Storing waverunner on the water
 

I am in the process of purchasing a Yamaha Waverunner and was wondering what is the best way to store it on the water. I have an existing seasonal dock. One option would be simply to tie it to the doc either directly or with whips. I have read that this is not recommended. The other is attaching a PWC ride on float to the dock and keep the PWC on that, out of the water. I am looking for pros and cons for each approach. Also, if I get a PWC float will I need a separate permit for this and would this be hard to obtain? I really want the PWC accessible, so I would not want to have to trailer it every time I wanted to use it.

Thanks,
Bellini

How about a lift?

Last summer, I hooked up with a bunch of jetski owners last year. A few had lifts, a few had floating platforms, a few just tied up to docks, and a few trailered.

If I had a dock and could choose any option, it would probably be a floating platform. Though it's rare, skis can develop leaks and sink. Add to that the extra hull cleaning and need for bumper/wave protection (that never really works in even moderately rough areas) and I'd not want to tie up long-term.

A lift would be my second choice, especially if you could use the extra dock area that would be saved, but you need to be in the water to operate a lift, making early and late-season use a bit less convenient, and, depending on the water quality on the shore, could be messy. Other benefits of a lift are (almost) complete removal from the water for protection and cleanliness.

The friends who have floating platforms just walk out in their gear, pull the cover, get on, back off and zoom away. No need to get in the water, clean their feet off, untie or crank down, etc.

I don't know about winterization, however, which might make the final decision were I to be in a position to choose. If the floating platform is more of a pain to pull out than a lift, I'd probably lean towards the latter. I don't know for sure, but my guess is that the riders I've met with floating platforms probably don't do their own work but have someone pull their docks.

Godspeed!

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I have a lift. During the season it is located next to a dock so there is no need to get into the water. For the winter I just take it out of the water and leave it on the dock.

It can be cranked down 90% of the way while standing on the dock and then the last couple of inches can be lowered after climbing on. I remind people who use it to always start it in reverse so you are not pushing it further on to the lift. (That is true when launching from a trailer too, always start it in reverse.)

Because I got tired of cranking it up and down (and I am lazy) three years ago I bought a 12 volt winch at Harbor Freight and replaced the crank wheel. The winch came with cable and a wireless remote so now it is easy on/easy off. It is powered by a 12 volt battery and I put a trickle charger on it so the battery is always fully charged.

I have 2 and kept them on lifts for years. Had some problems with the lift itself and started just leaving in water with a dock whip. Both ways were fine. If Its a calm area I would think a float would be the easiest and best way to store

Two questions: is the lift parallel or perpendicular to the dock? I'm trying to visualize what it would look like so close. Also, I assume you had power at the dock already for the 12v charger to connect to, but could you have used a solar charger for that battery, if not (I have no idea on size/draw, etc.)?

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The lift is parallel to the dock.

I dug a small trench from the jet ski lift area into the boathouse and the battery and charger are plugged in inside the boathouse. I really just spread the sod a little with a spade and used direct bury cable. I ran decent size wires so that they would supply the necessary amperage to the motor. The total wire run is about 20 feet. If that option was not available I would have used a solar charger.

The connectors at the lift look like these (Amazon) so it just unplugs when the season is over.

https://www.amazon.com/X-Haibei-Conn...xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ==

My friend on a different lake (not winni) has 2 lifts, one for the boat one for the jetski. Both are parallel to the dock and both are solar powered to charge a car battery. The jet ski lift is easy to get out of the water for winter storage onto the beach, the boat lift is a pain in my butt!!!! I am that sucker of a friend that gets roped in every year.
Either way, lifts are easy and can easily be put next to a dock for easy on/off.

Those who trailered, where did they launch from and where did they leave the trailer ?

Thank you.

I trailer exclusively. We have a private launch at Arcadia, and have never launched anywhere else.

Another rider launched and parked at Glendale—though it always seemed pretty busy, he never had an issue finding space.

The third and fourth riders who trailered would almost always put in at Wolfeboro, but once or twice at West Alton and Tuftonboro.

We were on the water early for most of our rides last summer—I can't remember ever getting on after 9—and many times on weekdays, so that might make the difference in terms of access.

You looking to ride with a group? Message me, if so.

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Jet ski
 

I kept mine on a mooring for many, many summers, never a problem other than having to walk out to it! Yes, you need a permit! Good luck!

We have tried several options for our jetski on Paugus, where it can get fairly rough (though not as rough as many places in the bay).

