I think I figured out why I have trouble getting on plane...

[Gunn]

So I weighed my '92 290DA...

Came up with 11,120# on the trailer. Yikes! (Trailer rated for 10,500GVW)

Searay brochure states 5,800# (radar arch adds another 300#?)...

11,120#-2,737=8,383#

So you're saying that your boats weight is 8,383 but the brochure said 5,800? Wow...I guess the brochure -dry- weight is just the hull, w/out engines, interior, etc.??

Interesting thread -especially with being in the market for a boat lift soon! Brings up a question - how much buffer should you plan into a lift capacity? I was looking at a 12000 lb four piling lift but this one has me thinking I want some additional buffer.

Keep an eye on this thread to help with your decision! But I wish I had more "buffer" / lift capacity on my lift...just because. But then again, that would have cost more $$$ and so...if I had to do it again, I would probably get the same lift (rated for 12.5k). The issue is that it just doesn't sound comfortable when raising the boat. I have gotten used to it creaking and groaning as the cables wrap up and slide next to each other, but everyone who's ever down at the pier with me always comments on it and it makes them nervous! With my little 175 on the lift (2500lbs), the lift behaved nicely. :smt001

 

[annie]

In NZ we have to get a vehicle check done every 6 months. After purchasing our boat I took it down to get checked. To cut a long story short the officer wanted to know the total weight. It was over weight and cost me an upgraded braking system...$2,000
An upgraded truck....$12,000 and a truck drivers licence... $300 to get legal.
If I had have been involved in an accident I wouldn't have been insured:smt089
All sorted now but my wife said I looked so upset when I returned from the vehicle check she thought I had put my finger though the toilet paper.

 

[Bucit]

So you're saying that your boats weight is 8,383 but the brochure said 5,800? Wow...I guess the brochure -dry- weight is just the hull, w/out engines, interior, etc.??



Keep an eye on this thread to help with your decision! But I wish I had more "buffer" / lift capacity on my lift...just because. But then again, that would have cost more $$$ and so...if I had to do it again, I would probably get the same lift (rated for 12.5k). The issue is that it just doesn't sound comfortable when raising the boat. I have gotten used to it creaking and groaning as the cables wrap up and slide next to each other, but everyone who's ever down at the pier with me always comments on it and it makes them nervous! With my little 175 on the lift (2500lbs), the lift behaved nicely. :smt001

Gunn, do you have your lift wired for 220? This makes a huge difference. As far as the creaking sound goes it's normal. These lifts are engineered for power/torque and not speed. They all seem to groan a little when lifting some real weight.

 

[rondds]

Do most marina travel lifts have a scale built in?

 

[Gunn]

Gunn, do you have your lift wired for 220? This makes a huge difference. As far as the creaking sound goes it's normal. These lifts are engineered for power/torque and not speed. They all seem to groan a little when lifting some real weight.

Yes, it is wired for 220v. The lift has no issues lifting the boat, it hums along slow and steady. The cables tightening around the spool and rubbing against each other on the spool are the primary reason for the creeks, snaps and groans that make one uneasy...

 

[Henry Boyd]

Do most marina travel lifts have a scale built in?

It is an OSHA requirement for all lifting equipment (gantry cranes, forklifts, reach stackers, straddle carriers - of which travel lifts are a sub group), although the requirement is that the indicator act as a warning for unsafe loads. As a result, the area between zero and unsafe may not be calibrated all that well. There has been recent scrutiny in the ocean freight industry on 'over weight' containers. Some of the resulting research is showing that most of the OEM indicators installed on freight handling equipment is terribly inaccurate due to age and lack of maintenance. So there is a good bet that anything that is on the average marina travel lift (that isn't brand new) probably isn't going to tell you anything worthwhile.

Henry

 

[Coral Reefer]

I read this thread right before trailering my 260DA on a 400 mile round trip to key largo and back, and you all scared me to death. I rented a 10,000 lbs trailer before seeing this thread and I thought it was not going to be enough. So the first thing I did on loading up was to bring the boat to get weighed at a certified CAT scale.

The scale showed my truck (2008 F250 CC V10) weighed 8,740 and the boat and trailer was 8,500. I estimated that i had approx 1,000 lbs on the tongue, so the total for the boat and trailer was 9,500. The trailer weighed 1,280 lbs, so my 2006 260DA was approx 8,300 lbs. This was with NO water, Empty holding tank, and about 14gal of fuel. I do have a genset, 2 batteries, no windlass, etc. So, i was only about 800lbs over dry weight.

Not at all as bad as some others. Before i weighed in i was figuring a worst case of 1,000 lbs over dry, so this was within my estimates. This was of course before loading the boat and truck for a 5 day stay in the Keys, but at least i knew i had room to spare.

 

[floriduramax1]

I read this thread right before trailering my 260DA on a 400 mile round trip to key largo and back, and you all scared me to death. I rented a 10,000 lbs trailer before seeing this thread and I thought it was not going to be enough. So the first thing I did on loading up was to bring the boat to get weighed at a certified CAT scale.

The scale showed my truck (2008 F250 CC V10) weighed 8,740 and the boat and trailer was 8,500. I estimated that i had approx 1,000 lbs on the tongue, so the total for the boat and trailer was 9,500. The trailer weighed 1,280 lbs, so my 2006 260DA was approx 8,300 lbs. This was with NO water, Empty holding tank, and about 14gal of fuel. I do have a genset, 2 batteries, no windlass, etc. So, i was only about 800lbs over dry weight.

Not at all as bad as some others. Before i weighed in i was figuring a worst case of 1,000 lbs over dry, so this was within my estimates. This was of course before loading the boat and truck for a 5 day stay in the Keys, but at least i knew i had room to spare.

You would be shocked to see how much weight you add for a 5 day trip!

 

[Coral Reefer]

You would be shocked to see how much weight you add for a 5 day trip!

I agree, thats why i had the boat weighed a second time on the way back. This time the holding tank was approx 3/4 full, had 15 gallons more gas, no water, and all the equipment and supplies we brought along. The added fuel and holding tank i figure was more than or equal to the the alcohol and food we brought down and consumed, so i was probably heavier on the way home.

The scale showed 680 more pounds over the first scale reading before we loaded up. Still not bad. I am still surprised at how far off others were from their dry weight. The book dry weight of my boat was 7,500 lbs and i was at 8,300. Not that bad considering the genset, batteries, two anchors, some fuel, etc.

 

[floriduramax1]

I agree, thats why i had the boat weighed a second time on the way back. This time the holding tank was approx 3/4 full, had 15 gallons more gas, no water, and all the equipment and supplies we brought along. The added fuel and holding tank i figure was more than or equal to the the alcohol and food we brought down and consumed, so i was probably heavier on the way home.

The scale showed 680 more pounds over the first scale reading before we loaded up. Still not bad. I am still surprised at how far off others were from their dry weight. The book dry weight of my boat was 7,500 lbs and i was at 8,300. Not that bad considering the genset, batteries, two anchors, some fuel, etc.

You must not have twins or my wife packing...lol