The short answer: Yes! Just make sure you do so safely and correctly — and talk to your local boat-lift experts first. If you’re in Central Florida, that’s us!
Here are three ways to make your lift pontoon ready!
1. Check your weight.
Before you can begin modifying your lift for your new pontoon or tritoon, you’ll need to know your lift’s weight capacity, as well as the dry weight of your new boat. To safely lift your boat, your lift’s weight capacity* will need to exceed your boat’s dry weight, as it isn’t taking into account a full ballast, cargo, passengers, etc.
*Note: We generally recommend considering your lift’s weight capacity as a maximum limit, not a starting weight or a number to exceed, even slightly. It’s just not safe!
If your new pontoon weighs more than your existing boat, you may need to upgrade your lift (Here’s how to do that with a boathouse lift: Buying a Bigger Boat? How to Upgrade Your Boathouse Lift to Support a Heavier Boat). If you have a free-standing lift, however, you’ll need to upsize your lift or risk serious damage to the lift and your boat.
2. Modify your cradle.
Once you know your lift is up to the task, it’s time to swap out the bunks on your cradle — or swap over to a strap kit. Boathouse cradles typically have aluminum bunks coated in polyurethane, but some older lifts have carpeted bunks made of wood.
To get ready for your pontoon boat, you’ll need to swap these out to PVC bunks, called toonrails.* These are substantially higher than traditional bunks, allowing your boat to be lifted from beneath the floor and not from the pontoon tubes (or toons) themselves. If you’re in the Central Florida area, contact our team for an estimate!
*Note: If you have a strap kit on your boathouse, there’s no need to worry about getting these. As long as your lift’s capacity can support your new boat, you’re all set!
3. Adjust your boathouse.
When your boat lift was installed, your installers would have adjusted your lift to fit your boat’s length, height, and weight distribution, so it could be lifted safely without damaging it. However, your new boat may have a higher canopy, and it will most likely have additional height from the toons alone.
Once you have the correct bunks installed, you’ll need someone to readjust your lift’s cables to your new boat. An installer can make sure your boathouse lift will stop at the correct height and can show you how far to drive on to your new lift for proper weight distribution. If you have a free-standing lift, you won’t have to worry about the height, but you will want to make sure it’s still placed at the correct water depth to safely drive on and off.
If you have any questions or concerns about updating your lift, reach out to our office at 352-394-5666. We’d be happy to help!
Related
-
Boathouse Lifts: How to Choose, Operate, and Maintain Your Ideal Lift [A Complete Guide]
-
Buying a Bigger Boat? How to Upgrade Your Boathouse Lift to Support a Heavier Boat
-
Should I Buy a Boathouse Lift? 5 Things to Consider
-
Free-Standing Boat Lifts vs. Boathouse Lifts: 5 Questions to Know Which is Right for You
-
How to Operate a Boat Lift: The Beginner’s Guide to Using a Boat Lift Safely