The floating style docks / lifts, while nice, don't do so well in really rough water. They are hard on the structure they are attached to (dock) and hard on themselves. They also all seem to yellow and turn chalky / cheap looking after a few years of exposure from the sun.

The hewitt style lifts (4 leg, large hand crank wheel) worked OK for us. Most of the issues we ran into with this style lift were in regards to the water depth. Due to the placement of our dock, we had to use the longer legs with the lift, and typically had them extended quite a ways out (~3.5' of water on one end of the lift and ~4' or so on the other). Because the lift needed to be so high due to the water depth, after 4-5 seasons we had to have some welding work done to repair the legs, as well as reinforce the lift overall. Another issue we ran into with this style was in regards to water freezing in one of the legs over the winter, and splitting the square stock they are made out of. I'm not sure why it happened, the lift had drained on its own in years past, but for whatever reason, one winter water was trapped and caused the leg to split when it froze.

Just last season we kept the ski on a set of mooring whips, as our Hewitt lift was finally on its last legs, and we were also working on installing a more permanent style lift. The whips worked very well, and kept both the jetski and the dock safe from damage. The biggest downfall with of this option for us was the inability to cover the jetski while it was on the whips. It also picked up a nice scum line as the season progressed (easily cleaned by hand while standing at the sand bar, but of concern to some).

This season, after extensive dock repairs / replacement last year, we will be using a vertical, Hi-Tide elevator lift setup for 2 jetskis. This is a long term solution, and it is absolutely the most expensive, but I think this will be the best for us. We will be able to store the skis out of the water, at any lake level, and will have the ability to clean and cover them from the comfort of the dock.

If you are installing a seasonal jetski lift, you do need to file a PBN with the state, and the lift needs to be removed from the water in the winter. It is not so much a permit in the traditional meaning, as you are simply notifying the state know that you will have a jetski lift(s) at your property (they are not going to send you anything back stating that its "OK" to proceed with the lift). If I recall correctly, the number of lifts you can have correlates to the distance of shorefront you own (much like the number of docks you can have). I know that with our ~100', we are allowed to have 2 lifts.

Like Tilton, our Hewitt lift is installed parallel to our dock and works just fine like that. Easy to crank down/up and great not having to get in the water to access it. We have the extender legs that I adjust several times over the course of the season (in combination with moving it further out on our dock) as the water level recedes. That's not a problem either though with the low water levels last fall, that thing was at the end of our dock by mid-September. We'll need to move the lift away from the dock when we eventually get a boat.

In winter, we store it on our water level deck. Getting it there isn't the easiest thing in the world since we need to maneuver it around the dock (into five feet+ water) and around to the deck - but the two of us manage. This is a basically drag and heave process...not the most pleasant thing in the world but manageable with the lower lake level. There's a steep bank on the side of the dock where we use the lift so moving it there isn't an option. I spray the moving parts with some lithium grease before leaving it for the winter.

We simply hire someone to move it back in the water each May. Water is too high and cold for us to handle that ourselves. Wish there was a way to move it from the deck, down the dock and drop it in there but that would probably be a four person job if it could even be done with the 4x6 posts and six feet dock width. It's not so much heavy as it is very awkward to move.

There's lot's of wave action where we are on the lake. I've been cautioned against the floats in this type of environment. The lift works well for us and I like keeping it up and out of the water. I keep the bunk boards angled upward slightly - enough to provide a bit of noticeable resistance for those that don't follow instructions to start it in reverse. The lift also gives you a bit of under craft accessibility which was helpful when I had to clear a stick out of the intake or when I needed to look for damage after a rock rammed into me.

I may look into the auto lift option with a solar powered battery at some point.

Where Did Lake Winnipesaukee's Canoes Go?
 

I have a permanent dock, and can tell you what doesn't work.

A tenant uses two factory standoffs, bolted to the dock.

The first season, the stainless steel mounts broke, lag bolts loosened, and part of the dock planking became misaligned. The next season, they'd redesigned the dock mounts, reinforced the mounts with heliarced webs, and added a whip. The mounts were through-bolted to larger dock structure.

Factory cleats on the Waverunner appear not to have suffered.

While no significant damage happened last season, it was nerve-wracking to watch the wakes from boats greater than 24-feet pummel the Waverunner. (And it's not even mine!) :eek2: It is clear that even adding their second whip isn't going to work.

