I was in the market for a Lift for an inflatable for the boat I own. After several inquiries to the company (a years worth of communications) I decided to go with them. I was even instructed on which inflatable to purchase for the lift. So the lift is approx 20k the inflatable is 13k - from the "very first time" we attempted to use it the problems began.
Nothing went according to the way they described it. So the lift is now in the water, when you bring the inflatable to the lift and begin to bring the lift back up, the chocks go flat from the water. So now the inflatable will not sit in the chocks. The head aches begin, you are now on the lift "in the water" fighting the current attempting to muscle in the inflatable.
You boat owners know exactly what I am talking about. So now after 5,10 and sometimes 15 minutes. You now have the inflatable up on the lift and out of the water. Yee Haa - well, now you have to strap it down...
So unless you are under 100 pounds and can slide pretty much your entire body under the inflatable to get to the tie down hooks - good luck. You will find yourself using words you never heard yourself use before.
Then after a few months we are on our way home from Kennebunk Maine half way home, the lift breaks, sending the inflatable sideways off the lift, fortunately the front strap held the boat (not the strap the company provided) it was actually a dock line that I had added from the stern of the boat.
We get back to the marina and stop for fuel we take the boat off the lift to find that the lift had cracked at the frame on the port side.
I called the dealer and for the first time in many years had to raise my voice. They attempted to talk their way out of the replacement, they wanted to repair it. At this point we only had the lift for maybe two months. I will say that they did come out pretty quickly with a new lift because we had a trip planned the next weekend. They actually came out within the week, thank you for that.
Then we haul the boat to replace the lift, when it came time to put the boat in we had to pay for the haul. The owner only had American Express and the marina did not accept the card. I offered to pay because the owner (I think) of Sea Lift said he would send me a check for the almost $600.00 on Monday it was a Thursday or Friday so no big deal it would only be a few days.
Well six plus weeks go buy and numerous calls and conversations with the receptionist I get no where. Now I have to place a Better Business Complaint, they finally responded and sent me my check I think I waited close to 8 weeks in total.
Now we are in season two of the lift and guess what... The platform is broken again in the exact same spot.
My guess is I probably will not get the support I need from the company, (just my opinion) so I am now in search of a company that can make me a platform that will perform the way I need it to.
The price for a new platform $5,200.00 so now I am into this mess for about $38,200.00
Be Careful if you are in the market for a lift, it all looks great on their website, www.sealiftusa.com if you are in the Boston Area I would be more then happy to show you how the lift REALLY works compared to the way they think it works.
Safe Boating,
BH
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