If you own a boat or personal watercraft you know how much pride and pleasure come with ownership. What’s better than a day of fun in the sun as you hit the water and cruise the lake? But boat ownership also comes with responsibility. You have to keep your watercraft in good condition to fully enjoy it. A boat lift installed by a builder experienced in marine construction on Lake Anna can help protect your boat and ensure it will be ready to go when you are.
Regular inspections and preventive maintenance go a long way toward keeping your boat lift in tip-top shape, so take a look at the five tips we’ve lined up below.
Top 5 tips to maintain your boat lift:
1. Inspect Your Boat Lift Regularly
Whether your boat lift is hydro-pneumonic or cable-driven, it needs to be inspected regularly to ensure it stays in good shape. A waterfront custom home builder experienced in marine construction can help. They’ll check your lift to ensure all of its parts are being cared for properly. They’ll make note of parts that are worn or damaged and replace them when necessary. Lastly, they’ll check your boat lift’s electrical components to ensure they haven’t become corroded and are working as they should.
2. Lubricate the Moving Parts
This is especially true for cable lifts. Cable lifts depend on bearings and pulleys to operate. Good lubrication keep things operating smoothly. Regular applications of marine-grade lubricant by contractors specializing in marine construction on Lake Anna is a must. This should be done twice a year. Your contractor will check and lubricate your lift’s motors and make sure their parts should are properly oiled. Cables also require lubrication and should be spray coated. This is a great time to check for frayed or broken cables which should be replaced immediately.
3. Check the bunks
What are bunks? Bunks are the long padded struts on which your boat sits. Periodically have a contractor familiar with marine construction on Lake Anna check your lift’s bunks for tears, worn-out carpets, or cracked or rotted wood. While they are checking the bunks, they’ll also check the bunk bracket positions and make any necessary adjustments to ensure everything is tight.
4. Operate Your Lift — Even in the Offseason
Yes, you read that right! It’s important to operate your lift at least a couple of times during the offseason. Leaving your boat lift in a single position can cause moving parts to become stiff, dirty, and rusty — especially during winter’s harsh conditions. Running your lift twice a season is a good minimum, but ideally, you should try to run your lift for a minute in each direction every couple of weeks to keep its moving parts lubricated and dirt-free.
5. Clean Your Lift
You’re probably thinking… “My boat lift sits in the water. Why do I have to clean it?” It’s precisely because your lift sits in water that you should clean it. Lake water isn’t as pure as well or tap water. It contains things like algae and iron that can build up on the submerged parts of your lift. Giving them a good cleaning with a power washer will keep all of your lift’s underwater parts working and looking their best. Having trouble keeping your lift running? Why not contact a company with proven skill in marine construction on Lake Anna to install a new one?
Sacra Custom Homes Is Here to Help!
At SCH, we’ve got years of experience in marine construction. If you are considering a new boat lift or boathouse, give us a call. We’re a full-service waterfront custom home builder operating in Fredericksburg, Stafford, King George, and all of northeastern Virginia. Check out our website at www.SacraCustomHomes.com, or call to speak with a member of our staff at 540-582-2397. We’ll help you get the boat lift you’ve always wanted and your boat deserves!