Is My Boat Lift any Match for the Fireworks Crowd?

NavGirl316 · 07-02-2008, 11:40 AM

We live on a pretty busy part of the lake, and our boat is on a lift because of all the wave action...as everyone knows, the water level has come up over the past couple of weeks. There's about 4 inches of space between the surface of the water and the "bunks" (the long arms of the lift that the boat actually sits on)...last year (before we had the lift), the waves on the night of the 4th of July fireworks were so huge that they were literally washing up over the breakwater onto our lawn (a height of 3 or so feet), because of all the boat traffic traveling to and from the fireworks.

My question is this:

Am I right to be concerned that the force and size of these huge waves crashing over and over for hours on the night of the fireworks could actually be strong enough to push the boat right off the lift? The boat weighs 3600 lbs.

WeirsBeachBoater · 07-02-2008, 12:53 PM

Based on the amount of boat traffic I am seeing. I don't think you will have those huge waves this fourth of July!

Gatto Nero · 07-02-2008, 03:18 PM

Be concerned. Be very concerned.

Although not as heavy as your boat, my wife watched a cruiser come by last year and the wake he sent at us lifted my jet ski completely off the lift and into the rocks on shore. I usually have the bunks about a foot out of the water. On the 4th I put it out on a mooring because it wouldn't have a shot of surviving the mass exodus from Center Harbor. Someday I hope to have a breakwater but now, even with the boats on whips, we have to line up along the dock and hold the boats off with our legs when the fireworks are done.

Rattlesnake Guy · 07-02-2008, 08:22 PM

The problem with the exiting crowd from the fireworks is that we mostly go at the worst possible speed. The speed between no wake and plane. Lots of boats going in the same direction generating maximum wake. We have tied our boat on the lift before when the water is high and the weather is strong as an insurance policy. The boat will slide forward long before it will lift off the bunk.

DRH · 07-02-2008, 08:37 PM

We get huge wakes from the July 4 fireworks watchers here too ... almost seems like the ocean surf as many boats go by on their way home from the fireworks.

However, we keep our 21' boat on a lift and we have never had a problem from the wakes. In your case, 4" of clearance between the lake surface and the bunks doesn't seem like much, though. We probably have twice that clearance. The legs of our lift are adjustable, and I assume the legs on your lift are as well. Before the July 4 wakes hit, could you adjust the legs on your lift and increase the clearance between the lake and the bunks?

2Blackdogs · 07-02-2008, 08:47 PM

Like most, you probably have your boat stern-out. If it's possible with that lift, I'd put the bow facing out to minimize any surging action.

You don't advise us what design of hull it is, or what design of lift, but I had a 20' boat on a lift just a few inches above the lake as well.

It really doesn't matter how heavy the boat is, you don't want wakes to reach as far up as the entire waterline of your boat all at once, and even once. If it's ever been shoved on its bunks at all, something definitely needs to get done. Even behind a breakwater, some combinations of wakes can "surge" the lake's level like a tide.

If you're still concerned, secure the boat to the lift with heavy lines and put out temporary, well-set, anchors. Use the longest rodes you can get away with for that location.

It would still be nerve-wracking to watch, but you could just put the boat out on a borrowed mooring for that one event.

NavGirl316 · 07-03-2008, 07:02 AM

Thanks everyone for the feedback!! You've validated my concerns…yes - the legs are adjustable - we spoke with the lift company yesterday, and they're gonna come out and raise the bunks, so that they're closer to a foot out of the water. Last year on the 4th, before we had the lift, we had no less than 10 lines on the boat to try and secure it (in addition to the whips!)…and still, it was being whipped around like a toy during the mass exodus after the fireworks - we were down at the dock holding it off for hours until the "ocean waves" finally died down. We actually heard the dock "groan" a couple of times with the weight of the boat pulling at it like that. I like the suggestions regarding facing the bow out, and using anchors and heavy lines for added security. I think we should be in much better shape overall once we get the bunks raised.

