A portable boat lift is a

tool A tool is an object that can extend an individual's ability to modify features of the surrounding environment or help them accomplish a particular task. Although many animals use simple tools, only human beings, whose use of stone tools dates ba ...

designed specifically to allow one person to

transport Transport (in British English), or transportation (in American English), is the intentional movement of humans, animals, and goods from one location to another. Modes of transport include air, land (rail and road), water, cable, pipeline, an ...

, set up, and safely separate

boats A boat is a watercraft of a large range of types and sizes, but generally smaller than a ship, which is distinguished by its larger size, shape, cargo or passenger capacity, or its ability to carry boats. Small boats are typically found on inl ...

from boat trailers. Portable boat lifts are intended to be used on

land Land, also known as dry land, ground, or earth, is the solid terrestrial surface of the planet Earth that is not submerged by the ocean or other bodies of water. It makes up 29% of Earth's surface and includes the continents and various islan ...

, rather than near, in, or on the water. Sometimes referred to as a boat hoist, this equipment holds the waterfcraft out of the water so that maintenance and repairs can be performed. A portable boat lift is different from a

gantry crane A gantry crane is a crane built atop a gantry, which is a structure used to straddle an object or workspace. They can range from enormous "full" gantry cranes, capable of lifting some of the heaviest loads in the world, to small shop cranes, us ...

fork lift In cutlery or kitchenware, a fork (from la, furca 'pitchfork') is a utensil, now usually made of metal, whose long handle terminates in a head that branches into several narrow and often slightly curved tines with which one can spear foods eit ...

with elongated forks, or

machine A machine is a physical system using Power (physics), power to apply Force, forces and control Motion, movement to perform an action. The term is commonly applied to artificial devices, such as those employing engines or motors, but also to na ...

, none of which can be easily transported from location to location. A portable boat lift is not a boat lift which is commonly found attached to a

dock A dock (from Dutch language, Dutch ''dok'') is the area of water between or next to one or a group of human-made structures that are involved in the handling of boats or ships (usually on or near a shore) or such structures themselves. The ex ...

. Although some devices allow one person to separate a boat from a trailer or lift a boat up and out of the water, they are not by definition portable. The term "boat lift" originally referred to lift locks. In modern usage the term "boat lift," as opposed to "portable boat lift," usually refers to devices permanently installed at a dock to simply lift a boat above the water, a type of

ship lift A shiplift is a modern alternative for a slipway, a floating dry dock or a graving dry dock. A shiplift is used to dry dock and launch ships. It consists of a structural platform that is lifted and lowered exactly vertically, synchronously by ...

. It is not specifically designed for separating a boat from a trailer. Portable boat lifts may differ in design, cost, weight, and function but they are by definition portable. Prior to the introduction of portable boat lifts, boat lifting work could only be performed at shops or locations that had access to cranes, machines,

forklifts A forklift (also called lift truck, jitney, hi-lo, fork truck, fork hoist, and forklift truck) is a powered industrial truck used to lift and move materials over short distances. The forklift was developed in the early 20th century by various ...

, or similar lifting equipment. Portable lifts allow individuals, professional boat and boat trailer mechanics, boat and boat trailer painters or anyone needing to separate a boat from a trailer the ability to perform the work by themselves away from a shop. Portable boat lifts are relatively new to the boating industry.

References

External links

Portable

Remove a Boat from a Trailer with a Portable Boat Lift
Boat lifts {{water-transport-stub