Maintenance, Corrosion & Winter
A well maintained lift routinely lasts twenty years or more; a neglected one in salt water can need major parts in five. The difference is mostly an hour or two a season: rinsing, greasing, looking closely at cables, and checking anodes. Start with the checklist, then read the guides that match your water and climate.
Start here
- MaintenanceBoat Lift Maintenance Checklist: Monthly, Seasonal, and Annual Tasks by Lift Type and EnvironmentA boat lift maintenance checklist in tables: per-use, monthly, seasonal, and annual tasks, plus adjustments for freshwater, saltwater, ice, and hurricanes.
- MaintenanceBoat Lift Corrosion Protection: Galvanic Series, Fasteners, Anodes, and Stray CurrentStop boat lift corrosion: the galvanic series, stainless fasteners on aluminum, isolation, zinc vs aluminum vs magnesium anodes, and stray current.
- MaintenanceWinterizing a Boat Lift in Ice Country: Remove It, Protect It, or Leave It InHow to winterize a boat lift in ice country: when to pull it, when it can stay, how ice moves, de-icers and bubblers, and storing a boat on the lift.
All maintenance, corrosion & winter guides
- Boat Lift Cleaning: Removing Marine Growth, Mussels, and Bird Damage Without Harming the LiftHow to clean a boat lift safely: barnacles, oysters, zebra and quagga mussels, algae, and bird droppings, with methods matched to aluminum and galvanized parts.
- Hurricane Preparation for Boat Lifts: Raise the Boat or Take It Off?Should you leave your boat on the lift in a hurricane? Storm surge vs lift height, strapping, canopy covers, both sides of the debate, and post-storm checks.