Winnipesaukee Forum - View Single Post

Winilyme · 04-17-2021, 10:47 PM

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.

04-17-2021, 10:47 PM	#13
Winilyme Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2019 Location: Ice in = CT / Ice out = Winnipesaukee Posts: 440 Thanks: 109 Thanked 264 Times in 140 Posts	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.