Nice video, I'm going to be buying a pontoon lift in the spring and considering a Floe lift. How much did this cost compared to the others you mentioned?
Shorestation was the most expensive by a few thousand. Pierpleasure was lower cost by about $1500. I can't remember exactly where the others landed, but the Floe VSD was on the lower to middle range when I priced them out. Granted a big part of this could be the different dealers. One of the used lift dealers told me this and it seams to be true... there are virtually no used VSD's on the market, because the neighbors always buy them first. Hope this helps.
Great video. Just bought one. Any issues ? Also the wheel can go in the other direction I hope. Seems u r taking in sideways. U answered in the end why all good.
I've been having an issue where the rubber part of the pontoon guide rails pops off and needs to be re-inserted into the channel. Otherwise its been great. I have since took the wheels off and left them off as I've been having a barge company place and remove it each season now.
I have a similar model and want to move it to the other side of the dock. If I just turn the boatlift 180° and slide the canopy forward is that all I should have to do? I haven’t looked at it very closely, but I assume the canopy can slide on some rails, correct?
Great video Jake! Nice review! Did I miss your guides or are they not installed yet? I love the cable drive system. Most people don’t know that cables aren’t actually supposed to overlap onto themselves on a hub. Also, can you comment on boat length and canopy length? Are you happy with the over hang?
The bunks are the guides too. They are rubber on the side that goes in between the pontoons and work great for guiding. Canopy is 28ft and more then I need, but I didnt want to be short. A Barletta C22UC, 23.5ft without the outboard will be on it this year.
@@Jake-zx3xh Ended up getting the VSD6500 with 28' canopy and will be putting a Barletta Corsa 21UC on it (23 foot deck). Super excited. I have a seawall to deal with so getting in and out will be quite a bit more challenging then your nice shore line! Happy boating! (EDIT: I wanted to mention price for people out there, due to COVID and material cost the price of these have really gone way up. I got over 6 quotes from dealers in Michigan (Feb 2022) and they were all between $20-27K. Granted I have a bit heavier model, but I also don't have wheels or the remote control.)
I align the boat throttle with one of the vertical lift supports to know I'm positioned correctly. The motor stop would be nice, except in a few cases (like when installing the canvas) you want the boat extremely far forward.
Jake, how much water do you need with those pontoon guides? The website says at least 3' which is a bummer if true as I have about 2-1/2' at the front of my lift.
Its going to depend on the draft of your boat, but IMO 30" should be enough. Where I have mine placed, I probably have 28" where the lift is closest to shore. When the water level drops lower then this, I'll need to move the pontoon halfway off the lift with only me on the boat and then my passengers get on. You could get extra clearance if you were to cut off the unused extra pontoon guide height adjustment part of those brackets. I didn't because I'm planning on getting a new pontoon soon. Also keep in mind the front of the lift can be at the end of your pier. It doesn't have to be parallel along side your pier.
@@Jake-zx3xh thanks. I have a 25' Barletta tritoon. Was going to go with the 6500 VSD with 18' guides./bunks. I figured these guides would be easier and less cost than three sets of bunks and additional guides. Do you lower the bunks just above the water line when you approach so it doesn't hit the splash guards? That's what concerns me about my shallow depth, not getting them low enough for the approach. If I have to use bunks, I will but was hoping to get away with these guides/bunks.. Is lining the boat up pretty easy with these when you come in? And if you did it again would you go with these or bunks? Also has the lift been reliable and how is installation/removal? Is it easy with the wheels? Sorry for all the questions. The dealer says yes to everything to get the sale. Thanks again!
@@johnvrabel8814 That's a nice boat! I've been looking at the 22UC and 23UC myself. 6500 is probably more then you need for that and the higher the rating the heavier the lift is, making it more difficult to remove. I pay a company with a barge $125 to install it in spring and another $125 to remove it in fall now. Prices do vary biased on the size of the lift. I wouldn't buy the wheels again. I don't use the wireless fob much either. Lifting strakes and the splash guards are not an issue since they don't extend past the widest part of the toon diameter. The toon still sticks out more when you look close at the tapers of the nose cones. The pontoon rails make it super easy to get back on the lift, where bunks don't provide much guidance. I don't think you'll have enough water depth for bunks anyway, since bunks would need to go under water whereas the rails can remain above water. The bunks do support the boat better then rails as they evenly distribute the weight better. I simply lower the lift all the way down to install/remove the boat and then raise it all the way up to store the boat. I've had no issues with the lift or canopy.
@@johnvrabel8814 how do you like that Barletta? In the market for a shorter tri-toon with high end construction and a nice helm. Corsa 21UC caught my eye!
Replacing the cable every 2 years??? Sorry pure BS. ShoreStation has a 15 year cable warranty. I’d put a ShoreStation hydraulic up against a Floe any day. Both in convenience/better load guides both pontoon and boat and I think even faster. Also the overall durability
I never owned a traditional cable lift, so I can't comment on the lifespan other then what the sales person told me and yes I agree they probably exaggerated. I didn't look too much into hydraulic lifts as they are overkill for my needs (Tritoon with a 200hp) but hydraulic lifts are definitely superior (if not required) for heavier boats.
