Besides the standard metal grate thing you strap to one side for around $271, what other novel ideas are there like just mounting a good solid board, or how about trick accesses to the rear of the boat that can be done in homemade fashion? If you've got something liek that show some pics.

I'll prolly fab something this winter so I can get to the back of my cat and change props etc (front pivot lift)- will post pics then

Yeah that's what I'm talkin' about, a little homemade enginuity. Would love to see it when your done.

Rick it sounds like your going to do the samething i'm doing this winter.What i'm doing is getting a large hinge 500 lbs. cap. and a alum walkboard at home depot,rope, and a pulley.Hinge the walkboard to the dock,mount the pulley to the headers above boat,tie the rope to the walkboard and lower it down to the otherside of slip.when finished pull the walkboard back up against a pole and strap it so it doesn't fall onto boat.This will only work if you have high ceilins or no roof at all.Hope this helps.Rich

my lift is 28', slip is 24, roof is 31- cantilevered. Daytona 30 with boxes, nose/bow hanges over the dock 12-16", all under roof, barely

I plan on a horseshoe shaped deal that will make the lift 12 wide where the slip ends so I can step from the end of the dock to the side of the lift, then on around back, the platform will likely be near water level so the drives are a few inches up- I'm cool with getting my feet wet if it saves loading on the trailer for cleaning and maint.

Rich that sounds like a great concept, I like it. Where in Home Depot do you find the aluminum walk boards? Be sure and take pics.

I've got the standard high profile 12.5k lb galvanized I-beam lift by United Boat Lifts.

Heres an idea you might want to look into for the walkboard. Household moving companies often use aluminum walk boards to get the goods into their trucks. There are different types, but what I'm thinking about is the type used for office moves. They have ridges on both sides to prevent items rolling off into the water, they're strong, and come in 12 and 14 ft lengths. Movers sometimes tend to have some older ones in the back of the warehouse, not being used. You just might get lucky and find one they'd let go cheap. They're fairly expensive if purchased new. Thinking about doing this myself for my winter projects when it drops down into the 60's .

This is the trcikest lift I've seen. It was in Baltimore at the Inner Harbor. As you can see, we changed a drive with the boat on the lift.

Steve.....Thats Sweet!!!

Hunt down your local ladder and scaffold supply. They'll have alum. stages up to 2' wide by 24' long that'll only need support a few feet in from each end. If you have one on each side and anchor them well, they can easily support another across the back.