Lake lovers are likely familiar with the name Basta Boatlifts, the SeaTac-based company that has crafted bottom-resting hydraulic boat lifts for over 30 years. Well-regarded bastions of lake life that dot many dockside landings and keep boats safe from any wake-induced swells, Basta’s lifts are strong and sleek, crafted from either galvanized steel or aluminum, and feature the company’s patented over-center gravity locking design. But owner Bryce Hansen says that the firm knew that as much as their products have provided solutions for freshwater use, there was still a conundrum to conquer: how to utilize the tech for saltwater. “We saw an opportunity to bring Basta to an entirely new marketplace, but knew a bottom-resting lift wouldn’t work for tidal changes like we see in the Sound, for example,” he says. “So we got to work designing a new prototype that would instead float.”
Thus, after a couple of years of development, Basta debuted the first of their floating hydraulic lifts just last month. The in-water base is built off of hardy, foam-filled floats and the entire free-standing, over-center hydraulic lift can be tied to a dock or a buoy, as solar panels help power the lift and don’t require a plug-in. Designed to handle heavy weather, Hansen says they tested prototypes here in the Sound over the winter in 35 knot winds and the lifts stayed “in place beautifully.” Basta can also scale the lift in 6-inch increments to fit pretty much any size vessel by adding additional floating units; the stock version of the hydraulic lift can handle up to 11,000 pounds.
But beyond protection from the chop, this floating lift can offer another boon for boaters: A vessel kept out of saltwater should require less maintenance such as bottom cleanings, paint, and haulouts. “It’s an added beauty, for sure,” concludes Hansen. “Not only will these lifts protect your boat from up top, but below as well as it will save you time and money down the line from cleanings, etc. We also love that it really makes it more environmentally friendly, too, if we are keeping some of those cleaning chemicals out of our waters.”
For more details on the new floating boatlift, or to order, go to: bastaboatlifts.com/floating-lift/
