Looking to buy a new verticle lift this spring for a 20′ Pontoon boat. How would you rank lift manufacturers based on quality and overall best product? Any brands to totally stay away from?
Brand choices = Pier Pleasure, Dock-Rite, Newmans, Shorestation, Hewitt, Port-Dock, Vibo.
I’ve got a Pier Pleasure cantilever. Very happy with thus far. See LOTS of vertical P.P.’s with expensive boats on Gull lake chain. Made in Mankato.
Shorestation was/ is top of the line for verticals- quality and price when I was in the market.
We have a Hewitt cantilever for the 17′ fishing boat and a Shore Station cantilever for the 20′ pontoon.
Both are fine. No complaints, although the pontoon lift is heavy, but that has more to do with the fact that it is BIG.
Our friend down shore bought a brand new vertical pontoon lift last summer. I believe it is a Shore Station. I can tell you it is very, very nice.
Make sure whatever you buy has an electric winch 
Why would you not recommend hydraulic ? 
I have heard that is the way to go, over cables 
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Why would you not recommend hydraulic ? :
Because I have never seen a hydraulic one 
I may have said “electric”, but I really just meant don’t get a hand-crank for a pontoon. Hydraulic sounds great, but I have only been around hand-cranks and electrics, so I can’t comment.
Got ya
Unless you absolutely need a canopy, consider sea legs. With a push of a button in the pontoon is up in the air. I went through this debate and having another lift would be a real pain… It wasn’t that much more cash.
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Unless you absolutely need a canopy, consider sea legs. With a push of a button in the pontoon is up in the air. I went through this debate and having another lift would be a real pain… It wasn’t that much more cash.
Those look awesome–there are a few on our lake–but I wouldn’t want to go without a canopy. You could probably buy just a canopy to park under, though.
I’ve seen pictures online of tipped over pontoon boats with the SeaLegs sticking straight up in the water..no thanks 
I have two Shore Stations. One was bought new in 1989 and another used that is older than that. Now that they offer stainless steel cables there is little to no maintenance other than greasing the winch once a year. I bought after market lift motors and they have worked well. I especially like the remote for the motors…jump in, lower and go…drive on and lift…no fumbling for switches at all.
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I especially like the remote for the motors…jump in, lower and go…drive on and lift…no fumbling for switches at all.
That feature would be worth whatever they charge. Coming in at night with cross waves / current can be challenging while reaching for / fumbling for a switch. Good point and great feature to look into.
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That feature would be worth whatever they charge. Coming in at night with cross waves / current can be challenging while reaching for / fumbling for a switch. Good point and great feature to look into.
No doubt. I am not loading pontoons, but v-bottom boats. When it is a bit rough I raised the lift a bit more than the level it took to get off. That way a actually “scoot” up on the lift and the boat is immediately stable. I went many , many years without the motors and remote and kick myself in 
for waiting so long to buy them. They are worth every penny and then some to me.
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