The New Boat Lift

Skip the (boring) story and go right to the pictures:

For some time, I'd been mulling the merits of a new boat lift and dock.  Diane and I had bought some used gear just to get into the game when we bought the house a few years ago.  The house came with a small cantilever dock, and three sections of portable VW dock.  I procured a used lift from a gentleman in the fall of our first year.  It's pretty used, not all that pretty, but has served us well. 

Somehow, in the course of my daily work, I honestly can't remember how, I stumbled across a company called L & N Docks.  I noticed they had mentioned that they were going to be at the February boat show in the big city.  While we were at the show, we reviewed all of the major dock and lift folks, and we were struck by how sensible the L & N system is, and also how friendly they are.

An L & N dock starts out with ACE float drums supporting a 'U' shaped boat slip made from pressure treated lumber.  That is, on the low end - I know they have other choices.  The L & N system has a metal roof option, both to keep out the sun, and to outlast a vinyl canopy, a wonderful idea as we have seen some tattered and nasty canopies on our lake.   Canopies can be difficult to install, and must be removed each fall, but as I've since found out, the newer canopies are quite a bit easier.

The lift mechanism is supplied by econo-lift, and it operates somewhat like a submarine.  The lift mechanism is a large plastic box placed beneath a metal support structure with a high volume low pressure compressor attached to it.  When you want to raise the boat, turning on the compressor fills the box with air, causing water to be expelled, raising the boat.  To lower, flip a switch that allows the box to flood.

Some of you may not know that we live in a private community.  We are subject to the standards and rules of the Lake Panorama Association (LPA).  Just to be sure it would be all right to purchase an L & N dock system, I dropped into the LPA offices and spoke with the manager.  The manager is a very  nice gentleman, and as he wasn't sure, he invited Diane and I to the building committee meeting, about ten days from then.

Although the building committee didn't have a quorum, they were impressed with the L & N system, and thought it would work well at the lake.  Our manager was kind enough to contact some of the building committee members on the following day who weren't able to make the meeting, and they also thought the idea was fine.

So, on to the LPA board meeting.  It was during my work day, so I asked our manager if he thought I should attend, and he (rightly, I believe) indicated that if the building committee thought it OK, the board would likely too.  He also added the caveat, again rightly so, that 'sometimes they do surprise him'. 

On the appointed day, at what would be about the normal halfway point in the meeting, he gave me a call and asked me to drop by the meeting.   As it turned out, I was able to get over to the meeting although apparently, I was too late.  The members had not yet voted, though it was clear that at least some members had come to a decision that was not favorable to our position.

One gentleman in particular,  had decided that the metal roof was too large, and would block the view.  I explained that given how steep our area of the lake is, there isn't any possibility to block the view.  He persisted, especially indicating that if I was allowed to have one, than that would be taken as a sign that anyone could have one.  Someone might, in the future, possibly block someone else's view, and on that basis, he didn't see how the board could allow it.

Luckily for us, the LPA board members were pleased to indicate to me that they felt that if the metal roof was abandoned, it would be okay to install the L & N dock system using a standard size canopy, which is one of L & N's options.  So we ordered one.  For several hours, I considered a wonderful bright fluorescent orange color, but in the end, cooler heads prevailed and we instead ordered a tan colored canopy.

Just a few days ago, L & N arrived at our site and set up the system: 

Dock Photos

Take a look at the pictures and see what you think. 

It took three men most of a full day to float over the pieces and put them all together into a working system.  I really think they did a bang up job.

There are several advantages to this system, in my opinion: