift at the same time. even if you were to buy too big now, it would be better for resale of either just the lift, or the house and the lift some day.

There is no way that I would leave a boat weighing in close to the limit on the lift, and feel comfortable - MHO.

I looked up that calc in Wiki as well which is how I arrived at the calculation I did for a full tank of gas. I was also being conservative on the payload. If I carry my buddies and their SkySki I am of course low on my people estimate. I do think I'll move up and buy either a 5 or 6. They 5 from Basta Marine looks nice and the price is right. But will 5 be enough? If I do want to move the lift up and down with a fair size payload and ballast, 5 might not do it. But unless I forget, I would make certain not to lift the boat with ballast.

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i think 5 would be good. i was probably looking up the wiki numbers and creating my reply while you were posting, thats why i missed your total weight guess.

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I have and installed MYSELF the 5000 lbs Basta lift this past winter. We have an '08 Vride, which is about 300 lbs lighter than your boat. I would NOT go with a 4000 lbs lift. There are so many times that people just jump in the boat before it is lowered. I often work on the boat (oil change, clean, relax) while the boat is on the lift. Don't cut the load rating so close--you will always be stressed about it and will feel less inclined to allow others to operate your boat and the lift.

I also STRONGLY suggest that you get the front AND rear guide posts which mount to the lift. I initially started with just the rear guide posts. The hulls on our style of boats have a VERY shallow V. As such, the boat does not naturally center itself on the lift. With only the rear guide posts I found myself ALWAYS fighting the boat to get it centered on the lift. Centering is important because you can crush the speedo (paddle wheel) if the boat isn't centered and the paddle wheel lands under a bunk rail when you lift the boat out of the water.

I debated long and hard between a Sunstream and Basta (both lift manufactures are local companies for me). In the end I picked Basta over Sunstream because I liked the idea of the wood bunks: 1) I can easlily replace that in the future myself, 2) if I hit a wood bunk versus a rubber lined aluminium bunk with may prop, I think my prop has a better chance of winning with the wood bunk and 3) Basta uses a single large penumatic cylinder (Sunstream uses two small ones), that's one less part to break down over time.

The Basta lift is made of aluminium and comes in pieces. No individual piece is heavier than 40 or 50 pounds. My father (who's getting old) and I installed the entire lift in one day. However, our lake is drained every winter, which obviously made it much easier to install. The most time consuming part was digging out the dirt in our slip to get the lift down to the depth we wanted. I'll link photobucket pictures below in a couple minutes. Feel free to PM my if you have questions.

-Cory

http://s290.photobucket.com/albums/ll259/c...nt=DSC02522.jpg

http://s290.photobucket.com/albums/ll259/c...nt=DSC02541.jpg

http://s290.photobucket.com/albums/ll259/c...rent=img065.jpg

http://s290.photobucket.com/albums/ll259/c...nt=DSC02580.jpg

http://s290.photobucket.com/albums/ll259/c...nt=IMG_0097.jpg

Edited by Cory
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"But unless I forget, I would make certain not to lift the boat with ballast."

The main reason I won't lift my boat with ballast full is not that I am worried about the lift. It's the idea of putting all that weight concentrated in two narrow strips on the hull (pressure points) along the bunks. In the water, all this weight is evenly distributed over the entire hull. On the lift, its concentrated along the bunks.

Edited by Cory
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Thanks for all the advice folks! For all the reasons Cory pointed out, I placed my order today with Basta Marine. Both lifts are great, I just want the comfort of having the additional 1,000# buffer.

On a side note, I understand Shoremaster will now be offering Basta lifts under a joint name. With Shoremaster's presence in today's market, I would imagine we'll see more of Basta's product.

Thanks again!

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I have a 2007 VTX on a Sunstream 4000, and love it (boat and lift). I have had the lift for 6 years now, and this is my third boat I have put on this lift. I would not hesitate to put your VTX on this lift.

This lift is super-stout, and lifts the boat easily. Sunstream's 4000 has 2 cylinders side-to side, vs. Basta has one in the middle. This is better for skeg clearance, and the twin cylinders seem beefier than the single Basta one.

I also like Sunstream's rubber and aluminum bunks, vs. Basta's wood and carpet, as well as Sunstream's nice white fiberglass hydraulic box, vs. Basta's cheap black plastic box that looks like a tote box.

