I bought a boat. I think I need a boat lift. I have questions.

[JackNicholson1974]

I bought a 22 foot pontoon. I also bought a lake cottage on a relatively small lake (35 acres) that is on a larger lake chain. I believe I need a boat lift. However, I have a couple of questions.

 

How much should I expect to pay for a boat lift for a pontoon?

Do they install it and put it in? How much should I expect that to cost?

Do I have to take it out in the winter (considering the size of the lake)

[bjkrautk]

Semi-unsolicited advice - before you do anything, find out whether your community / county has shoreline zoning.

[JackNicholson1974]

I will defintely do that. I got to thinking about the lift, because while I out on my kayak this weekend, noticed every (or almost everyone) has one, and it occurred to me that the previous owners had one (they took it with them).

 

Then I was talking to a buddy he advised me that since this is a cottage and I wont always be there, you dont want your pontoon getting beaten around by the wind waves and weather while you are gone. That made a lot of sense, so here I am.

[LouisEly]

Then I was talking to a buddy he advised me that since this is a cottage and I wont always be there, you dont want your pontoon getting beaten around by the wind waves and weather while you are gone. That made a lot of sense, so here I am.

My parents live on the east side of Lake Winnebago. They've had a place there for about 18 years and I believe are on their 3rd boat lift. The boat lift will get beaten around by storms too, but my parents have 8 miles of lake coming at them when a storm comes out of the west. I believe if they have a storm coming in they pull the boat out of the lake just to be safe, but they've had the boat lift end up on their shore before. They've certainly had their jet ski end up in their yard.

 

If you're on a chain of bigger lakes, see if there is someone who has a crane on a barge who will take the boat lift in and out for you. On Lake Winnebago there is a guy with a barge with a crane who will pick your boat lift up and place it on the shore for you and vice versa. Or ask your new neighbors how they handle their boat lift. But, like the pier, you'll need to take it out of the water in the fall and put it back in the spring.

[MrTPlush]

Do you have to take it out? No, probably not...many people leave it in all winter on smaller lakes like that. The reason to pull docks and boat lifts is to avoid wind smashing ice into it. Ice doesn’t go smashing into things on a 35 acre lake line it will on Lake Winnebago.

 

Of course a boat lift ain’t cheap and a hefty investment so pulling it out in the winter is a wise insurance plan to avoid anything going wrong.

[nodakfan17]

I don’t know much about boats (other than they float and are expensive), but your new place sounds great. Congrats!

 

Do you have easy access to a public boat launch? My parents have a place in Forest County and my dad always pulled his fishing boat out at the end of every weekend (or delegated that task to my brother and I). That might save you some cash in the short run and save some wear and tear on your new boat.

[JackNicholson1974]

Okay thank you all for the advice. The place is on the Chain of Lakes in Waupaca County. I am not even buying a boat trailer, as my boat will live on the chain full time and I plan on having a boat company take it out and service it in the fall, store it in the winter and deliver it back in the spring. So taking the boat in and out really isnt something I was planning on doing. I am on Dake Lake. It is small and pretty protected. The previous owners had both their dock and lift in all winter. I dont really think wind is an issue on this lake, but I will ask the neighbors, plus we already have met a good collection of locals who are on this lake and have been really helpful with answering my questions.

[BMuch25]

I have lived on Lake Winnebago and had a cottage on the Legend Lake Chain. I had done research for cottages on the Waupaca Chain for a few years, but just never pulled the trigger since we are a water skiing family and Waupaca seemed too busy for my tastes.

 

One of the best options is Schmidt's Boat Lifts and Docks. Excellent service and a good family owned business. They sell/service lifts and docks. They also have a service for dock/lift removal.

 

Don't consider trailering the pontoon boat each weekend. Pontoons are more difficult for trailering due to size and maneuverability.

