In the used boat lift market today, the most common types of boat lifts are vertical or cantilever.  Cantilever lifts pivot out and down while vertical lifts raise straight up and down.  Vertical lifts have become more common in the marketplace as they are more flexible in that they can operate in shallower water and have more lift height, giving you more flexibility when water levels change.  If you are in a shallow water lake the best choice for you is a vertical, if you are in a lake that has deeper water, 2-5 feet and the water does not fluctuate much, a cantilever lift may also work for you.  If you are in deep water 5’ or deeper, you will want to make sure the lift has long enough legs to accommodate or find the cost of longer lift legs. ​

After determining what size and kind of boat lift you need the most efficient way to begin your search is on the internet.  You will want to find a lift close to your lake place as they can be difficult and or expensive to transport over the road.  The best place to start looking for a used boat lift is at Dock and Lift Dealers near your lake place, starting with their web site to see if they have a lift that looks like it may meet your needs. For instance, you can search through the available used docks and lifts on the Lake Area Docks & Lifts website on the Used Equipment page. There are a few advantages to purchasing a used lift from a dealer. First, most reputable dock and lift dealers will back up what they sell to you, if the lift has some issue, you did not uncover, they typically will be able to help in the repair.  They can also move the lift to your lake and install it {keep in mind if the lift is 10’ wide or over you should have an oversize permit.  You can also find out what used lifts are available in the weight and the size you need, and what price used lifts are selling for in your area.  Other places to look would be sites like Craigs List, Facebook Marketplace, and any other site that provides local listings. ​

Carefully inspect the used boat lift, raise it up and down, check to be sure the winch runs well, and the cables are in good shape.  Check the framework of the lift to make sure welds are in good shape and it is sturdy.  Bring a tape measure to be sure the inside width is at least one foot wider than your boat and if there is a canopy it is 1-2 feet longer than your boat.  Other things to look far include making sure the nuts and bolts on the lift still turn, and that the lift legs can be adjusted.  If the lift does have a canopy cover, what shape is it in, and what would be the approximate cost to replace the cover be.  Does the boat lift have a motor, if so, is it battery powered or plug in does the motor work, is it a type of motor still being sold in case it needs service.   ​

When you find a dock you like, inspect closely the structure, are the welds holding up? or are they cracking.  This can be best seen where the docks connect together.  Are the dock legs long enough for your needs, do the adjustment still work? If not keep in mind you may have to purchase additional leg material, screw legs or bolts.  Can the dock be reconfigured to meet your needs.  The next item to look at closely is the decking, deck panels are the most expensive component of a dock.  If it has wood decking you will typically have to replace the wood in the near term, are you willing to do that and has it been factored into the price.  If it has a plastic decking or aluminum deck what condition is that in?  If not, how much will it cost to replace the decking? If the decking needs to be replaced soon you will likely be better off buying new.   ​

We recently came across an article by John A. Downing, Director at Minnesota Sea Grant, and Prof. Large Lakes Observatory that lists a tool that he created to help predict ice out on Minnesota lakes called the Minnesota Lake Ice-In and Ice-Out widget   .

Getting good at predicting the timing of Minnesota lake ice-out times has broad and far reaching implications. Obviously waterfront property owners are naturally curious, and sometimes downright anxious to know when the ice will come off of the lake so they can begin doing all of their fun summer lake activities as early as possible. For starters putting the dock or boat lift into the lake, and getting the boat or pontoon into the water is right near the top of most Minnesota lake cabin owners' priority lists, along with opening up the cabin, getting the water turned on (for those who aren't at the lake full time / year-round) etc. Being able to check many of these activities off of the to-do list usually requires the ice being off of the lake.  When you consider that you really have around 12 warm summer weeks to enjoy open water during a typical Minnesota summer, the hope is almost always that the ice will come off the lake early, thereby increasing the length of your time on the water.

According to the article, the average date range for Ice Off in Northern Minnesota is between March 25, and May 15th. That's a span of seven weeks!! Imagine if you had seven additional weeks to get ready for, and enjoy your time at the lake.  

There is a broader economic impact for businesses that rely on ice-off on Minnesota lakes as well. Resorts, cabins, boat and watersports rental locations, lake area towns that rely heavily on summer tourism, not to mention waterfront equipment providers like Lake Area Docks & Lifts are all dependent in some way or another of the timing of the ice-out on area lakes. 

In addition to the Minnesota Ice-Out Widget created by John A. Downing, the Minnesota DNR has an excellent tool that provides historical data on lake ice out dates for select lakes in Minnesota including the Ice out date for a selected year, the median ice out date based on available data, the earliest ice out date, the latest ice out date, and the period of record. This information is all collected by the MN DNR and citizen volunteer lake ice observers.

​It's an incredibly handy tool to help you plan for and prepare for ice out on your favorite Minnesota lake. You can get a good idea of the ice out on your particular lake, even if the data does not exist for it, by analyzing the information available from a lake that is near yours.

You can check out the Minnesota Ice Out Dates Map and all of the related information by heading to the MN DNR website. 

Now that you are equipped with the tools and data to help you plan for lake ice-off on your favorite Minnesota lake, what can you do with this information? Well for starters you can make sure that you are ready for that golden moment when the ice comes off of your lake by making plans to be at the cabin to get your waterfront equipment ready for install, make sure the HVAC system is ready for the spring and summer months, perhaps turn on the water and make sure everything else is in order.

You can also take this data and possibly win some bets with your neighbors at the lake. Doesn't everybody love to guess the ice off date on their lake? To be fair, you might want to let them know that you are now basing your guess more on scientific data, rather than just gut instinct and a quick read of the Farmers Almanac, because good neighbors are hard to come by, and it's always best to keep them on your good side, right?

If you are still in the market for a new dock or lift, Lake Area Docks & Lifts can help you out. A late ice out for the 2023 season might be a blessing in disguise for you. If you have been meaning to shop around for a new dock or lift, but just haven't been able to find the time, stop in or give us a call, there is still time to get your waterfront equipment ordered, and a late ice means it could be a few weeks before it gets installed anyway. Just don't wait too long, or you risk missing an important, and valuable part of those 12 short weeks of summer in Minnesota.