Boat lifts and PWC lifts on Grand Lake
A lift gets the hull out of the water between trips. Here's how owners on Grand Lake usually choose and maintain one.
Boats left floating in a slip all season pick up growth and staining along the waterline, and their hulls and outdrives sit in the water around the clock. A lift raises the boat clear of the water when it isn't in use. Personal watercraft get the same benefit from a smaller drive-on lift or port. Lifts can be planned into a new dock or added later.
Which kind of lift fits?
- Floating lifts use their own buoyancy and move with the dock, a natural match for floating docks on a lake whose level changes.
- Hydraulic lifts raise and lower with a powered pump and are quick to operate.
- Cable or winch lifts hang the boat from cables, either hand-cranked or motorized.
- PWC lifts and drive-on ports let a jet ski ride up onto a platform.
How is a lift sized?
Lifts are rated by capacity. Add the boat's dry weight, the motor, a full fuel tank, batteries, gear and water in the bilge, then leave a margin. Wake boats with ballast tanks deserve extra attention here. The installer also checks the slip's width and length and how the lift will tie into the dock frame.
Does adding a lift change my permit?
GRDA's lake rules say owners must get GRDA's permission before making any modification, change, addition or improvement to an existing dock. Ask GRDA's lake permitting office how your lift project should be handled before it goes in, and if the lift needs power, remember that a modified dock calls for a new certificate from an Oklahoma licensed electrical contractor.
When does a lift need repair?
- Cables that are frayed, kinked or rusting
- A motor that hums without lifting or trips the breaker
- Bunks that are split, loose or no longer sit evenly under the hull
- A hydraulic lift that leaks or drifts down
- The boat sitting crooked when the lift is raised
We don't put prices on this site. The dock contractor you're connected with prices the job after seeing your shoreline, water depth and access, and anything said over the phone is only a rough starting point.
Where we connect you with help
Common questions
Can a lift go on my existing dock?
Often, if the slip is big enough and the frame can carry it. Check with GRDA before adding it, since its rules require permission for additions to a dock.
Does a powered lift need anything special?
Wiring must follow the National Electrical Code, and GRDA requires a labeled disconnect above the high water mark and a licensed electrical contractor's certificate for modified docks.
Related services
More background: Grand Lake dock permit guide.
Dock sagging, lift acting up, or ready for a new slip?
Call and we'll put you in touch with a dock builder who works your side of Grand Lake.