Boat lifts, new versus used

[tabbibus]

I've got two options for my 242 lse. A used lift rated at 6000 lbs for $5.8k with one year warranty. Not 100% sure at the moment what brand. See picture below as example given by vendor.

Or a new boat floater with lifetime warranty on the tanks, rated at 6600 lbs, for $7.7k

Appreciate any thoughts!

Used
.

New

 

[Mainah]

First one is a hydrohoist. I rebuilt a hydrohoist that had been neglected and was not operable as was. My cost was basically if you can get it out it is yours. Reapiring cost me lots of time and about a grand fabricating replacement parts myself. Had I bought all the replacement parts new I would have spent 3 times that. Long story short, buy new especially given what the used one is asking.

 

[rrmidden]

For the price difference I’d go new. I’ve heard of people getting good deals on used lifts, but around here it seems like the used ones are really old in really bad shape, but cheap, or newer in good condition but asking 75-85% of new. For that price difference I went new!

 

[swatski]

I've got two options for my 242 lse. A used lift rated at 6000 lbs for $5.8k with one year warranty. Not 100% sure at the moment what brand. See picture below as example given by vendor.

Or a new boat floater with lifetime warranty on the tanks, rated at 6600 lbs, for $7.7k

Appreciate any thoughts!

Used
View attachment 96857.

New
View attachment 96861

The new one looks like my rhinohoist (?) shoremaster - I would go new for sure in this situation.

--

 

[BigN8]

I bought a used Boatfloater for my 240 SX and I think I paid around $3500-$4000 direct from my Marina. All I can say is it never failed and I never had a problem with it. There is just not a lot of moving parts to these things and the blower motors are pretty cheap as well. If they would take less for the used I would go that route. To me that used lift looks like a $3000 lift.

 

[Jgorm]

For that price go new. That used one is way over priced.

 

[tabbibus]

I bought a used Boatfloater for my 240 SX and I think I paid around $3500-$4000 direct from my Marina. All I can say is it never failed and I never had a problem with it. There is just not a lot of moving parts to these things and the blower motors are pretty cheap as well. If they would take less for the used I would go that route. To me that used lift looks like a $3000 lift.

I know, that used lift looks like a soviet era contraption. Ha.

 

[Wisefam22]

Using Marine specialties? If you dont need it done this week I can try and see if friend would be interested looking at any of the used ones of lake with you and then fixing/refabricating.

He was lead tech at MS for over year but decided to go back to school.

 

[tabbibus]

Using Marine specialties? If you dont need it done this week I can try and see if friend would be interested looking at any of the used ones of lake with you and then fixing/refabricating.

He was lead tech at MS for over year but decided to go back to school.

I talked to Marine specialities. They were the most expensive of a bunch. Almost two grand above the price I mentioned above.

I'd be willing to entertain other options. I'm not in a rush.

 

[Shuck Water]

Agree with @BigN8. For used lifts you should be looking at paying no more than $0.50/lb as a rule of thumb. Unless it’s literally like a year or two old.

 

[Dean P]

@tabbibus The dry weight of your boat is almost 4,000 lbs. Add gas (300) plus gear you'll be pushing 5,000. The used lift is rated at 6,000.

Questions:
How often do you boat?
Is this your last boat?
Would you ever go larger?
Would you buy newer? Seems that newer boats always weigh more than previous models.

When purchasing lifts, it was always 2x weight (min). Just thinking outloud...

 

[Weeb]

I would go with the new at that price. I was quoted $9600 for a 6k lb hydrohoist installed. I’ve made a deal for a 6k lb shallow hydrohoist for $7k that was just bought new in April and cost 11.6k. @Mainah is correct about cost of parts. It cost me $850 for the parts to change it for a wider dock and a V hull and 4 plugs to move it to and from the boat ramps. When I saw the parts I realized I could have gone to a metal shop and bought some of the the pieces at a fraction of the cost. The bands on the used ones tubes are in the water and rust the new ones keep the metal out of th water ( at least on the hydrohoist). What make is the new one?

 

[tabbibus]

The new lift brand is Boat Floater. Seems very similar to hydrohoist.

For the used one, installer says that price includes install. So I assume all necessary changes and parts would be part of the price

 

[Weeb]

The dealer here wanted $6900 installed like the used one with everything new except the tubes if I remember correctly. So that’s not a bad price depending on the metals condition.

 

[BigN8]

My marina usually charged $500 for install and $500 for removal. Also you don’t need 2X the capacity. I had a SX240 and full of people and gear plus gas and coolers my lift never had a problem. Pretty sure it was 6000#

 

[tabbibus]

My marina usually charged $500 for install and $500 for removal. Also you don’t need 2X the capacity. I had a SX240 and full of people and gear plus gas and coolers my lift never had a problem. Pretty sure it was 6000#

If you lift the boat with people on it... How do get off?

 

[BigN8]

30' slip that was designed for larger boats. One side of the dock was low, I'd say about 2' above the water, the other side was higher, I'd say about 3-3.5' off the water. My kids would just jump off the bow onto the dock, maybe a 4' jump.