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Boat lift / cradle position


agarabaghi

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Pretty sure i know the answer just wanted some verification:

We built a 26' slip, which is much longer than our boat, 22' + 2' platform, and the installed said the common spot for the cradle is to be 5 from the last post. 

So when we float the boat ontop the cradle, and bring the swim platofrm all the way in, we are now 3ft(5ft - 2ft of swim platform) from the craddle lifting ring. the bunk extends 1 - 1.5' past lifting ring. This leaves about 1.5' - 2' of rear overhand past the bunk. Visually the boat looks like it is more supported in the rear, but since thats wear most of the weight is Im assuming this is correct. All the stuff ive read says 18-24" max rear over hang.

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When I get my 247 all the way into my 25' slip (which I try to do to maximize the amount of boat under roof), my bunks actually extend a few inches past the end of the hull.  Mid day docking they are usually about flush.  Is there any advantage to having them so far forward?  Did the installer make the 5' recommendation based on your boat, or is it the same for all boats in his opinion.  My experience locally with dock builders is they have a single got to solution because that is what they are used to and that you need to "force" them out of your comfort zone to do what is best for your situation.  Unless your bunks are super short, the front of the bunks really aren't doing much.  Look at your trailer - trailer loads are significantly more than lift loads due to the dynamic loads and I bet that the front 1/3 of your boat has zero support, but the bunks go all the way to the back of the hull.

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The main consideration to cradle position is based upon the size and type of lift used.  My lift is a cable 6000 lb lift.  I was told to place my cradle support in the middle of the engine and then measure 8-9" from that point to place the front cradle support.  For the runners its based on where your speed sensor/ paddle wheel is placed. 

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3 hours ago, amartin said:

When I get my 247 all the way into my 25' slip (which I try to do to maximize the amount of boat under roof), my bunks actually extend a few inches past the end of the hull.  Mid day docking they are usually about flush.  Is there any advantage to having them so far forward?  Did the installer make the 5' recommendation based on your boat, or is it the same for all boats in his opinion.  My experience locally with dock builders is they have a single got to solution because that is what they are used to and that you need to "force" them out of your comfort zone to do what is best for your situation.  Unless your bunks are super short, the front of the bunks really aren't doing much.  Look at your trailer - trailer loads are significantly more than lift loads due to the dynamic loads and I bet that the front 1/3 of your boat has zero support, but the bunks go all the way to the back of the hull.

Probably a bit of both. It seems fine, the boat does not move at all if you push on the nose, and even with a 300lbs person standing on the bow it did not move. it does look funny in the slip ... |---5ft----| |---------cradle -------------| |----------------open space-----------------| haha 

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2 hours ago, Zippymbr said:

The main consideration to cradle position is based upon the size and type of lift used.  My lift is a cable 6000 lb lift.  I was told to place my cradle support in the middle of the engine and then measure 8-9" from that point to place the front cradle support.  For the runners its based on where your speed sensor/ paddle wheel is placed. 

the cradle rear support falls right at the rear clear which is about 1/2 way up the motor, the bunch extends about 1.5-2ft past that cradle support. It is a 7500lbs cable lift. 

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11 minutes ago, agarabaghi said:

the cradle rear support falls right at the rear clear which is about 1/2 way up the motor, the bunch extends about 1.5-2ft past that cradle support. It is a 7500lbs cable lift. 

Rear Cleat?  The heaviest part of your boat is the engine and I put the cradle cross brace right through the middle of the engine.  I spoke at length with eh boat lift company on where to place the supports and the carpeted runners.  The owner of Doozie boat lift store walked me through my entire install because the instructions were not very good. I can send you some pics 

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the rear cleat on the A22 falls about middle of the engine, i was using that as referene for lining up the boat. Visually the bow of the boat just looks like it floating but it makes total sense when you think about it... eveyrthing heavy is in the back or midship. 

Lemme see your setup / side profile if you dont mind.

Edited by agarabaghi
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I don't have any great profile pics, but you can get an idea by looking at several angles.  Different question, however, about where the bunks are vs where the lift is supporting the load.

My bunks extend just past the back of the hull.  The lift cables on the stern are right at my gas cap (which is just about the front edge of the engine on my 247).  The bow lift cables are just about at the windshield and the bunks do not proceed much past them.  I have zero concerns about the bow not being supported...  (ignore the angles and height of the bunks in the "bare" lift picture.  That was just after install before they were adjusted for the boat itself.  For perspective, the slip is almost exactly 25' deep.

