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Bunk board height


hethj7

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Lots of info on here for bunk board width/spacing when setting up a boat lift, but how about the height?   Do most of you have the boards high enough that the framing cross-members would clear all underwater gear (where you could essentially pull through the lift), or do you just clear the tracking fins and then let the prop and rudder stop short of hitting the frame?    The latter sounds odd, but I think that is how most are setup I see.   

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When I had my inboard, the bunks were set to clear just the tracking fins. For me, it was either this or add more dock sections to get additional depth since my lift sits pretty close to shore. I still have an old tennis ball hanging from the front of the canopy to indicate where the tip of the bow needs to stop. As long as you come into the lift slowly, there's no problem overshooting and catching the propshaft, strut, prop, or rudder on the lift carriage. Even if you have the bunks raised high enough so the underwater gear clears the lift carriage, pulling the boat too far forward could allow the prop to hit the bunks themselves if the boat didn't stay centered. I'd say your best bet is to keep the prop behind the bunks to avoid potential problems.

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I have a Hydrohoist that was recently installed...The bunks sit around 22 inches underwater when fully lowered so my prop will hit if I pull too far forward.  Unless it is dead center.  So I don't engage the prop until I push off a little.

When the lift catches the boat, the prop sits just inside the bunks and clears the underlying cross member by just a few inches.

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We use a bow stop. Works perfect for ensuring the boat doesn't go to far and is always balanced on the lift. Takes a little work in the beginning to set it up but makes life easy down the road.

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At my lake house set up, I had installed a section of dock that I remove and reinstall each year in front of the lift.  When entering the lift, I center the boat, and kill the engine, then unload, then crank it up.  If the boat drifts forward, the rub rail will bump the removable dock section, so it never over-shoots the lift to damage any underwater gear.  And, loading in and out from the bow is WAY easier than over the side, which was the main reason for that pier section.  The bow-stop function was a side benefit.

post-8942-0-99430700-1396541146_thumb.jp

With the current set up, the rub rail will bump the seawall before the running gear hits the lift.

post-8942-0-94420800-1455110475_thumb.jp

 

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9 hours ago, Sixball said:

Same as the rest I clear the tracking fins. I have never seen a lift you can clear all the running gear.

I thought the same, then the more I started researching, I found several pictures showing lifts where all running gear could be cleared.  But yes, they seem to be the minority.

 

5 minutes ago, ponderosasurf said:

We use a bow stop. Works perfect for ensuring the boat doesn't go to far and is always balanced on the lift. Takes a little work in the beginning to set it up but makes life easy down the road.

Got a photo by chance?   I've been dreaming up how to set up guides or something on my lift.   My new slip is 12' x 28', which is huge for my little VLX, so having something to keep the boat in the proper position would be nice.  All the guides seem to be $100+ bucks, and I can't bring myself to spend that for a metal bracket and PVC pipe.  

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In many cases having the high to clear the running gear makes the lift sit in deep water so long docks.  In my case I have my lifts as close to the sea wall as I can. If I move mine out I have a drop off and it does not allow me to move them out.  The legs on my ski boat lift are fully retracted in front and something like five feet extension on rear. That is ten feet out from the front.  So my thoughts be sure you can submerge your cradle deep enough if you could build a cradle to clear your gear. I also need to deal with water level fluctuation.    

 

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3 hours ago, hethj7 said:

I thought the same, then the more I started researching, I found several pictures showing lifts where all running gear could be cleared.  But yes, they seem to be the minority.

 

Got a photo by chance?   I've been dreaming up how to set up guides or something on my lift.   My new slip is 12' x 28', which is huge for my little VLX, so having something to keep the boat in the proper position would be nice.  All the guides seem to be $100+ bucks, and I can't bring myself to spend that for a metal bracket and PVC pipe.  

This is the best one I have. I can maybe get more on friday. Essentially what it is, is one big metal pipe that attaches to our lift. Angled up a tad and a pad around it. You can move it back and forth on the lift to adjust it. Then it is clamped on by u bolts. We just bought a new lift and have to put the new one on. I could try and remember to snag some pics before you put it on!

 

IMG_9547_zpsddxewwgb.png

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Here is what my lift looks like.  This is a Boat Floater and they "step" down the frame for inboards tracking fins and running gear.  

570e9d5bbc7e1_boatlift.jpg.4879669a77722

Here is the standard Boat Floater cross member.

570e9fd4096bd_boatlift2.jpg.f75e51f83b22

Some of the larger go fast and cruiser back into their slips over the top of the lift.  This can be accomplished by extending the lengths of traveling arms, to make the lift sink deeper in the water.

570e9ff722c45_boatlift3.jpg.d588ac09eb7a

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