Can You Convert a Manual Boat Lift to Electric?
Quick answer
Yes, on most free-standing hand-wheel lifts, with one of three kit types. A friction wheel drive presses on the hand wheel, keeps hand cranking and is listed for lifts up to 5,000 lb with 22 to 48 in wheels. A direct drive replaces the wheel and its brake and is listed up to 7,000 lb. A replacement winch with a built-in motor swaps the whole winch on listed models. Shore power with a GFCI decides AC; anything else means a 12 or 24 V kit with a battery and solar panel.
On this page
- The three kit types side by side
- Friction wheel drives: the one that keeps the hand wheel
- Direct drives: more capacity, no hand wheel
- Replacement winches with the motor built in
- PWC lifts are a winch swap, not a wheel conversion
- Which kit: a decision tree
- Sizing the battery and panel for a DC kit
- Living with a DC conversion
- Where this page stops applying
- Frequently asked questions
- Sources and further reading
Yes. Most free-standing lifts with a hand wheel can be converted to electric with kits "designed to convert manual hand-crank lifts into convenient electric or solar-powered systems," as one dealer's motor category puts it. Three numbers pick the kit: the lift's rated capacity, the hand wheel's diameter, and whether there is a GFCI-protected outlet at the dock.
The common belief that you can always crank by hand afterwards is true of only one type. A friction wheel drive leaves the hand wheel in place. A direct drive takes the wheel and the winch brake off, which handles heavier lifts but turns your backup into a drill or a crank on the motor. A replacement winch swaps the whole winch, on the models it is listed for.
- Friction wheel drive: listed for lifts up to 5,000 lb with 22 to 48 in hand wheels; hand cranking still works
- Direct drive: listed up to 7,000 lb (Lift Tech Marine, Lake Lifter); the hand wheel and brake come off
- Replacement winch: fits named lift models only, such as ShoreStation FlexPower or the Lake Lifter EDS replacement (2,600 to 7,000 lb)
- PWC lifts: motor and winch kits built around a 1,500 lb Dutton-Lainson 1500A winch
- AC kits: Lift Tech requires a GFI outlet for its direct drive and PWC kits; Lift Mate's cord has a built-in GFI
Safety: lower the lift empty before you remove a hand wheel or brake, and never stand, reach or swim under a raised boat while you fit or test a drive. Any 120 V circuit to the dock is work for a licensed electrician, on GFCI protection, because faulty dock wiring can cause electric shock drowning (see boat lift electrical).
The three kit types side by side
Figures are from the makers' listings. The capacity ceiling is the lift's rated capacity, not the boat's weight: a friction drive "works with up to 5,000lbs capacity boat lift models," so a 6,000 lb lift carrying a 3,000 lb boat is still outside it.
| Kit type | Examples | Capacity ceiling | What it fits | Power | Hand cranking afterwards |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Friction wheel drive | Lift Tech LTWAC (AC) and LTWDC (DC), Lift Mate Wheel Assist (AC) | 5,000 lb lift capacity | Hand wheels 22 to 48 in (Lift Tech); bracket on the winch column | 110 V AC or 12 V DC | Yes: disengage the drive and turn the wheel |
| Direct drive | Lift Tech Marine Gen 2, Lake Lifter direct drive, Hewitt Lift Boss | 7,000 lb (Lift Tech, Lake Lifter); Hewitt says its electric motors support up to 8,500 lb | The winch shaft where the wheel was; Lift Tech lists ShoreStation, Hewitt, CraftLander, Dutton-Lainson and ShoreMaster | 110 to 115 V AC, or 12 or 24 V DC | No wheel: a drill bit (Lift Tech) or a backup motor crank (Hewitt) |
| Replacement winch, motor built in | ShoreStation FlexPower, Lake Lifter EDS replacement winch box | 2,600 to 7,000 lb versions (Lake Lifter) | Only the lift models named in the listing | FlexPower 12 or 24 V DC; Lake Lifter 120 V AC or 12/24 V DC | Not described in either listing |
| PWC motor and winch kit | Lift Tech PWC motor with Dutton-Lainson 1500A winch (AC or 12 V DC); Lake Lifter PWC integrated winch box | 1,500 lb | PWC lifts ("compatible with all PWC lifts," Lift Tech) | 110 V AC or 12 V DC | Not described |
"Not described" means the listing is silent: ask the dealer if a hand backup matters to you.