@@Jake-zx3xh pretty sure the Floe VSD use cables like you showed? Pretty sure all of Floes lifts use cables? Cables Hooked to the screw drive, wheel winch, direct drive or say the hyd cylinder cylinder like on a ShoreStation they all use cables. There are some with hyd cylinders under the water with no cables but heard a lot of issues with those. Also the cost difference is pretty close to a floe vsd and a ShoreStation hyd from what I can see and on a Shotestation a wheel lift with motor is only about 5-7% less according to my local dealer than the much quicker solar powered hyd with remotes. Plus another point the hyd fluid now used is completely bio degradable and no threat to the environment if ever leaked.
@@kross1261 Yes, the Floe VSD uses a cable although supposedly this cable lasts a lot longer as its not being bent/twisted/wrapped. I would imagine any of the hydraulic lifts are still quite a bit more expensive, but maybe not, I haven't priced them out since 2019 and aluminum is way up so perhaps the price gap for electric/cable vs hydraulic has shrunken. Back in 2019 I was looking at 5k lbs lifts, perhaps the gab is less for 6.5k lbs lifts as well. In 2019 a 120v cable shorestation was ~$2500 more then the 120v floe vsd when I had them quoted. Pier pleasure was the lowest cost then. I'd say roughly 70% of the lifts used in my area are still the old manual crank cable style.
@@Jake-zx3xh ive seen leg adjustments jam up on brand new hoist. Bearings fry inside the worm gear lift assembly. Bunk post continue to slide down when weight is on them no matter how tight you get the tensioner bolt. Lots of room for error when assembling. A nut or washer falls into a corner post where the leg adjustment is and your screwed. I won't service, install or remove them. Just to much of a headache. But best wishes to thoughs who do.🙏
Thanks for the video!
Nice video, I'm going to be buying a pontoon lift in the spring and considering a Floe lift. How much did this cost compared to the others you mentioned?
Shorestation was the most expensive by a few thousand. Pierpleasure was lower cost by about $1500. I can't remember exactly where the others landed, but the Floe VSD was on the lower to middle range when I priced them out. Granted a big part of this could be the different dealers. One of the used lift dealers told me this and it seams to be true... there are virtually no used VSD's on the market, because the neighbors always buy them first. Hope this helps.
Great video.
Just bought one. Any issues ?
Also the wheel can go in the other direction I hope. Seems u r taking in sideways. U answered in the end why all good.
I've been having an issue where the rubber part of the pontoon guide rails pops off and needs to be re-inserted into the channel. Otherwise its been great. I have since took the wheels off and left them off as I've been having a barge company place and remove it each season now.
So you're only planning to use the wheels for movement of the lift?
Correct.
how heavy is your pontoon/tritoon? im looking for a lift, and wondering if i should use bunk mount..
I'm not exactly sure, maybe 2500 lbs. The rails are nice because they act like guides and are better for shallow water.
Where did you get the wheels? I have the same lift I bought used and would to install wheels.
I got them from a floe dealer. I believe the set of 4 wheels was about $400.
I’m in the market for this style lift.
How much was the lift the way it sits.
About 12,500
I have a similar model and want to move it to the other side of the dock. If I just turn the boatlift 180° and slide the canopy forward is that all I should have to do? I haven’t looked at it very closely, but I assume the canopy can slide on some rails, correct?
Yes, that is correct
Also the motor and V-entry thing will be swapped if you do that.
Great video Jake! Nice review! Did I miss your guides or are they not installed yet? I love the cable drive system. Most people don’t know that cables aren’t actually supposed to overlap onto themselves on a hub. Also, can you comment on boat length and canopy length? Are you happy with the over hang?
The bunks are the guides too. They are rubber on the side that goes in between the pontoons and work great for guiding. Canopy is 28ft and more then I need, but I didnt want to be short. A Barletta C22UC, 23.5ft without the outboard will be on it this year.
@@Jake-zx3xh Ended up getting the VSD6500 with 28' canopy and will be putting a Barletta Corsa 21UC on it (23 foot deck). Super excited. I have a seawall to deal with so getting in and out will be quite a bit more challenging then your nice shore line! Happy boating! (EDIT: I wanted to mention price for people out there, due to COVID and material cost the price of these have really gone way up. I got over 6 quotes from dealers in Michigan (Feb 2022) and they were all between $20-27K. Granted I have a bit heavier model, but I also don't have wheels or the remote control.)
@@brianford9522 Awesome setup. I'm putting a 2022 C22UC on my lift this spring. Enjoy!!
@@Jake-zx3xh What motor did you go with?
@@brianford9522 200 Mercury.
How had this lift been holding up?! Any regrets?
So far so good
Did you ever need a motor stop or how do you know where to park it each time
I align the boat throttle with one of the vertical lift supports to know I'm positioned correctly. The motor stop would be nice, except in a few cases (like when installing the canvas) you want the boat extremely far forward.
