Hurricane Marine Products Boat Lift Guide, Part I: Big center consoles and yachts

This is Part I of our Hurricane Marine Products Boat Lift Guide. Part II covers bay boats, pontoons, PWCs and smaller boats.

Quick answer: Most 25 to 33 foot center consoles from builders like Contender, Yellowfin, Freeman, Grady-White, Regulator, SeaVee, Invincible and Boston Whaler work out to a loaded weight that fits a Precision 16k lift from our partners at Hurricane Marine Products, which Hurricane lists as a 16,000 lb lift. Once you step up to triple and quad outboard boats in the 35 to 42 foot range, or to an express cruiser or small yacht, you are into Hurricane's larger Precision 24k and Precision 30k models, or a custom setup. Hurricane does not publish the exact ratings for those larger models online, so ask us for the right capacity before you buy. Always size to the boat fully loaded, not its dry weight, and add about a 20% margin.

Key takeaways:

• Start with the builder's published weight, then add engines (if not included), fuel at about 6.3 lb per gallon and gear. Multiply by 1.2 and choose the next lift size up.
• Hurricane's quote form lists 8,000 lb, 10,000 lb and 16,000 lb lifts. Its product lineup also includes the Precision 12k, 24k and 30k, plus Platform, PWC and Cargo lifts.
• Precision lifts are all aluminum with stainless steel hardware, stainless steel motors and direct drive. Hurricane backs workmanship for life, with 1 year parts and labor.
• In Florida, lift height matters as much as capacity. Plan for king tides, storm surge and salt from day one.

What size boat lift do I need for a center console?

You need a lift rated above your boat's fully loaded weight, with a safety margin. A center console's brochure weight rarely matches what it weighs on your lift. Full fuel tanks, twin or triple outboards, batteries, tackle, ice and a wet livewell can add thousands of pounds. That is why Dockside Builders sizes every lift to the boat as you actually use it.

Dockside Builders uses only superior, premium materials on customer projects. We work with only the best distributors, our partners and for big center consoles that means Hurricane Marine Products, the exclusive distributor of Precision Lifts. Precision Boat Lifts are made in Theodore, Alabama by Lewis Precision and CNC, Inc., which Hurricane describes as an ISO9001/AS9100 certified company.

How to size your lift in 5 steps

1. Find the builder's published weight. Use the official spec page and note what it includes. Some builders list a dry hull without engines, some list the boat with engines, and some list a "ready to fish" or "as tested" weight.
2. Add the engines if they are not included. For example, Yamaha lists its XTO 425 outboard at 952 lb with a 25 inch shaft. A pair is about 1,900 lb; three are about 2,860 lb.
3. Add fuel at about 6.3 lb per gallon. A 300 gallon tank adds about 1,890 lb when full. Size for a full tank, because that is how the boat often comes back to the dock.
4. Add gear and water. Batteries, tackle, coolers, anchors, safety gear and water commonly add 300 to 700 lb on a big center console. We use 500 lb as a planning figure.
5. Add about 20% and round up. Multiply the total by 1.2, then choose the next Hurricane lift size above that number. If you are close to the line, go up a size.

Center console boat lift sizing chart

The weights below come from each builder's official website (checked November 2026). The loaded estimate follows the steps above, so treat it as a planning figure, not a scale reading. Recommendations use only Hurricane's published model names and ratings.

How we built the estimates: fuel at 6.3 lb per gallon (added only where the builder's figure does not already include it), 500 lb of gear (not added to Grady-White "as tested" weights, which already include persons and gear), engines added only where the builder lists the boat without them, then multiplied by 1.2. "Ready to fish" figures are used as published. Your boat's options, power and gear will change the numbers, so we confirm every lift against your actual boat.

What about express cruisers and small yachts?

Express cruisers, sportfish boats and small yachts usually carry more weight per foot than a center console. Generators, air conditioning, cabin furniture and larger fuel and water tanks all add up. Many of these boats sit at or beyond the top of Hurricane's Precision lineup, which tops out with the Precision 30k model. For these boats we start with your builder's published weight and the same five steps, then work with our partners at Hurricane on the right lift model and mounting. If the boat is beyond the lineup, we will tell you straight away rather than push a lift that is too small.

Beam matters too. Hurricane does not publish beam or length ranges for its lifts online, so we measure your boat and your slip and confirm fit with Hurricane before you order.

