Boat lift and method
An apparatus and method for lifting a boat. The apparatus comprises a base frame, a lifting platform engagable upon the bottom surface of a boat, at least one lifting arm rotatably connected to each of the base frame and the lifting platform, wherein the at least one lifting arm is substantially horizontal at a lowered position and substantially vertical at a raised position and at least one linear actuator extending between the frame and a top surface of the at least one lifting arm so as to be extended at the lowered position and retracted at the raised position. The method comprises positioning the boat above the lifting platform in its lowered position and pulling on a top surface of the lifting arm with at least one linear actuator so as to rotate the at least one lifting arm from a substantially horizontal position to a substantially vertical position.
1. An apparatus for lifting a boat comprising:
a base frame;
lifting platform engagable upon a bottom surface of the boat;
at least one lifting arm rotatably connected to each of the base frame and the lifting platform, wherein the at least one lifting arm is substantially horizontal at a lowered position and upright at a raised position; and
at least one linear actuator extending between the base frame at a position proximate to the at least one lifting arm and a top surface of the at least one lifting arm so as to be extended at the lowered position and retracted at the raised position; and
a base bracket extending upwardly from the base frame, the base bracket supporting and spacing an adjacent end of the at least one linear actuator above the base frame by a base distance,
wherein the at least one lifting arm is rotated away from the at least one linear actuator when moving from the raised position to the lowered position.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the at least one linear actuator is selected from the group consisting of pneumatic and hydraulic cylinders.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the raised position is angled past vertical towards the at least one actuator.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the at least one linear actuator extends to a pivot on the at least one lifting arm.
5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein each of the at least one lifting arm includes a bracket extending away therefrom in a direction towards the at least one linear actuator wherein the bracket includes the pivot.
6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the pivot is spaced apart from the at least one lifting arm by a pivot gap.
7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the pivot gap is selected to be between 1 and 7 inches.
8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the base distance is selected to be between 5 and 15 inches.
9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the lifting platform comprises at least a pair of parallel spaced apart bunks.
10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the each bunk is supported by at least two of the at least one lifting arms.
11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the at least two lifting arms have a substantially equal length.
12. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein one of the at least one lifting arms of adjacent bunks are connected by a cross brace.
13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the cross brace has an adjustable length so as to enable a spacing between the bunks to be adjusted.
14. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the base frame has an adjustable width.
15. A method for lifting a boat comprising:
positioning the boat above a lifting platform in a lowered position of the lifting platform wherein the lifting platform is connected to a base frame with at least one lifting arm, and
pulling on a top surface of the at least one lifting arm with at least one linear actuator so as to rotate the at least one lifting arm from a substantially horizontal position away from the at least one linear actuator to an upright position with the at least one linear actuator extending between the top surface of the at least one lifting arm and a base bracket extending upwardly from the base frame at a position adjacent to the at least one lifting arm, the base bracket supporting and spacing an adjacent end of the at least one linear actuator above the base frame by a base distance.