The simple explanation of how the Verti-Lift works is this - you drive your boat onto the lift, then push a button on your key chain, and the boat rises out of the water. . . It's that easy.

But, here's what is happening beneath the dock to make the lift operate:

Under your boat, between the two fingers of the U-dock is a lifting assembly consisting of 4 verticle posts (C-channels) that extend down into the water from the dock. Between each pair of C-channels is an 8 by 3 inch horizontal lifting beam that spans the area beneath the boat. The boat is cradled on adjustable padded bunks that are mounted on the lifting beams.

A swaged cable is attached to each end of the lifting beams. This cable runs up through the C-channel to the bottom of the side finger just under the deck where a sheave (pulley) guides it forward to the bridge deck. Once it reaches the side of the bridge deck, the cable passes over another turning sheave that leads it to the center of the power channel. There it attaches to a cable plate that is actuated (moved laterally) by a five foot stainless steel screw powered by an electic gear motor. This motor is controlled remotely by a small transmitter attached to your boat's key chain. When you push the button, the motor turns the screw which moves the cable plate, which pulls the cables, which pull the lifting beams (along with your boat) out of the water.

We utilize twice as much flotation as gross weight (including the boat), so that as your boat is hoisted from the water (34" net) the U-dock portion of the lift is lowered ito the water (9 to 10 inches) displacing an amount of water equal to the weight of your boat. The result is a net verticle lift of 24 inches (ave), raising both your boat and the lifting beams clear of the water.