What Hurricane's Precision lifts are built with

Hurricane lists these standard features for its Precision lifts on its product page:

• All aluminum construction
• Stainless steel hardware
• Stainless steel motors
• Direct drive
• Quiet remote control operation
• Aluminum bunks
• No grease fittings
• Top or side piling mount
• Easy installation

Hurricane also lists a lifetime workmanship guarantee covering defects from workmanship, plus 1 year parts and labor. Hurricane notes that specifications are subject to change without notice, which is one more reason we confirm the current specs with them on every order.

Florida factors: hurricanes, storm surge, king tides and salt

Hurricanes and storm surge. A lift protects your boat from wave slap and hull growth day to day, but no lift is a hurricane shelter. When a storm is forecast, follow your local emergency guidance. Many owners haul out or move the boat. If the boat stays on the lift, it should be strapped down and raised to a height that keeps it clear of the expected surge, with the drain plug out. See our hurricane season dock checklist for more.

King tides and flooding. King tides can put water inches from the top of a seawall in parts of the Treasure and Space Coasts. When we set lift height, we plan for the highest tides your site actually sees, not average high water. Read more in What is a king tide, and how does it affect your seawall and dock? and our look at Central Florida's historic flood.

Salt. Saltwater is hard on steel and on anything that needs grease. That is why we like Hurricane's all aluminum frames, aluminum bunks, stainless steel hardware and motors and lifts with no grease fittings. A freshwater rinse of the lift after storms still helps.

Pilings and seawalls. Hurricane's Precision lifts mount on top of or on the side of pilings. The pilings, the dock and the seawall have to be sound enough to carry a loaded big center console. We check them before we recommend any lift.

Why Dockside works with Hurricane Marine Products

Dockside Builders has built docks, seawalls and boat lifts along Florida's Treasure and Space Coasts since 1980, from our shop in Sebastian to waterfront homes in Stuart and Jupiter. We use only superior, premium materials, and we work with only the best distributors, our partners. Hurricane Marine Products is one of them. For more on lift types, read How to choose the right boat lift for your Florida dock. See our boat lift services and all of our waterfront services.

Photo gallery: big center consoles and yachts on lifts

Swipe or use the arrows to see more center consoles, cruisers and sportfish boats on lifts. All photos courtesy of Hurricane Marine Products.

Frequently asked questions

What size boat lift do I need for a 32 foot center console?

Most 32 to 33 foot twin engine center consoles we looked at, such as the Contender 32ST, Yellowfin 32 Offshore, Invincible 33 and Boston Whaler 330 Outrage, come out at about 13,000 to 16,000 lb once you add fuel, gear and a 20% margin. That usually points to Hurricane's Precision 16k, a 16,000 lb lift. Heavier setups can need a larger Precision model, so ask us for the right capacity.

Do I size a boat lift to dry weight or loaded weight?

Loaded weight. Dry weight leaves out engines on many boats, plus fuel, water and gear. Add those, then add about 20%.

How much does fuel add to a boat's weight?

Gasoline weighs about 6.3 lb per gallon. A 300 gallon tank adds about 1,890 lb when full; a 500 gallon tank adds about 3,150 lb.

What lift do I need for a triple or quad outboard boat?

Most triple and quad outboard center consoles in the 35 to 42 foot range need a larger lift than the 16,000 lb Precision 16k. Hurricane's lineup includes the Precision 24k and Precision 30k. Hurricane does not publish those ratings online, so ask us for the right capacity for your boat.

Can a boat lift stay up during a Florida hurricane?

A lift is not storm protection on its own. Follow local emergency guidance. Many owners remove the boat before a storm. If the boat stays, strap it, pull the plug and raise it above the expected surge.

Get a free estimate

Ready to put your center console or cruiser on a lift built for Florida water? Request a free estimate or contact us, and we will size the lift to your boat with our partners at Hurricane.

Builders referenced: Contender, Yellowfin, Freeman Boatworks, Grady-White, Regulator, SeaVee, Invincible and Boston Whaler. Boat specifications are from each builder's official website, checked November 2026. Engine weight is from Yamaha. Lift models, ratings and features are from Hurricane Marine Products.

Photo credits: All photos in this article are courtesy of Hurricane Marine Products.