Friction wheel drives: the one that keeps the hand wheel
A friction drive bolts to the winch column on a bracket, and a spring tensioner holds its drive against the existing hand wheel, so the motor turns the wheel the way your hand did. Lift Tech's listing promises "Less Wheel Slip with new mounting system and spring tensioner" and says the drive "can be disengaged for manual operation of lift wheel." Lift Mate's wheel "can be disengaged to lower the lift manually if necessary."
Nothing inside the winch changes, so the winch's own brake still holds the load (see drive systems explained). The cost is that the drive works by friction alone: slip is what the makers design against, and both cap the lift at 5,000 lb capacity. Measure your wheel across the rim before ordering. Warranties: 2 years on the motor for Lift Tech, 1 year limited for Lift Mate.
Direct drives: more capacity, no hand wheel
A direct drive is a gear motor that fits the winch's input shaft where the hand wheel was. Lift Tech's Gen 2 AC listing says it plainly: "Hand wheel/brake removal required during installation." Lift Tech adds backwind and maximum amp draw protection; Hewitt lists a mechanical limit switch that "prevents over-lifting by automatically shutting off your boat lift motor when fully raised."
That buys capacity (7,000 lb for Lift Tech and Lake Lifter, up to 8,500 lb across Hewitt's motor line) and changes the outage plan. With the wheel gone, the backup is on the motor:
- Lift Tech: "use the provided back up bit (inside white floatie) on the end of the shaft with your drill," per its DC motor instructions.
- Hewitt Lift Boss: the DC kit ships with "key, canopy light, jumper cables, motor crank for backup, mounting hardware," and the AC kit with a backup motor crank.
Socket sizes, direction of rotation and what to do when the drill will not raise the boat are in lowering a boat lift without power. One trap: run too far down and the cable winds on backwards. Lift Tech's DC instructions say the gear head turns clockwise going up; if not, "your lift was let down too far and now your lift is backwound."
Lift Tech lists "an average 6 - 11 amp draw" at 110 V and requires a GFI outlet. On DC, Lake Lifter offers 12 V on one battery or 24 V on two in series, and says "optimal performance is achieved with a 24v setup, effectively doubling the motor's speed."
Replacement winches with the motor built in
ShoreStation's FlexPower is "a complete winch update kit" that replaces "manual turn wheel winch assemblies" on a named list of ShoreStation lifts (SS-1688A, SS-26108A, SS-36108A and V-series models among them). It runs on 12 or 24 V, charged by a battery tender, a 20 W solar system with a regulator, or a cord from the boat's battery. Lake Lifter's EDS replacement winch box is a "direct replacement for compatible ShoreStation EDS and manual winches," 2,600 to 7,000 lb, AC 120 V or DC 12/24 V, with a key fob, five years on hardware and three on electronics.
Winch, motor and controls come as one matched unit, but if your model is not on the list, this route is closed. Remote options for all three types are in boat lift remotes and controls.
PWC lifts are a winch swap, not a wheel conversion
Small PWC lifts often have a hand-crank trailer-style winch rather than a big wheel, so the kits replace it. Lift Tech sells a "complete kit, including the PWC motor, a Dutton Lainson 1500A winch with a black protective cover, and an installation kit," rated for 1,500 lb, in 110 V AC (GFI outlet required, 6 to 11 A average) or 12 V DC. Lake Lifter's PWC winch boxes come in AC, or DC with a 10 W solar charger.
