Boat lift service platform

[trobinson017]

I have an aluminum boat lift (Tide Tamer) and need a stern service platform, the kind that extends out about 3 feet past the stern so I can access the lower unit for flushing. The local vendors want like $500 for one! I just can't afford that. Does anyone have any DIY ideas for making one? One suggestion I got from a vendor was to use an aluminum ladder laid bow to stern across the lift beams and weld it onto the beams. But I don't know how to weld and don't know anyone that does. I've thought about using the ladder with some sort of bracket that hooks it onto each beam, but am not sure how to connect the bracket to the ladder.

Does anyone else have ideas on how to do this? The solution will have to accommodate my 215 lbs.

TIA!

 

[OldePharte]

Re: Boat lift service platform

Do you have a lift? I assume no trailer to get the boat to dry land.

Photos would help out a bunch.

 

[trobinson017]

Re: Boat lift service platform

Hmmm...usually my name shows a picture of my boat on the lift. I've attached one to this reply.

Thanks!

 

[trobinson017]

Re: Boat lift service platform

Here's another shot, a closeup of the rear beam where the service platform needs to be located.

 

[rrhodes]

Re: Boat lift service platform

A friend of mine found an old pontoon, stripped everything off the deck and uses it as a floating dock. Then when he needs to work on the boat on the lift he unties the toon and moves it to the back of the boat. Of course he found the toon for $200

 

[bhammer]

Re: Boat lift service platform

What ^^^^ said. I have a buddy who uses two 55 gallon drums strapped together with angle iron welded on. A piece of PT plywood sits in the angle iron and 2X4 screwed on the top side to keep tools from rolling off.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Boat lift service platform

borrow a little tinny, and service it. do you have a tow tube?

 

[trobinson017]

Re: Boat lift service platform

borrow a little tinny, and service it. do you have a tow tube?

Hmmm...not sure what you mean by "tinny". Do you mean like a john boat?

What' I'm doing now is putting my canoe in the water off the seawall and paddling over to hook up the rabbit ears for flushing. I have a floating kayak dock that allows me access back onto the dock to start the water and get into the boat to start it for flushing. When I'm done I reverse the process including hauling the canoe back up onto the seawall and back into it's storage spot in the backyard. This process is a pain in the butt! I used to have a service platform on my old lift but it rusted away plus it was galvanized steel which I'm told should not be installed on an aluminum lift beam.

I'm off to Home Depot to research the ladder/bracket idea. If I can get something working like that I'll post pics and such.

Thanks all!