Boat Lift Company

For first-time boating enthusiasts and collectors alike, boat shows in 2021 provide a fun, informative opportunity to get up close and personal with all types of watercraft. You’ll also find a treasure trove of resources to help anyone making purchase decisions about boats, boat parts or boat lifts.

At the larger boat shows, many boat manufacturers will bring a range of their newest boats and accessories, which makes comparison shopping easy. Boat dealers and engine manufacturers often set up displays and stay nearby to answer questions and hold demonstrations. Whether you are in the market to buy a personal watercraft, hoping to elevate your boat’s profile with new accessories, or just want to admire the latest models, boat shows are a great way to see the latest trends in boat design.

Boat shows typically take place between late fall and early spring. Depending on your location, there may be small regional or local boat shows near you that will be convenient to attend. In case you decide you need a bigger boat show, here is a list of six national boat shows in the United States that always draw big crowds and result in the best reviews from boaters like you.

1. Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show

2. The Atlanta Boat Show

3. The Mid-America Boat Show

4. The Seattle Boat Show

5. The Miami International Boat Show

6. The Newport International Boat Show

When you attend your first boat show – especially if you go to a large national or international boat show – you may feel overwhelmed unless you arrive prepared. To help you have the best boat show experience, IMM Quality Boat Lifts has prepared this boat show guide. It highlights several opportunities you won’t want to miss, along with a few to avoid if you want to get a good deal on boats, boat lifts and boating accessories.

What to Enjoy at Upcoming Boat Shows

Try-Before-You-Buy Boating Accessories

Boat shows are jam-packed with tons of bells and whistles. It’s the perfect avenue to see, touch and try a variety of boating accessories and boat lifts before you buy. You can explore boat lift companies you like and get a bird’s eye view of all the products offered across the boating industry, from fuel additives and watersport technology to dock lines and electronics. If your boat show offers a map or itinerary, keep it close at hand as you navigate the venue so that you don’t miss any must-see displays. Just be sure to wear your good shoes and be prepared for plenty of walking!

Educational Demonstrations & Seminars

For those who are new to boating, the sheer level of knowledge and expertise at boat shows can present the perfect opportunity to expand your love of boats. Especially at the larger boat shows, you can enjoy live demonstrations, educational seminars and onsite presentations by boat lift companies, experienced sailors, volunteers, nonprofit organizations and boat dealers. Most are free to attend and cover topics such as how to properly dock a boat, DIY fishing rigs, boating etiquette and more!

Boat Steals & Deals

Because boat shows take place throughout the late fall and early spring, boat dealers are motivated to offer special boat show deals as they prepare for another year’s inventory to arrive. Many vendors and boat lift companies often provide package deals, decreased prices and easy financing options for their products. In terms of timing, boaters who buy a new boat at a boat show during the winter typically find it ready to sail by spring.

What to Avoid at Popular Boat Shows

Busy Boat Show Brokers

Some buyers use boat brokers to locate their next watercraft. These brokers preview potential options from boat companies and offer valuable research to help buyers make the best boat purchase for their needs. What most boat buyers don’t realize is that many brokers take on additional clients during boat show season, which can spread their time and attention thin. When representing too many people, it’s easy for a broker to accidentally confuse the details between clients, conversations with boat manufacturers and even which boats they have already called on. Yikes! If you do go this route, bring photos of the type of boat that you want to keep boat show conversations on track.

The ”Buy-Now” Pressure from Boat Dealers

Attending a boat show in person is ideal for those who are in the market to make a purchase. It’s the perfect opportunity to comparison shop between diverse boat styles. Special promotions sweeten the deal, but the resulting pressure to buy can lead some to make an impulse purchase they later regret. Avoid this common boat show mistake by arriving fully prepared.

When you arrive at a boat show, you’ll have a hundred options and plenty of boat companies and discounts trying to sway your purchase decision. So, before you arrive at the boat show, take the time to think about exactly what you need. Make sure you know your budget well in advance. Dig into manufacturers’ websites to understand specifications and details to arrive at the boat show, armed with questions. Ask about warranties, accessories, servicing options and more. Finally, remember that it’s OK to walk away and shop another day.

Transportation & Storage Problems

Let’s say you arrive at the boat show prepared, speak with the boat dealer or boat company from which you plan to buy, and money changes hands. A brand-new boat is yours! While it may be an afterthought at the show, have you considered the ordeal that comes with getting your boat into the water? There are many hidden costs of boat ownership, and the cost of boat transportation to and from the water can add up quick. For many boat owners, it’s much more economical, safe and easy to use a boat lift.