Which kit: a decision tree
Read your lift's capacity plate and measure the hand wheel, then work down:
- Is it a PWC lift with a crank winch? Yes: a PWC motor and winch kit (1,500 lb). No: go on.
- Is the lift rated over 7,000 lb? Yes: none of the hand-wheel kits checked here is listed for it, apart from Hewitt's statement that its motors support up to 8,500 lb. Ask the lift's maker. No: go on.
- Is your exact model on a FlexPower or EDS replacement list, and do you want one matched unit? Yes: replacement winch. No: go on.
- Is the lift rated 5,000 lb or less, with a 22 to 48 in hand wheel? Yes: a friction wheel drive works, and it is the only type that keeps hand cranking. A direct drive also works if you prefer it. No (rated 5,001 to 7,000 lb, or a wheel outside that range): direct drive.
- Is there a GFCI-protected outlet at the dock, installed for this use? Yes: an AC kit, with nothing to charge. No: a 12 or 24 V kit with a battery and a solar panel, sized as below. The trade-off of running a new circuit is in AC vs DC boat lift motors.
Never run an AC kit on an extension cord along the dock. If the dock circuit trips when the motor starts, see why a boat lift trips the GFCI.
Sizing the battery and panel for a DC kit
Lift Tech recommends group 24 or 27 deep-cycle batteries, two in series for 24 V. Lake Lifter and Lift Tech both want lead-acid or AGM, not lithium (the reasons to check are in lithium batteries on a boat lift). The panels sold with conversion kits run from 10 W on Lake Lifter's PWC box and 20 W on ShoreStation's FlexPower to Hewitt's 40 W 24 V package. Lift Tech also warns that "Solar Panels will evaporate water so make sure to check water levels in the battery," and recommends a charge controller on every panel.
Worked example: a converted 4,500 lb pontoon lift on a northern lake
Assumptions: 12 V direct drive; about 3.5 Ah per round trip, the site's estimate for a 4,500 lb lift at 12 V (derived on the AC vs DC page); 10 round trips a week, 3 each on Saturday and Sunday and 4 on weekdays; a remote receiver drawing 20 mA all the time; 12.5 V nominal; a 0.65 system derate as in the solar charger guide.
- Weekly lift load: 10 x 3.5 = 35 Ah. Standby: 0.020 A x 168 h = 3.4 Ah. Total 38.4 Ah a week, about 5.5 Ah a day.
- Daily energy: 5.5 x 12.5 = about 69 Wh.
- A 20 W panel in July, at 5.5 peak sun hours: 20 x 5.5 x 0.65 = 71.5 Wh a day. Just enough.
- The same panel in late September, at 3.5 sun hours: 20 x 3.5 x 0.65 = 45.5 Wh a day, about 23.5 Wh (1.9 Ah) short every day, or 13 Ah a week.
- Panel for the worst month: 69 / (3.5 x 0.65) = 69 / 2.28 = about 30 W. Take 40 W, so the battery recovers after a busy weekend instead of sliding all fall.
- Battery: a weekend uses 6 x 3.5 = 21 Ah plus about 1 Ah standby, 22 Ah. At 50% maximum discharge for lead-acid that needs 44 Ah; a 100 Ah group 27 gives two such weekends with no sun.
At 24 V the amp-hours per trip halve but the watt-hours do not, so the panel stays at about 40 W, the size of Hewitt's 24 V package. Run your own numbers in the solar charger sizing tool, which uses a 0.75 efficiency and so gives a slightly smaller panel.
If the battery still runs down, the usual causes (shade from the canopy, a dirty panel, a failed controller, an old battery) are worked through in solar and battery problems.
Living with a DC conversion
- Remotes stop but the key works: Lift Tech's instructions say to unplug the motor from the battery for one minute. If the remotes then work, "the remotes were put into a safety mode because your batteries are over charge," which points at the charge controller.
- Winter: Lift Tech recommends a breathable cover for a motor left outside; a sealed bag traps condensation and voids the warranty. Charge and store the battery as in winterizing a boat lift.
