What usually fails
- Cables. Stainless wire rope frays and corrodes, especially where it wraps the drum or runs over pulleys. Broken strands are a sign to stop using the lift.
- Motors and gearboxes. Water, heat and age burn them out. A motor that hums but won't turn, or trips the breaker, needs attention.
- Switches, wiring and GFCI protection. The parts most often ruined by flooding.
- Pulleys, sheaves and bearings. Worn ones chew through cables quickly.
- Bunks and cradles that have rotted or shifted, so the boat no longer sits evenly.
- Pilings and mounts on four-post lifts, and the seawall or piling connections on elevator lifts.
After a storm surge
If the lift went under water, don't run it until it's checked. Salt water can ruin motors, switches and wiring even when nothing looks wrong. A lift contractor will:
- test the electrics
- inspect the cables and pulleys under load
- check the mounts, especially on elevator lifts fixed to a seawall that may also have been damaged
Repair or replace?
Repair makes sense when the frame, beams and pilings are sound and the problem is a part. Replacement makes sense when:
- the structure is corroded or bent
- the pilings are failing
- the lift is undersized for your current boat
Size any new lift to the boat's loaded weight, not its dry weight. National guides put new lifts at a few thousand dollars for small ones to well over $15,000 installed for large ones.
Permits
Replacing parts is different from installing a new lift, but rules vary by city.
- Broward: work in the water needs a county licence as well as a city permit (Broward permits).
- Cape Coral: new docks and lifts need a city permit and inspection (Lee County permits).
- Pinellas: new lifts go through the county's Water and Navigation review, and Clearwater needs a separate building permit for lifts (Pinellas permits).
Local pages
This page summarizes published rules and prices for general information. It isn't engineering or legal advice, and codes change. Your contractor, engineer and building department have the final word for your property.
Common questions
Should I repair or replace my boat lift?
Repair it if the frame, beams and pilings are sound and the problem is a part: cables, a motor, a gearbox or switches. Replace it if the structure is corroded or bent, the pilings are failing, or the lift is too small for the boat you have now. A new lift costs from a few thousand dollars to well over $15,000 installed, which is a useful ceiling when weighing a big repair.
My boat lift was under water in a storm surge. Is it safe to use?
Don't run it until it's checked. Salt water can ruin motors, switches and wiring even when the lift looks fine, and a damaged cable can fail under load. Have a lift contractor inspect the electrics, cables and pulleys first.
Do I need a permit to repair a boat lift?
It depends on the work and the city. Replacing parts on an existing lift is treated differently from installing a new one, but some places require a building permit for lift work. In Clearwater, for example, boat lifts need their own building permit. A licensed local contractor will know what applies.