Question about engine alignments and Boat Lifts

[Hampton]

If it's sooo critical to let your hull sit in the water for a couple of days after being on the hard and then having the engines aligned/checked, then what is the effect of having your boat on a lift for most of it's life and then letting it down into the water and taking off for a couple of days?

I understand that hulls deform when taken out of the water. It takes a couple of days for the in-water shape to be regained. Does keeping a boat on a lift or in a hangar cause premature wear of shaft seals and Cutlass bearings?

 

[rcknecht]

I think that a boat lift has long supports that distribute the load more evenly than than one keel block and two stern blocks...

 

[comsnark]

If it's sooo critical to let your hull sit in the water for a couple of days after being on the hard and then having the engines aligned/checked, then what is the effect of having your boat on a lift for most of it's life and then letting it down into the water and taking off for a couple of days?

I understand that hulls deform when taken out of the water. It takes a couple of days for the in-water shape to be regained. Does keeping a boat on a lift or in a hangar cause premature wear of shaft seals and Cutlass bearings?

If it's sooo critical to let your hull sit in the water for a couple of days after being on the hard and then having the engines aligned/checked, then what is the effect of having your boat on a lift for most of it's life and then letting it down into the water and taking off for a couple of days?

I understand that hulls deform when taken out of the water. It takes a couple of days for the in-water shape to be regained. Does keeping a boat on a lift or in a hangar cause premature wear of shaft seals and Cutlass bearings?

Hampton: This is interesting. I have not heard this before . . . . is this something that is relevant for V drives, or does this also impact I/O boats?

Rod: Which is why my boat (while only 28') is blocked using three sets of keel supports. . .

 

[Hampton]

It shouldn't be a factor for I/O's.

 

[tdappleman]

I'm looking at a moving this year to a house on a canal where the boat would be kept on a lift in the backyard. I hadn't even thought of a potential alignment issue - but I also have I/O's. Most of the lifts around me have long supports - similar to the bunks on trailers so they seem to be well supported. Might need to just get a bigger boat - forget the lift and I/O's and get something which can be kept in the water....hmmmm - there's a thought!

 

[Larry]

I have dealt with this subject on my father in laws boat, his is not a Sea Ray it is a Back Cove 29 and it is kept on a left at his house. He bought the boat new last year and we had Back Cove send us the measurements of exactly the spacing between the stringers and was told by there engineering dept that we should line the bunks on the lift to mate to were the stringers are on the hull, and that this will maintain the least amount of flexing in the hull. I know that he did check the alignment after about a year now and the alignment was well within spec (boat is very well built too). I would say that the boats are allot better supported on the lift then when blocked on the hard.