Editorial Standards
These standards describe how every page on Boat Lift Lab is researched, written, checked and maintained. They apply to guides, reference tables and calculators alike.
Accuracy over volume
We publish a page when it can answer its question better than what already exists, and we would rather leave a topic uncovered than cover it thinly. Each guide must give readers something they can act on: a procedure, a calculation, a decision table, a list of failure modes, or a clear recommendation with the reasons for it.
Sources we rely on
- Codes and standards: NFPA 70 (National Electrical Code), especially Article 555 on marinas, boatyards and docking facilities; NFPA 303; ABYC standards for boat electrical systems; ASTM standards for galvanizing; wire rope industry guidance.
- Government agencies: the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers regulatory program for structures in navigable waters, NOAA Tides and Currents for tidal datums and records, the U.S. Coast Guard for boating safety, and state natural resource and environmental agencies for permits.
- Manufacturer documentation: installation manuals, owner's manuals, parts diagrams and published specifications.
- Engineering fundamentals: statics, buoyancy, hydraulics, electrical circuits and corrosion chemistry, applied with the arithmetic shown.
Each guide ends with a sources section. We do not invent statistics, surveys or test results, and we do not present estimates as measurements.
Numbers, ranges and assumptions
Where a figure varies (prices, service lives, boat weights), we give a range and say what moves it. Cost ranges are typical installed ranges for planning, not quotes. Our reference data is compiled and maintained as described in the methodology, and the same core figures are used consistently across the site so the calculators and guides agree with each other.
Review before publication
Before a page is published it is checked for technical accuracy against its sources, for internal consistency with our reference data, for safety warnings where the work involves load, electricity or water, and for clarity. Worked examples are recalculated independently. Calculators are tested against hand calculations of their documented formulas.
Safety and professional advice
We explain how things work and what owners can safely check themselves. Work involving structural loads, pilings, electrical wiring near water, or supporting a raised boat is flagged clearly, and we say when to call a qualified professional. Nothing on the site replaces site-specific advice from an engineer, licensed electrician or experienced marine contractor.
Independence and commercial content
No manufacturer, dealer or installer pays for coverage, placement or conclusions. We do not accept products in exchange for coverage. Brand profiles are neutral descriptions, and we tell readers to verify current specifications with the manufacturer. The site may display advertising; advertisers have no influence over what we write, and advertising is kept visually distinct from editorial content.
Updates
Every page shows the date it was last updated. We review cost ranges at least once a year and revisit guides when codes, standards or common products change. A page's date changes only when its content changes in a meaningful way, not for cosmetic edits.
Corrections
When we get something wrong, we fix it promptly. Significant corrections (anything that could change a reader's decision or affect safety) are noted on the page and recorded on our corrections page. Readers can report errors through the contact page.
Language and accessibility
We write in plain US English, define technical terms on first use or in the glossary, use US units first, and build pages to be readable on phones, with screen readers and with keyboard navigation.