The industry’s largest and leading boat lift manufacturer, IMM Quality Boat Lifts can answer all your questions about the best boat lift for your needs. With more than 40 years’ experience in design, engineering and manufacturing boat lifts, the experts at IMM Quality Boat Lifts develop products that are safe, durable and dependable, easy to use and aesthetically pleasing. In keeping with this commitment, IMM Quality’s engineers only use the very best materials and manufacturing techniques. You cannot find a higher quality or better value anywhere else in the boat lift industry!

Learn More About IMM Quality Boat Lifts

Excited to buy a new boat and ready to talk boat lifts and accessories? Complete our CONTACT FORM or REQUEST A QUOTE and our responsive, knowledgeable team will give you a call!

READ MORE: 6 Questions to Ask Your Boat Lift Dealer

Are you sick of towing your boat to a launch using a boat trailer? Have you racked up maintenance costs from storing your expensive investment in the water – or due to damage during transportation? Are you tired of the ordeal it takes to “go boating” each time the urge strikes? Did you recently acquire waterfront property and need to buy a boat lift?

If you are ready for the convenience and savings that a well-engineered boat lift can provide, but are having trouble understanding the cost for a boat lift, you are not alone. When preparing to purchase a boat lift, it is important to collect key information about your boat and its docking area before talking with a marine contractor, boat lift dealer or boat lift manufacturer about boat lift costs. No two situations are the same and many factors will impact your boat lift price, including the fully loaded weight of your boat, surrounding dock area and boat lift installation.

Boat lift costs vary between dealerships because they all structure pricing differently. Some charge one lump sum, depending on the boat lift design you choose and its capacity. Others separate the cost for your deck, boat lift installation and related hardware.

To get the answers you need about boat lift cost, the pros at IMM Quality Boat Lifts put together a helpful list of common questions that every buyer should ask their marine contractor. As the leading manufacturer of custom boat lifts for nearly 40 years, IMM Quality Boat Lifts has extensive hands-on experience and knowledge about this topic.

Question #1: What type of hull does your boat have? Are there steps in the hull?

The design, make and model of your boat will have a huge impact in determining the proper bunking system for your boat and the underlying costs. Your boat may have a round-bottomed hull, flat-bottomed hull, V-shaped hull, pontoon hull or multihull such as a catamaran or trimaran. Your boat may have engineered pick-up points that should be used to safely lift it. And, the presence and location of through-hull fittings varies greatly with different boat models and the boat lift bunks need to avoid these features.

For example, the presence of steps in your hull affects how your boat rests on the boat lift bunks. It may require stepped bunks that match the hulls’ shape to properly support your boat. If you own a sailboat, the elongated keels may require modifications to the standard bunks. You may rest assured that the engineers at IMM Quality Boat Lifts will design a bunking system that will safely and securely lift any watercraft.

Question #2: What boat lift capacity do you need?

In order to know which boat lift to purchase, you will first have to identify the correct boat lift capacity for your needs. This greatly affects cost. For example, an increase in boat lift capacity necessitates an increase in the size of the top beams, which impacts your boat lift cost.

You can determine the necessary boat lift capacity by calculating the total weight of your boat. The total figure should include the boat’s dry weight, plus the weight of any outboard motors, boat lift accessories, your fuel and more. Do you have live wells? Be sure to add this into the equation, along with the water weight from freshwater tanks and wastewater tanks. Have you made any major additions or upgrades to your watercraft? It is also best to include a 20% margin of safety.

To make the calculations easier, try our simple boat lift capacity calculator prepared by the knowledgeable team at IMM Quality Boat Lifts. With the press of a button, you’ll be that much closer to determining which lift you need to buy – and the associated boat lift cost.

Question #3: Where do you live?

Environmental and community factors play a role in boat lift cost. Consider the location and water conditions where you plan to dock your boat. Are you subject to HOA rules? Does your community or waterway allow outside pilings? Do you live on a canal, or the open water? Are there noise limitations that require a specific type of drive to quietly operate your boat lift?

Some neighborhoods don’t have enough shoreline to dock each owner’s boat, and instead share larger, multi-slip docks. Others provide height restrictions, based on dock roof styles, to avoid view obstruction. Any of these factors can impact the selection of boat lift designs available to you, as well as your installation and boat lift costs.

Question #4: Are you looking for a maintenance-free option, or will you handle your own boat lift maintenance?

Like with any major purchase, taking good care of your boat lift with regular maintenance can make a big difference in performance and longevity. To extend the life of your boat lift, it is critical to regularly inspect your lift cables, bunks, lift beams, pulleys, motors, gearbox and drive units, motor, drive pipe bearing block and wired zincs. Ignoring this maintenance can lead to equipment damage, costly boat lift repairs and more.

Are you the do-it-yourself type? If not, some boat lift designs offer maintenance-free storage for a price increase. This includes the IMM Quality Boat Lifts Platinum series. Either way, your plan for maintaining your equipment will have an impact on your total boat lift cost and warranty.