IMG_20190327_1551452.thumb.JPG.f636cc32c10fce8a56757e12ca2c49fb.JPGIMG_20190224_1736544.thumb.JPG.f02f17e021e19f4715ffd3c77c819369.JPGIMG_20190327_1624106.thumb.JPG.add7265d22c8fd2c8b11ffe0202a961d.JPGIMG_20190327_1551356.thumb.JPG.1d53866de21d8d9c3f86430f1b22ef3b.JPGIMG_5787.thumb.jpg.2b8ec4d9b92d7718e34e2ec5ba28689a.jpg

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hey all, I am wondering if there's any significant issues with off-setting the boat center on the lift.  My slip is pretty wide (12 feet) so there's a pretty big step to the boat.  My in-laws are getting older so I bring the gunnel down to the level of the dock before they step onto the boat, but I'd like to get it closer to the dock as well.  

 

What I'm thinking is to offset the boat so it's closer to one side of the dock than the other and reduce that gap.  I've got a 12000lbs cable lift so weight shouldn't be that big of an issue.

 

Thanks,

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your bunks will curve to the hull so if you off center it the boat will be lifted crooked, and possibly damage the lift of the bunk. I would suggest lowering the boat and bring it around to the side where you can have a ladder or step down to make it easier. 

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Just now, agarabaghi said:

your bunks will curve to the hull so if you off center it the boat will be lifted crooked, and possibly damage the lift of the bunk. I would suggest lowering the boat and bring it around to the side where you can have a ladder or step down to make it easier. 

He is talking about moving both bunks closer to one side of the cradle.

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4 minutes ago, oldjeep said:

He is talking about moving both bunks closer to one side of the cradle.

All our cradles are Vs so that wouldn't be an option for us. I do know that loading humans into a lifted boat is also frowned upon....

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Just now, agarabaghi said:

All our cradles are Vs so that wouldn't be an option for us. I do know that loading humans into a lifted boat is also frowned upon....

Most of the cradles you see around here are just flat bars with the bunk supports providing the additional lift for the running gear to clear the crossmembers.

 

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2 minutes ago, oldjeep said:

Most of the cradles you see around here are just flat bars with the bunk supports providing the additional lift for the running gear to clear the crossmembers.

 

nice, in that case, he should find out what each point can support or what the maximum weight each lift point should support and see if its in the range, 

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On 7/27/2020 at 1:41 PM, agarabaghi said:

 I do know that loading humans into a lifted boat is also frowned upon....

just a short drop is all, sometimes a fun ride! 

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  • 3 years later...

Amartin, Thread, 

I have a 21 VLX

Questions: 

-What is the spacing of your lifting cables? I am thinking 10'  

-I am seeing a need of 18" (Bunk to crossmember) in the rear for the drive shaft and 14" clear in the front for the tracking fins, but I don't see cradles that can accommodate that.   What I am missing? 

-Also the bunks of my trailer are about 48" apart, however I see bunks spaced around 30-36" on lifts all the time.  What I am missing?  

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 9/13/2023 at 8:19 PM, Stbeatti said:

Amartin, Thread, 

I have a 21 VLX

Questions: 

-What is the spacing of your lifting cables? I am thinking 10'  

-I am seeing a need of 18" (Bunk to crossmember) in the rear for the drive shaft and 14" clear in the front for the tracking fins, but I don't see cradles that can accommodate that.   What I am missing? 

-Also the bunks of my trailer are about 48" apart, however I see bunks spaced around 30-36" on lifts all the time.  What I am missing?  

Sorry - just seeing this.  I don’t know how far apart my cables are, but I would guess every bit of 15’. I think that further you can space them out the better.  I assume that you are asking about the fore / aft spacing?  If asking about width, you obviously want them wider than the beam of the boat, but no too much wider. You can use the cables (protected with something” to guide the boat onto the lift if needed.

Are the bunks not adjustable?  
 

As for the width of the bunks, I think that this is much less of an issue than on a trailer.  The dynamic loads that are put on trailer bunks and thus boat hulls are WAY higher than the dead load of lifting the boat out of the water.  You will want to make sure that the bunks are wide enough to prevent the boat from getting crooked and hitting the bunks with the running gear.
 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Sorry for the delay.  My cables are about 12' apart.  The front cable is about 9' from the end of the slip, if I get the boat all the way in - which is really only at the end of a weekend.  I often leave a foot or 2 clearance on the bow for short stays on the lift.

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