It was explained to me that Sunstream uses stainless steel hydraulic rams that are warrantied for 3 years, and Basta uses steel rams that are only warrantied for a year. I also like that Sunstream uses a water-soluble hydraulic fluid. Basta uses a vegetable oil that would be a nightmare when water gets in the system.

Sunstream is the clear market leader has a way better reputation than Basta, which is a tiny company. I would strongly encourage you to go the Sunstream route, even if it is more money. The demo price deal you found is way less than what I paid, so I would suggest you snatch it. It is also nice to have a local dealer when you need warranty, support or parts.

I noticed on Sunstream's web site that they now has a rubber boot for their cylinders (see www.sunstreamcorp.com/sunlift.htm). No sure when this was added, but check the demo lift and ask if a boot can be added. The cylinders have been working fine, but a boot seems like a good idea for added longevity, and I am thinking of having the local dealer add it to my lift if he can.

If you have a VTX, don't go cheap on your lift!

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I have a 2007 VTX on a Sunstream 4000, and love it (boat and lift). I have had the lift for 6 years now, and this is my third boat I have put on this lift. I would not hesitate to put your VTX on this lift.

This lift is super-stout, and lifts the boat easily. Sunstream's 4000 has 2 cylinders side-to side, vs. Basta has one in the middle. This is better for skeg clearance, and the twin cylinders seem beefier than the single Basta one.

I also like Sunstream's rubber and aluminum bunks, vs. Basta's wood and carpet, as well as Sunstream's nice white fiberglass hydraulic box, vs. Basta's cheap black plastic box that looks like a tote box.

It was explained to me that Sunstream uses stainless steel hydraulic rams that are warrantied for 3 years, and Basta uses steel rams that are only warrantied for a year. I also like that Sunstream uses a water-soluble hydraulic fluid. Basta uses a vegetable oil that would be a nightmare when water gets in the system.

Sunstream is the clear market leader has a way better reputation than Basta, which is a tiny company. I would strongly encourage you to go the Sunstream route, even if it is more money. The demo price deal you found is way less than what I paid, so I would suggest you snatch it. It is also nice to have a local dealer when you need warranty, support or parts.

I noticed on Sunstream's web site that they now has a rubber boot for their cylinders (see www.sunstreamcorp.com/sunlift.htm). No sure when this was added, but check the demo lift and ask if a boot can be added. The cylinders have been working fine, but a boot seems like a good idea for added longevity, and I am thinking of having the local dealer add it to my lift if he can.

If you have a VTX, don't go cheap on your lift!

There you go. Someone who prefers the Sunstream. I think both lifts are good quality. I find it a little harsh/unreasonable to consider the 5000 lbs Basta as going "cheap" compared to the 4000 lbs Sunstream. I never said Sunstream wasn't a quality product, I just felt the 5000 lbs Basta was better value vs the 4000 Sunstream. IMHO

There is no plain steel on my lift. Everything is either aluminum or stainless steel. It would be plain foolishness to use ordinary steel on an underwater device. It would rust the first week. The pump box on Basta is white fiberglass (see my linked pictures). Skeg clearance is NOT an issue because the bunks on the lift are positioned such that the skeg cannot physically or possible touch the lift cylinder. The ONLY possible running gear collisions would be the skag or prop hitting the bunks if the boat is driven in at an extreme angle. This is true for both lifts. If you get water in either cyclinder irrelevant of the hydrolic oil used you have problems that will need fixing. They have switched to vegetable oil/water soluable fluid for environmental reasons should the fluid leak out of the pump--not if water gets in.

Edited by Cory
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I have a 2007 VTX on a Sunstream 4000, and love it (boat and lift). I have had the lift for 6 years now, and this is my third boat I have put on this lift. I would not hesitate to put your VTX on this lift.

This lift is super-stout, and lifts the boat easily. Sunstream's 4000 has 2 cylinders side-to side, vs. Basta has one in the middle. This is better for skeg clearance, and the twin cylinders seem beefier than the single Basta one.

I also like Sunstream's rubber and aluminum bunks, vs. Basta's wood and carpet, as well as Sunstream's nice white fiberglass hydraulic box, vs. Basta's cheap black plastic box that looks like a tote box.

It was explained to me that Sunstream uses stainless steel hydraulic rams that are warrantied for 3 years, and Basta uses steel rams that are only warrantied for a year. I also like that Sunstream uses a water-soluble hydraulic fluid. Basta uses a vegetable oil that would be a nightmare when water gets in the system.

