Use Lift Rings or Bunks for boat house lift?

[Lance]

I recently purchased a piece of waterfront property on the lake that we ski at and am planning to have a boat house built this winter for stroring our 87 Prostar 190 and pontoon boat. Most people here lift their boats out of the water using boat lifts with bunks that the boat sits on rather than hanging them from lift rings (in fact I can't recall seeing even one ski boat hanging by its lift rings). I am curious if there is a reason that people don't use the lift rings. It seems to me that the lift rings would be less expensive and a little easier to deal with.

I would be interested in experience others have and if there is something I am missing in the equation.

If a person were to go with bunks I guess you try to adjust the bunks so they closely match the location on a standard MC trailer?

Thanks in advance.
Lance

[Bert]

Lance, the lift rings intended to be used for short periods. If left hanging by them for an extended period of time the hull would be damaged

[bret]

Bunks are the best, whether on cable or on a lift. Just make sure that you design the bunks to the spec of the trailer bunks. Your hull will thank you with many years of great service.

[east tx skier]

Bert, having no personal experience with this, I've got no reason to doubt what you say, but in my manual (and the current manual online), it says, "If the boat is to be hoisted from the water, use the lifting eyes if possible. They are designed for easy, damage-free lifting." Have you experienced, or do you know someone who has experienced hull damage by using the lifting eyes for extended periods? It seems like something MC ought to put in their manuals by the recommendation that their boats be lifted by the lifting eyes.

[Bert]

My manual say's the same thing but the warning sticker on my boat say's they are not to be used for extended periods. I assumed extended periods means they are for lifting from the water to a trailer or from trailer to trailer only. I have never seen one lifted but I sure want to lift mine so I can re-do my trailer. Just can't believe those little stern rings won't pull right out. Any one done that and have photos???

[G-man]

Lance, only CC recommends storage on the lifting rings for long time storage. If you are a member of USA waterski there is a guy in Florida tha builds a great boat cradle all aluminium. Sorry I don't have his number

[east tx skier]

Thanks, George. I was curious because, while at ski school, the CC boat that they were using was lifted by the rings. Bert, I don't have those stickers on my boat, but it's good to know. My father-in-law has been kicking this question around as he's building a boat house. Sounds like a good cradle is the way to go.

[River Rat]

My ski partner has a cradle under his Malibu and in my opinion it's the only way to go. When the boat is hanging low we can climb in and out with ease there are no worries of the bout swinging from side to side or front to back. When pulling the boat into the slip it's just like putting it on the trailer. No worries about pulling in to far or hitting the side of the dock it just slides right up to the v shaped bumper stop he built on his bock. Climb out and hit the button and up she comes. He put a Teflon type pad on the runners to help with the unloading, sometimes when the tide is out the cradle sits on bottom.
WARNING make sure the cradle is very close to level and made to fit your boat. Several years back I was doing some trailer work so I put my outboard on his cradle, got out raised the boat about 2 feet in the air and climbed back in and we both slid off into the water. We determined that the runners were not at the proper angle so my boat was sitting on the outside edges witch didn’t give enough surface area for the boat to hold on to.
No damage done just extremely embarrassing.