With its beautiful beaches and waterways, rich marine biodiversity, and vibrant community, Sarasota is the perfect place to spend your days boating out on the water. Unfortunately, the high salt contents and abundant marine life in our bays and rivers can quickly damage boat lifts. Because of the local community's love for Sarasota's marine environment, staying on top of boat lift maintenance regulations is crucial.
Related Blog: When to Replace Or Repair Your Boat Lift
Without regular boat lift maintenance, you risk paying for expensive repairs and regulatory fines and damaging the beautiful marine environment. Luckily, at Duncan Seawalls, we know everything there is to know about boat lift maintenance in Sarasota. Whether you're new to Sarasota or a first-time owner, these tips will ensure that you feel confident in maintaining your boat lift.
Lift Cables
Maintaining your lift cables is crucial to the durability of your boat lift and prevents possible damage to seagrass beds. To ensure they're in excellent condition, you should regularly...
- Inspect for frayed or worn areas; replace immediately.
- Check cable tension; adjust if needed.
- Rinse with fresh water.
- Lubricate moving parts to reduce friction and wear.
Lift Beams
Sarasota's salt water and marine life, like barnacles, mussels, and algae, often attach themselves to your lift beams and can easily cause damage. If your lift beams still touch the water after raising your boat, then you risk paying for costly repairs. At Duncan Seawall's, we've found that GEM remote installation in Sarasota is one of the best lift systems to ensure that your lift beams fully rise out of the water.
To ensure your lift beams stay in top quality, you should regularly...
- Check for any signs of rust or corrosion and treat immediately.
- Clean debris or buildup from the beams.
- Keep an eye out for loose bolts or hardware; tighten as needed.
Motor
The lift motor is necessary for powering your boat lift. It is also the most sensitive to salt water damage. To ensure optimal electrical performance and longevity, try these maintenance tips:
- Regularly inspect for signs of wear or damage, including tears in the carpet and worn, broken, or rotted areas on the bunks.
- Check for metal fatigue and rust, and apply protective coatings as needed.
- Rinse off saltwater residue after each use.
- Promptly remove barnacles and marine growth to prevent damage.
- Schedule periodic professional inspections to identify potential issues early.
- Grease the sheaves and bolts every 8 to 12 months (based on usage) to prevent squeaking and seizing caused by friction.
Navigating the complexities of Sarasota's waterfront life can be daunting, but we can help with even the smallest concern. If your boat lift starts showing signs of wear and tear or gets damaged, you can find Duncan Seawalls' team of marine contractors in Sarasota.
From ensuring your boat lift meets all regulations to providing ongoing maintenance and repairs, we got you covered. For more information about boat lifts, download our complete guide to boat lifts.