Sunstream is the clear market leader has a way better reputation than Basta, which is a tiny company. I would strongly encourage you to go the Sunstream route, even if it is more money. The demo price deal you found is way less than what I paid, so I would suggest you snatch it. It is also nice to have a local dealer when you need warranty, support or parts.

I noticed on Sunstream's web site that they now has a rubber boot for their cylinders (see www.sunstreamcorp.com/sunlift.htm). No sure when this was added, but check the demo lift and ask if a boot can be added. The cylinders have been working fine, but a boot seems like a good idea for added longevity, and I am thinking of having the local dealer add it to my lift if he can.

If you have a VTX, don't go cheap on your lift!

There you go. Someone who prefers the Sunstream. I think both lifts are good quality. I find it a little harsh/unreasonable to consider the 5000 lbs Basta as going "cheap" compared to the 4000 lbs Sunstream. I never said Sunstream wasn't a quality product, I just felt the 5000 lbs Basta was better value vs the 4000 Sunstream. IMHO

There is no plain steel on my lift. Everything is either aluminum or stainless steel. It would be plain foolishness to use ordinary steel on an underwater device. It would rust the first week. The pump box on Basta is while fiberglass (see my linked pictures). Skeg clearance is NOT an issue because the bunks on the lift are positioned such that the skeg cannot physically or possible touch the lift cylinder. The ONLY possible running gear collisions would be the skag or prop hitting the bunks if the boat is driven in at an extreme angle. This is true for both lifts. If you get water in either cyclinder irrelevant of the hydrolic oil used you have problems that will need fixing. They have switched to vegetable oil/water soluable fluid for environmental reasons if the fluid get out of the pump--not if water gets in.

I have my VTX on a 4000# hydro lift, I cant remember the brand. Hewitt? Anyway, it throws the boat up no problem. Also, I stand on the dock and lower it until it floats with nothing / nobody in it. I make sure it's empty before I raise it, so worst case is dry weight plus 35 gallons of gas to lift. I too paid to have it installed and it was well worth the money.

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I have a 2007 VTX on a Sunstream 4000, and love it (boat and lift). I have had the lift for 6 years now, and this is my third boat I have put on this lift. I would not hesitate to put your VTX on this lift.

This lift is super-stout, and lifts the boat easily. Sunstream's 4000 has 2 cylinders side-to side, vs. Basta has one in the middle. This is better for skeg clearance, and the twin cylinders seem beefier than the single Basta one.

I also like Sunstream's rubber and aluminum bunks, vs. Basta's wood and carpet, as well as Sunstream's nice white fiberglass hydraulic box, vs. Basta's cheap black plastic box that looks like a tote box.

It was explained to me that Sunstream uses stainless steel hydraulic rams that are warrantied for 3 years, and Basta uses steel rams that are only warrantied for a year. I also like that Sunstream uses a water-soluble hydraulic fluid. Basta uses a vegetable oil that would be a nightmare when water gets in the system.

Sunstream is the clear market leader has a way better reputation than Basta, which is a tiny company. I would strongly encourage you to go the Sunstream route, even if it is more money. The demo price deal you found is way less than what I paid, so I would suggest you snatch it. It is also nice to have a local dealer when you need warranty, support or parts.

I noticed on Sunstream's web site that they now has a rubber boot for their cylinders (see www.sunstreamcorp.com/sunlift.htm). No sure when this was added, but check the demo lift and ask if a boot can be added. The cylinders have been working fine, but a boot seems like a good idea for added longevity, and I am thinking of having the local dealer add it to my lift if he can.

If you have a VTX, don't go cheap on your lift!

I've done enough research on this to know that I wouldn't go wrong with either product. I believe both would work for my application and neither are "cheap" knowing fully well that I could solicit strong opinions for and against both products if I wanted. I just needed a good quality hydraulic lift backed by a solid warranty that could handle my VTX and all that I might put in it (people, gas, gear) with the convenience and comfort of knowing that I won't be pushing the manufacturer's maximum capacity limit. I'd rather not risk putting the extra strain or stress on either the lift...OR my mind. So with the extra 1,000lbs of buffer, it leaves me more options for the VTX or whatever my next boat might be (they are getting heavier and heavier aren't they?). It also doesn't hurt that I'll end up keeping an extra $2,500 bucks in my pocket (assuming I was to compare a new 4k Sunstream to the 5k Basta Marine). That's decent pocket change to put down on something like a Waverunner!

