Boat Lift

[shanker]

Has anyone used a boat lift for a H260? I would like to use a lift this year and would like to know what capacity of lift I should use. There are a couple 4500lb lifts for sale locally I'm considering to look at. I've never used one or even seen one used. One of the lifts was used on a Hunter 240. My thoughts are to lift the boat out of the water and then allow the ballast to drain. Any assistance, experience or council would be appreciated and noted.

The snow is actually finally melted in my back yard!! Time to start tinkering with mods.:dance:

Thanks,

 

[Crazy Dave Condon]

Shanker,

Yes it was done for the 260. Follow my advice on this and you will not go wrong. Ask the builder to desing it exactly along the line of the trailer making sure the bunk boards lying flat against the hull are contured with the boat. Make sure you have the four bunk supports each side. If in high wind, always secure the boat no matter what particularly in high winds. Tell the builder a tray to hold the swing centerboard does not need to be stout as you are holding appx. 100 lbs but make sure the bunk supports are high enough so that the keel housing is not being depressed in by the center board. Worked every time.

crazy dave condon

 

[John23883]

I think too much weight

I haven't weighed my H26 but George has and it comes in at just under 6000 lbs with the trailer. Subtract 1800 lbs. ? for the trailer, add 2000 lbs. of water ballast and you are still right at 6000 lbs. or more. I would check with the lift manufacturer. If that is not possible, I would be reluctant to be 50% over the weight listed. Granted you will be at 4000 lbs. after you dump the water but you still have to lift it at full weight. If it is that much of a savings for the 4500 lb. lift, then I would pump the water out of the ballast and then lift it. A few guys on this site pump the water out before putting it on the trailer.

 

[Crazy Dave Condon]

Both the 26 and 260 water ballast dry wieght is 3000 lbs. designed weight and then add for gear and the motor and generally it is under 4,000 lbs. The key to lifting is to bring the boat just up a little and allow to drain. You do not want to lift the entire boat out of the water and you will be fine until the water is drained out on the lift.

I was pretty much involved with both boats from the start, introduced them, outsold all other dealers and any improvements or ideas to include the boat lift, I was the first to do this which I speak from experience. As for pumping water out of the boat before going onto the trailer has to do with the ramp situation only as most of the time you can get the boat onto the trailer with full ballast and then pull up a little to allow the water to drain before pulling up the ramp. The same is true for the lift by lifting the boat a little to allow the water to escape until it is all drained.

crazy dave c ondon

 

[Deucer]

I'll just expand upon what Dave said. If you open the ballast drain, the very slowly raise the boat, the water ballast will empty resulting in an empty ballast by the time the keel breaks the surface of the water. Think about it for a moment and you'll understand.