 

I've seen many pontoons without lifts. Instead you can use dock bumpers and removable boat bumpers along with securing the pontoon to the dock with dock line. I know someone who actually installs 4 metal poles at the 4 corners of the pontoon just 1' from his dock. He then secures the pontoon to the poles with bungee cords. (Multiple in case a storm comes along)

 

The advantage of a lift is that you might not have to place & remove the cover each weekend if your lift has a canopy cover. (I did have a bird nest one year though.)

 

Depending on your storage plan, you might not need to own a trailer. Renting or borrowing is much easier for pontoon trailers since they are more universal than fiberglass boat trailers.

 

Good Luck and enjoy.

[hawing]

I bought a 22 foot pontoon. I also bought a lake cottage on a relatively small lake (35 acres) that is on a larger lake chain.

Congratulations! Now cook Johnsonville brats out on the pier and you'll have reached peak Wisconsinite.

[Sixtofan]

I would really recommend not trying to trailer in and out of the water each time. It can really add a lot of hassle and planning to the boating process.

[CheezWizHed]

Do what I do... just drive it to the shore and pull it up on the bank.

 

I have a canoe, but it's all the same, right?

[MrTPlush]

Do what I do... just drive it to the shore and pull it up on the bank.

 

I have a canoe, but it's all the same, right?

 

Honestly...some people will ram their pontoons onto shore.

[JackNicholson1974]

Don't consider trailering the pontoon boat each weekend. Pontoons are more difficult for trailering due to size and maneuverability.

 

Dont worry! No intentions of doing this!

 

I've seen many pontoons without lifts. Instead you can use dock bumpers and removable boat bumpers along with securing the pontoon to the dock with dock line. I know someone who actually installs 4 metal poles at the 4 corners of the pontoon just 1' from his dock. He then secures the pontoon to the poles with bungee cords. (Multiple in case a storm comes along)

 

Yeah that is what I thought of doing initially, so good to hear that someone else does this.

 

One of the best options is Schmidt's Boat Lifts and Docks. Excellent service and a good family owned business. They sell/service lifts and docks. They also have a service for dock/lift removal.

 

Thanks for letting me know that they service and remove. I just bought a swim raft from them, they delivered it Thursday. Terry was so friendly, customer service was great. Would definitely go back to them.

 

I dont think I would have any issue with putting the cover on each time I leave for the week. Unless it proves to be a giant pain in the butt.

[rondoman]

The 2 happiest days in a boat owners life?

 

The day you buy it and the day you sell it.

[Sixtofan]

I would advise getting the cover. Keeps geese etc from making a huge mess on your boat

[MrTPlush]

I've seen many pontoons without lifts. Instead you can use dock bumpers and removable boat bumpers along with securing the pontoon to the dock with dock line. I know someone who actually installs 4 metal poles at the 4 corners of the pontoon just 1' from his dock. He then secures the pontoon to the poles with bungee cords. (Multiple in case a storm comes along)

 

Yeah that is what I thought of doing initially, so good to hear that someone else does this.

 

I don't think I would have any issue with putting the cover on each time I leave for the week. Unless it proves to be a giant pain in the butt.

 

Lots of people will just let it sit next to a dock, that is what people just renting a dock space have to do. As long as it is a clean lake and the boat won't be sitting in a pile of algae/muck it isn't a huge deal.

 

Just buy a good cover if you go that route, they are mighty expensive, but worth it.

[Fear The Chorizo]

For a lake the size you're on, you probably don't need a boat lift IF you have a decent sized and sturdy dock - get some boat bumpers or add some used tires on dock posts to protect them from scraping off each other. Mentioned earlier, but I'd also recommend pounding in some rods you can secure the pontoon corners to when you aren't around that are independent from the dock. for a big pontoon like that it's always a good idea to have it secured multiple ways, and frankly if a really good tstorm with big wind gusts rolls through there it's probably less likely to get damaged if it's in the water rather than up on a boat lift that could just as easily turn into a kite.

 

Also, get a nice cover for the boat so you're not spending a ton of time cleaning up nature's messes every time you return to the lake to use it.

[JackNicholson1974]

Yes definitely investing in a cover.