07-02-2008, 11:40 AM	#1
NavGirl316 Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 32 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Is My Boat Lift any Match for the Fireworks Crowd? We live on a pretty busy part of the lake, and our boat is on a lift because of all the wave action...as everyone knows, the water level has come up over the past couple of weeks. There's about 4 inches of space between the surface of the water and the "bunks" (the long arms of the lift that the boat actually sits on)...last year (before we had the lift), the waves on the night of the 4th of July fireworks were so huge that they were literally washing up over the breakwater onto our lawn (a height of 3 or so feet), because of all the boat traffic traveling to and from the fireworks. My question is this: Am I right to be concerned that the force and size of these huge waves crashing over and over for hours on the night of the fireworks could actually be strong enough to push the boat right off the lift? The boat weighs 3600 lbs.

07-02-2008, 03:18 PM	#3
Gatto Nero Senior Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Isola Gatto Nero Posts: 697 Thanks: 162 Thanked 263 Times in 81 Posts	Be concerned. Be very concerned. Although not as heavy as your boat, my wife watched a cruiser come by last year and the wake he sent at us lifted my jet ski completely off the lift and into the rocks on shore. I usually have the bunks about a foot out of the water. On the 4th I put it out on a mooring because it wouldn't have a shot of surviving the mass exodus from Center Harbor. Someday I hope to have a breakwater but now, even with the boats on whips, we have to line up along the dock and hold the boats off with our legs when the fireworks are done. __________________ La vita è buona su Isola Gatto Nero

07-02-2008, 08:37 PM	#5
DRH Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Meredith, NH Posts: 1,686 Thanks: 1,203 Thanked 675 Times in 178 Posts	Not a Problem Here We get huge wakes from the July 4 fireworks watchers here too ... almost seems like the ocean surf as many boats go by on their way home from the fireworks. However, we keep our 21' boat on a lift and we have never had a problem from the wakes. In your case, 4" of clearance between the lake surface and the bunks doesn't seem like much, though. We probably have twice that clearance. The legs of our lift are adjustable, and I assume the legs on your lift are as well. Before the July 4 wakes hit, could you adjust the legs on your lift and increase the clearance between the lake and the bunks? __________________ DRH

07-02-2008, 12:53 PM	#2
WeirsBeachBoater Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 709 Blog Entries: 9 Thanks: 39 Thanked 148 Times in 65 Posts	Based on the amount of boat traffic I am seeing. I don't think you will have those huge waves this fourth of July!

07-02-2008, 08:22 PM	#4
Rattlesnake Guy Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Posts: 1,254 Thanks: 423 Thanked 366 Times in 175 Posts	The problem with the exiting crowd from the fireworks is that we mostly go at the worst possible speed. The speed between no wake and plane. Lots of boats going in the same direction generating maximum wake. We have tied our boat on the lift before when the water is high and the weather is strong as an insurance policy. The boat will slide forward long before it will lift off the bunk.

07-02-2008, 08:47 PM	#6
2Blackdogs Senior Member Join Date: May 2004 Posts: 115 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Like most, you probably have your boat stern-out. If it's possible with that lift, I'd put the bow facing out to minimize any surging action. You don't advise us what design of hull it is, or what design of lift, but I had a 20' boat on a lift just a few inches above the lake as well. It really doesn't matter how heavy the boat is, you don't want wakes to reach as far up as the entire waterline of your boat all at once, and even once. If it's ever been shoved on its bunks at all, something definitely needs to get done. Even behind a breakwater, some combinations of wakes can "surge" the lake's level like a tide. If you're still concerned, secure the boat to the lift with heavy lines and put out temporary, well-set, anchors. Use the longest rodes you can get away with for that location. It would still be nerve-wracking to watch, but you could just put the boat out on a borrowed mooring for that one event.

07-03-2008, 07:02 AM	#7
NavGirl316 Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 32 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Thanks everyone for the feedback!! You've validated my concerns…yes - the legs are adjustable - we spoke with the lift company yesterday, and they're gonna come out and raise the bunks, so that they're closer to a foot out of the water. Last year on the 4th, before we had the lift, we had no less than 10 lines on the boat to try and secure it (in addition to the whips!)…and still, it was being whipped around like a toy during the mass exodus after the fireworks - we were down at the dock holding it off for hours until the "ocean waves" finally died down. We actually heard the dock "groan" a couple of times with the weight of the boat pulling at it like that. I like the suggestions regarding facing the bow out, and using anchors and heavy lines for added security. I think we should be in much better shape overall once we get the bunks raised.