Where this page stops applying
Everything here concerns free-standing lake lifts and PWC lifts with a hand wheel or crank winch, which covers most cantilever lifts and many vertical free-standing lifts. It does not cover piling lifts that already have an AC drive (that is a motor replacement), hydraulic or air-chamber lifts, or lifts above 7,000 lb outside Hewitt's own line. Capacities and fits are from October 2026 listings.
Frequently asked questions
Can you still crank a boat lift by hand after adding a motor?
Only with a friction wheel drive. Lift Tech and Lift Mate friction drives can be disengaged so the wheel turns by hand. Direct drives replace the hand wheel and brake, so the backup is a drill bit on the motor shaft (Lift Tech) or a backup crank on the motor (Hewitt Lift Boss). Integrated replacement winch listings do not describe a hand backup.
What size hand wheel does a boat lift wheel drive fit?
Lift Tech lists its AC and DC friction wheel drives for hand wheels from 22 to 48 in, on lifts rated up to 5,000 lb. Measure across the wheel rim. A wheel outside that range, or a lift rated above 5,000 lb, needs a direct drive, which fits the winch shaft and is listed for lifts up to 7,000 lb.
Is a 12 V or 110 V conversion kit better for a boat lift?
Use 110 V AC if a GFCI-protected dock outlet already exists: there is no battery to charge or replace. Use 12 or 24 V DC with a solar panel where there is no shore power. On DC, 24 V on two batteries in series draws half the current, and Lake Lifter says it roughly doubles the motor's speed.
What size solar panel does a converted boat lift need?
For a 4,500 lb lift used about 10 times a week, roughly 30 W in a northern fall, so 40 W in practice. A 20 W panel keeps up in July but falls about 13 Ah a week behind in late September. Lighter use or a PWC lift needs less; the kits sold run from 10 W to 40 W.
Sources and further reading
- Boat Lift and Dock, Lift Tech AC 110V Wheel Drive Motor LTWAC (https://www.boatliftanddock.com/product/3232/lift-tech-ac-110v-wheel-drive-motor-ltwac)
- Boat Lift and Dock, Lift Tech DC 12V Wheel Drive Motor LTWDC (https://www.boatliftanddock.com/product/3233/)
- Boat Lift and Dock, Freestanding Lift Motors category (https://www.boatliftanddock.com/category/178/freestanding-lift-motors)
- Boat Lift and Dock, Lift Tech Marine Direct Drive Boat Lift Motors (https://www.boatliftanddock.com/productgroup/539/lift-tech-marine-direct-drive-boat-lift-motors)
- Boat Lift and Dock, Lake Lifter Direct Drive Boat Lift Motors (https://www.boatliftanddock.com/productgroup/645/lake-lifter-direct-drive-boat-lift-motors)
- Boat Lift and Dock, Lift Mate Wheel Assist Boat Lift Motors (https://www.boatliftanddock.com/productgroup/63/lift-mate-wheel-assist-boat-lift-motors)
- Boat Lift and Dock, Lake Lifter ShoreStation EDS Replacement Winch with Integrated Motor (https://www.boatliftanddock.com/productgroup/697/lake-lifter-shorestation-eds-replacement-winch-with-integrated-motor)
- Boat Lift and Dock, ShoreStation FlexPower Winches with Integrated Direct Drive (https://www.boatliftanddock.com/productgroup/647/shorestation-flexpower-winches-with-integrated-direct-drive)
- Boat Lift and Dock, Lift Tech AC 110v PWC Motor with Dutton Lainson 1500 Winch (https://www.boatliftanddock.com/product/417/lift-tech-ac-110v-pwc-motor-with-dutton-lainson-1500-winch)
- Lift Tech Marine, DC motor instructions (https://www.boatliftanddock.com/MediaStorage/Product/Documents/Document/5113_20210707141151460.pdf)
- Hewitt, Boat Lift Motors and Winches (https://www.hewittrad.com/products/other-products/winches-motors?PageNum=2)