I've suggested digging-in my spare 75-pound mushroom anchor, (diagonally) with chain, so that may be this season's countermeasure to Winter Harbor's many oversized boats.

I drive mine right up to the beach, Small mushroom anchor in the sand and secure with heavy duty bungee cords.
Fast and easy

I usually put mine back in by myself though it would be a lot easier with two people. Starting with it on it's side on the dock I keep sliding it towards the water until it passes the halfway point and it rotates into the water by itself. It usually lands close to where I want it.

Prior to pushing it over I tie a couple of lines to it. Using the lines, and a metal rake, I can push/pull it into position. The quicker I can maneuver it the better because there is still air trapped in the tubes so there is a little flotation before it fills up.

I should probably have help but it is part of my ongoing plan to refuse to acknowledge that I am getting old!

Monster foam noodles sold at Walmart cost about five dollars each, size 5" diameter x 42" long and are good for rolling a small vessel like a jetski or small row boat, or small sail boat across the front yard and down a rocky embankment ramp made with 2"x8"x10' planks.

For retrieving the small vessel in the fall, get a $45-power pull with the polypropylene rope included from Tractor Supply. For relatively light moves the rope power pull seems to be easier to use than than the stronger cable pulls made by Maasdam and sold at the late great Laconia ServiStar Hardware.

........ anchors away! .... :patriot::banana: ..... plus now you have three or four foam noodles for swimming improvement and synchronized water ballet!

Has anyone used these mooring arms instead of whips? Curious to see if they work in high winds or not. My place is on a point facing north so we get waves with a long reach.

https://www.overtons.com/dockmate-mo...E&gclsrc=aw.ds

Maybe I just don't get it but I can't figure out how you would attach them if you weren't in the water.

That would seem to rule them out for early season use.

Mooring Arms...I Wouldn't Consider Them...
 

Those mooring arms were discussed here:
https://www.winnipesaukee.com/forums...9&postcount=14

They're gonna need help...

Got it. Thanks ApS.

TiltonBB, how do you get your lift out and on the dock in the fall? Do you get into the water with a few people and lift it out and onto the dock?

I don't get in the water. I don't really have an easy way to do it.

I try to find a little help and drag it up onto the dock. I usually attach a couple of lines to it to pull with. Sometimes I can pull it with a metal rake. It is not pretty and really involves just muscling it up.

I find that if I raise it all the way up first a lot of water drains out of the channels in it and it gets lighter.

Have Been Happy With These
 

I've used these for about 6 years and they are still as solid as I bought them. I get a lot of rollers where I am and yes, the jetski does bounce around a bit, but it is secure and I worry more about the boat than the jetski because of these.

Tangential to the thread, but this product may be useful for installing or removing boat lifts:
Boatlifthelper.com

Looks terrific. Would love a boat lift, just don’t have the shoreline to store it on during the winter


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I am on the North east side of LI, between the bridge and the six pack. So a fair amount of action. I kept my ski, on whips for the 6 or 7 years I owned it. As someone mentioned you get a scum line just like you do on a boat. But after that I had no issues. The whips kept the ski off the dock, and two lines kept the ski centered. There was very little stress on the dock or the ski, unless the rare big boat came plowing through.....

If I had to do it again, I would likely do the same thing.... While lifts are nice, they have their issues, like getting them in and out of the water yearly. If you have a shore front that goes nice down to the water it is likely no big deal... If like me you don't it just another thing to lift and carry....

As far as concerns with leaving the jet ski in the water on whips... There is no concern, people like to say there is but they really don't understand what they are talking about. I would protect my boat on a lift before I would worry about protecting my jetski on a lift. Your boat can also sink because of seals.... Both Jet skis and boats sink, because of seal failures.....

Blowing a seal
 

Couldn't resist:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R9ETlTZoF1E

That is a great joke. The monkey's just kill it!! It reminds me of one of the most clever business slogans I have ever seen or heard. It was on the back window of a pick up truck that had the name of a construction company all over it. There was a picture of an excavator, and above the picture it said "My goal", and underneath the picture of the excavator it said "is your hole". Simply brilliant IMHO.

We have 2 of the Hewitt Slide-n-Go's. Our shorefront is sandy and gradual so we can pull right up to shore. We have the extension kits on them so we don't run into issues with lake levels fluctuating.

https://www.hewittrad.com/products/lifts/slide-n-go

I know someone that has a similar product:

https://roll-n-go.com/product/pwc-shore-ramp/

they are a great solution if you have the shore front for it...