A fella thought about saying the price tag but the wife might watch
Did he say the price?
Jake, how much water do you need with those pontoon guides? The website says at least 3' which is a bummer if true as I have about 2-1/2' at the front of my lift.
Its going to depend on the draft of your boat, but IMO 30" should be enough. Where I have mine placed, I probably have 28" where the lift is closest to shore. When the water level drops lower then this, I'll need to move the pontoon halfway off the lift with only me on the boat and then my passengers get on. You could get extra clearance if you were to cut off the unused extra pontoon guide height adjustment part of those brackets. I didn't because I'm planning on getting a new pontoon soon. Also keep in mind the front of the lift can be at the end of your pier. It doesn't have to be parallel along side your pier.
@@Jake-zx3xh thanks. I have a 25' Barletta tritoon. Was going to go with the 6500 VSD with 18' guides./bunks. I figured these guides would be easier and less cost than three sets of bunks and additional guides. Do you lower the bunks just above the water line when you approach so it doesn't hit the splash guards? That's what concerns me about my shallow depth, not getting them low enough for the approach. If I have to use bunks, I will but was hoping to get away with these guides/bunks.. Is lining the boat up pretty easy with these when you come in? And if you did it again would you go with these or bunks? Also has the lift been reliable and how is installation/removal? Is it easy with the wheels? Sorry for all the questions. The dealer says yes to everything to get the sale. Thanks again!
@@johnvrabel8814 That's a nice boat! I've been looking at the 22UC and 23UC myself. 6500 is probably more then you need for that and the higher the rating the heavier the lift is, making it more difficult to remove. I pay a company with a barge $125 to install it in spring and another $125 to remove it in fall now. Prices do vary biased on the size of the lift. I wouldn't buy the wheels again. I don't use the wireless fob much either. Lifting strakes and the splash guards are not an issue since they don't extend past the widest part of the toon diameter. The toon still sticks out more when you look close at the tapers of the nose cones. The pontoon rails make it super easy to get back on the lift, where bunks don't provide much guidance. I don't think you'll have enough water depth for bunks anyway, since bunks would need to go under water whereas the rails can remain above water. The bunks do support the boat better then rails as they evenly distribute the weight better. I simply lower the lift all the way down to install/remove the boat and then raise it all the way up to store the boat. I've had no issues with the lift or canopy.
@@johnvrabel8814 how do you like that Barletta? In the market for a shorter tri-toon with high end construction and a nice helm. Corsa 21UC caught my eye!
Also interested in the price paid for this lift. In the market. Thanks
About 12,500
Replacing the cable every 2 years??? Sorry pure BS. ShoreStation has a 15 year cable warranty. I’d put a ShoreStation hydraulic up against a Floe any day. Both in convenience/better load guides both pontoon and boat and I think even faster. Also the overall durability
I never owned a traditional cable lift, so I can't comment on the lifespan other then what the sales person told me and yes I agree they probably exaggerated. I didn't look too much into hydraulic lifts as they are overkill for my needs (Tritoon with a 200hp) but hydraulic lifts are definitely superior (if not required) for heavier boats.
@@Jake-zx3xh pretty sure the Floe VSD use cables like you showed? Pretty sure all of Floes lifts use cables? Cables Hooked to the screw drive, wheel winch, direct drive or say the hyd cylinder cylinder like on a ShoreStation they all use cables. There are some with hyd cylinders under the water with no cables but heard a lot of issues with those. Also the cost difference is pretty close to a floe vsd and a ShoreStation hyd from what I can see and on a Shotestation a wheel lift with motor is only about 5-7% less according to my local dealer than the much quicker solar powered hyd with remotes. Plus another point the hyd fluid now used is completely bio degradable and no threat to the environment if ever leaked.
@@kross1261 Yes, the Floe VSD uses a cable although supposedly this cable lasts a lot longer as its not being bent/twisted/wrapped. I would imagine any of the hydraulic lifts are still quite a bit more expensive, but maybe not, I haven't priced them out since 2019 and aluminum is way up so perhaps the price gap for electric/cable vs hydraulic has shrunken. Back in 2019 I was looking at 5k lbs lifts, perhaps the gab is less for 6.5k lbs lifts as well. In 2019 a 120v cable shorestation was ~$2500 more then the 120v floe vsd when I had them quoted. Pier pleasure was the lowest cost then. I'd say roughly 70% of the lifts used in my area are still the old manual crank cable style.
Floe is a horrible product. Very problematic.
What parts are problematic? I'd like to know to watch for them. Thanks
@@Jake-zx3xh ive seen leg adjustments jam up on brand new hoist. Bearings fry inside the worm gear lift assembly. Bunk post continue to slide down when weight is on them no matter how tight you get the tensioner bolt. Lots of room for error when assembling. A nut or washer falls into a corner post where the leg adjustment is and your screwed. I won't service, install or remove them. Just to much of a headache. But best wishes to thoughs who do.🙏
@@trenersstock8845 what brand do you recommend then?
@@Jake-zx3xh well all around shore station #1. Probably #2 craftlander.