Borderdad, I must say your statements about the Basta Marine lift concern me and I'll be sure to clarify asap. For what it's worth, the demo Sunstream is a 2004 model yet was still 1k (and 1k less capacity) more than the new Basta. I did like the new full length guide-ons... they were solid. But in general I wasn't sure what if anything has changed since 2004 those boots you referred to may have helped the obvious breakdown of the cylinder coating along with rust I saw. The dealer said this wasn't an issue in terms of longevity but, to me, if they have to keep trying new coatings as he noted, it's a potential problem. That's not to say Basta doesn't or won't have their own issues...I just haven't heard or ready anything negative until I read your post.

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Late to chime in, and I'm sure you'll find the Basta will work for you, but I'd buy the Sunstream every day of the week. I believe it's a better engineered product. The downfall is the price you are getting quoted from you local dealer must include cost of installation, for you can buy a SL4000 new for that money.

In terms of capacity for a WVTX I'd stick with the SL4000. If you plan to go up someday than the SL6000 may be the better choice, as you mentioned in going with the 5000.

Peter

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Late to chime in, and I'm sure you'll find the Basta will work for you, but I'd buy the Sunstream every day of the week. I believe it's a better engineered product. The downfall is the price you are getting quoted from you local dealer must include cost of installation, for you can buy a SL4000 new for that money.

In terms of capacity for a WVTX I'd stick with the SL4000. If you plan to go up someday than the SL6000 may be the better choice, as you mentioned in going with the 5000.

Peter

I was quoted $7,200 for a new SL4000 alone...no guide-ons, shipping, installation, or tax. Total all these and I'm $2,500 over my cost on a new Basta rated to handle another 1,000 lbs over the Sunstream. My understanding was if I wanted the SL6000 it would cost about another $1,000 over the SL4000. What's comforting is that ShoreMaster now handles both sales and service for my model lift and are working out a new canopy system that I'll take a serious look at. But can you really get good coverage/protection with a stock canopy when sticking a wake tower boat under them?

Are you selling/recommending more SL4000 or SL6000's to VTX and comparable boat owners? I'm hearing most want the added insurance of getting the larger one. Also, can you be specific about the "better engineered" statement? Thanks!

Edited by BantamVTX08
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I guess it really doesn't matter at this point, you've made a purchase and I'd like to think that you'll be happy with it. Don't second guess it after the fact, it does no good at all.

You've got a boat, a lift, and a servicing dealer now, which you'll likely never need. Be happy, go boating!

Peter :)

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I guess it really doesn't matter at this point, you've made a purchase and I'd like to think that you'll be happy with it. Don't second guess it after the fact, it does no good at all.

You've got a boat, a lift, and a servicing dealer now, which you'll likely never need. Be happy, go boating!

Peter :)

No second guessing, I'm content with my choice. I just thought it might be beneficial for any future members doing research on these two lifts to have you clarify why one is engineered better than the other. To me it's like splitting hairs.... both companies have been around a long time and both have engineered solid products that will stand the test of time. Thanks for sharing.

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  • 1 year later...

Noticed recent activity on this thread and thought I would update my previous posts based on a years worth of experience with my 5000 Basta Lift.

1) This past winter we added the Solo 22 Canopy cover to the lift. Again installed myself during the winter while the water was out. It was a one day project that required four people at the final stage to lift the assembled canopy in place and secure. The addition of the canopy required us to swap out our fixed board racks for swivel racks. The canopy is great for our boat and may be "okay" with a 98" beam boat (e.g., VTX or 2009 Vride 21'), but would not work with any beamier boat (clearance from vertical support posts would be too tight for ingress/egress on anything other than a perfectly calm day). When I was at basta, they indicated their engineer was working on the design of a wider lift and canopy to accomodate the modern trend of beamier boats.

2) I have one and only one complaint about my Basta Lift. I wish the bunks were about 5" further a part. (I'm not sure the Sunstream bunks have a greater separation distance than the Basta Lift???). I want this greater separation, NOT because I'm concerned about the underwater running gear hitting the bunks, but rather it would make selfcentering the boat on the lift a little easier. The bunks currently fall right where the chimes (or strakes, I'm not sure what they are called) are located. The bunks on my boat trailer fall just on either side of these steps in the hull and aid in selfcentering the boat. I suspect, if I had a beamier boat (my beam is 93.5") this problem would be accentuated. The front and back guide posts help a LOT with centering, but I'm a perfectionist and I'm certain wider bunk separation would further help.

That's it. Otherwise, it has been a great lift (and canopy).

Edited by Cory
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