Hi everyone..I have a Freedom 235 being delivered in the next 2 weeks...I live on a channel which is not that deep and is dramatically affected by the tides. I have a boat lift and I am wondering how much water is needed over the top of the bunks to get the boat on and off the lift? The draft on the Freedom 235 is 20 inches, so I am wondering how much more than that is needed? I am concerned I am going to have to move the boat lift out further from my dock in order to get enough depth. Any feedback will be appreciated.
Water depth required to float a Freedom 235
- Thread starter proinvest40
- Start date
If the engine up draft on the Freedom is 20 inches and the boat is going to be on a lift you should account for the lift apparatus itself and the need to lower the motor to maneuver away from the lift. I have no experience, but I would think you would need to lower the lift at least 6-12 inches below the boat to be clear of the hull. 20 inches draft depth for the boat and another foot or so to get the TOP of the lift apparatus away from the boat then adding the depth of the lift apparatus itself. I'm guessing you need at least 3-4 feet at mean LOW water. Conjecture on my part entirely. I slip my boat and where I do its shallow at low tide. Maneuvering is a real PIA at mean low water with the motor kicked up to stay clear of the bottom. Dead low tide I'm still "kicking up mud" They dredge but later in the season the silt fills in. By September I'm timing my voyages to get in and out midway through the tide or closer to the high tide.
It's not only about the draft of the boat. You need to consider how much of the lift itself extends below the hull and that structure cannot hit the bottom before the boat floats. I have a big 20K elevator lift and the structure below the boat limits me at low tide when lowering my 330.
At a fairly high tide I can lower the bunks to the ground and then I have about 23 inches of water from the top of the bunk to the surface.....so, if it takes more than 23 inches of clearance from the top of the bunk then I have a problem I will need to solve.
Our tides on the nature coast range about 4 feet I can only get my boat off the lift at half tide or above. If I need to get underway at lower tides I put the boat in the water and move it to a dock next-door. You will get good at predicting tidal ranges.
wrxhoon
Well-Known Member
Depending on how far apart your bunks are. If the are under the outer stringers you should only need 12" or less for the boat to float. If they are under the inner stringers you will need a bit more but if you have 23" you wouldn't have any problem floating the boat.
You should be fine at that tide. If your boat floats in 20", which is from the keel to the waterline, then where the bunks touch the hull will be less than that. It all depends on where you have the bunks set, but you can probably see where I'm going with the math.
If you contact Grady-White support they can provide you the recommended bunk placement (model and year specific… such that the bunks align with the stringers (that run forward to aft) on your boat. You may be able to move the bunks further out (center-on-center spacing), so that you boat can float at lower tide ranges.
As other members have mentioned, each lift cradle design impacts how close to mother-earth you can move the cradle. It’s a bit of a trail-by-error process and using your floating dock as a staging point, when your boating times don’t align well with the tidal range.
Here’s an example of the details GW support can provide you …
As other members have mentioned, each lift cradle design impacts how close to mother-earth you can move the cradle. It’s a bit of a trail-by-error process and using your floating dock as a staging point, when your boating times don’t align well with the tidal range.
Here’s an example of the details GW support can provide you …
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