Posted on April 14, 2022

How tall are boat lifts?

Written by ShoreMaster Marketing

You’ve thought about your boat type, how to determine the boat lift weight capacity, the materials your lift needs to be built from to stand up to your area’s elements, and what style of lift you need. Have you thought about how tall your lift needs to be, though?

The height is how far above the waterline your boat is sitting while it’s on the lift. It’s important to keep your boat above the water so that the hull doesn’t sustain damage from sitting in it or from getting weathered by the waves. A lot of lifts will add around a foot (12”) of required water depth over the draft of the boat, although the exact distance can be calculated by adding the height of the cradle beam to the amount of clearance between the boat’s centerline and the top of the cradle.

You can also figure out how much water depth you need by adding up the boat lift mainframe and carriage, the draft of the boat, and the water fluctuation. 

As for the height of the boat lifts themselves, that depends on the particular model. This is also an important measurement to keep in mind if there are local requirements for size limitations on your boat lift—some HOAs or local guidelines don’t allow boat lifts that are too large because they can be considered as an eyesore, so check your measurements and guidelines accordingly.

ShoreMaster’s vertical boat lift is 96 inches tall, or around eight feet. It offers high-quality construction, superior stability, and ease of ownership, making it one of the most trusted lifts in the industry. This is also true of our other three upright models, which are around seven feet tall, not including canopies or other accessories that would make them taller.

The hydraulic boat lifts are around 60 inches, or five feet tall. This doesn’t include a canopy or other accessories that would add height. Thanks to the traditional cantilever design, our hydraulic lifts work just as well in deep, shallow, and fluctuating waters once the appropriate adjustments are made.

Our jet ski or pwc lifts are about five feet tall, not including any accessories. ShoreMaster PWC lifts also come with an 84” winch post, 66” rack travel, and capacities between 4,000 and 7,000 pounds to accommodate nearly any PWC.

Whenever you assemble a boat lift, always do so with the help of someone and according to the manufacturer’s instructions. These manufacturer instructions should also come with specifications for the height and other features of your boat lift. If you’re not comfortable assembling or installing a boat lift on your own, you can ask your local dealer or marine contractor for assistance.

Do you have any more questions about boat lifts? Are you ready to start creating your dream waterfront or upgrading your existing one? ShoreMaster, pioneers of the aluminum boat lift and lifelong waterfront enthusiasts, can help. We have decades of waterfront experience, an extensive dealer network across the U.S., and a passion for innovation and engineering that’s made us an industry leader. We can even help you with the installation of your new boat lift. Contact a local ShoreMaster dealer today to get started.