Question #5: What style of lift is best for your boat and dock space?

Different boat lift designs use different technology to lift your boat from the water. The boat lift cost will vary, depending on the type you choose:

• Vertical Boat Lifts – Considered the industry standard, this type of cable-drawn boat lift is the most efficient and commonly used boat lift.
• Elevator Boat Lifts – This type of boat lift uses in water rails, and is ideal for narrow or restricted waterfronts.
• Hydraulic Boat Lifts – One of the most expensive types of boat lift, this deploys a steel tube and piston to raise your boat higher than other types of boat lifts.
• Floating Boat Lifts or Docks – Ideal for lakes and reservoirs, these compact floating boat docks use inflatable tanks to lift your watercraft.

Review the range of boat lift styles that IMM Quality Boat Lifts builds to last a lifetime. This includes boathouse lifts, Titan yacht lifts, PWC lifts, specialty lifts and more. The quality and durability of our boat lift products are unmatched by the competition. And, we ship worldwide!

Question #6: Do you have any special needs or preferences, such as accessibility?

Do you like to set your top beams low for an easier time boarding your boat? Or, do you like to position your top beams high so that you can walk under them without a second thought? Perhaps you would like a wheelchair-accessible ramp, custom accessory or remote lift controls that make it simple to raise your boat to the top, bottom and boarding heights. Does the speed of your lift matter? What about the appearance of your boarding platform, canopy or underwater lighting? Would you like to customize the color of your boat lift by powder coating? Do you have other personal watercrafts like a kayak, jet ski, wave runner or paddleboard that you need to accommodate?

Remember when we said no two lifts are alike? This is why. Your boat lift cost is not only dependent on your boat, but can be customized for your preferences and needs. Thinking about these specifics will help determine your boat lift cost.

More Questions About Your Boat Lift Cost? Ask the Experts at IMM Quality Boat Lifts!

With more than 40 years’ experience and knowledge in manufacturing, technological innovation and boat lift design, boat owners trust IMM Quality Boat Lifts for answers. Why? As a company, our goal is to create products that achieve the right balance between affordability and exceptional quality. We remain as committed to making safe, easy and reliable products as the day we first opened in 1982.

Contact IMM Quality Boat Lifts with Your Questions Today!

Complete our  CONTACT FORM  or  REQUEST A QUOTE  and our responsive, knowledgeable team will give you a call!

READ MORE: The True Cost of Boat Ownership: What You Need to Know

IMM Quality Boat Lifts is ready to deliver the world’s finest boat lifts for sale anywhere in the world. If you need a boat lift in Cape Coral, FL; Cape Cod, MA; Naples, FL or Naples, Italy, we are the right choice for your boat lift needs.

We maintain our own truck fleet to make deliveries across the Eastern Seaboard of the United States. In addition, we send boat lifts via freight all over North America. In fact, the truck in the video above was on its way to Canada. IMM Quality Boat Lifts is also ideally situated to ship boat lifts to any port in the world. If you need a boat lift, our highly trained sales staff will make sure that you get the best boat lift for your needs.

These past five years have been a period of tremendous growth for our company. World-class engineering, superior designs, only the best materials, state-of-the-art manufacturing and competitive pricing are some of the reasons for this growth. People have noticed that we manufacture and deliver the world’s best boat lifts at the lowest possible prices. At IMM Quality Boat Lifts, continuous improvement has always been our goal. Rest assured that we have been making changes to keep up with the increased demand.

Recently, we purchased a five-acre manufacturing facility, conveniently located near our second factory. This facility has more than a sixty-year history of machining, welding and fabrication. The additional machinery and employees, along with their vast experience, will complement and supplement our current capabilities. The expanded production space will allow IMM Quality Boat Lifts to increase our manufacturing capacity. This will also help control manufacturing costs during this time of hyper-inflation for materials and shipping costs.

IMM Quality Boat Lifts has also expanded our delivery fleet to meet the increased demand. What once consisted of two vehicles has expanded to a fleet of eight. We have also hired more drivers who have CDL licenses. The increased weight allowance of CDL licenses has allowed us to use larger trucks and trailers. This economy of scale has allowed us to keep our delivery costs low while the cost of shipping via freight has skyrocketed.

The past year has been a difficult one for manufacturers with greatly increased materials costs, labor shortages and supply chain issues. We have been working diligently to overcome these challenges, and we would like to thank our customers for their support during this difficult time. IMM Quality Boat Lifts greatly appreciates your business and look forward to meeting your boat lift needs in the years to come.

Feeling intrigued by IMM Quality Boat Lifts carefully engineered product lines? Complete our CONTACT FORM or REQUEST A QUOTE and we’ll give you a call!

READ MORE ABOUT IMM QUALITY BOAT LIFTS:

The True Cost of Boat Ownership: What You Need to Know