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This is Part II of our Hurricane Marine Products Boat Lift Guide. Part I covers big center consoles and yachts.
Quick answer: Flats boats, skiffs, john boats and most bay boats are light enough that Hurricane Marine Products' smallest listed boat lift, an 8,000 lb lift (the Precision 8k), covers them with room to spare. The skiffs and bay boats we sized from Hell's Bay, Maverick, Hewes, Carolina Skiff and Pathfinder came out between about 1,400 and 7,300 lb loaded with a 20% margin. Pontoons and tritoons need the same weight math plus a lift that supports their tubes, so ask us about Hurricane's Precision Platform lift or the right bunk setup. For a WaveRunner or jet ski, Hurricane offers a Precision PWC lift. Hurricane does not publish ratings for its PWC and Platform lifts online, so ask us for the right capacity for those.
Key takeaways:
- Size to loaded weight: the builder's published weight, plus the engine if it is not included, fuel at about 6.3 lb per gallon and gear. Then add about 20%.
- Hurricane's quote form lists 8,000 lb, 10,000 lb and 16,000 lb boat lifts, plus PWC, Cargo and Platform lifts. The Precision lineup also includes 12k, 24k and 30k models and a fish cleaning table.
- On a small boat, fit and height matter more than raw capacity. Bunk spacing, hull shape and storm surge clearance drive the design.
- Precision lifts are all aluminum with stainless steel hardware and motors, aluminum bunks and no grease fittings, which suits Florida salt water.
What size boat lift do I need for a skiff or flats boat?
A flats skiff can weigh well under 2,000 lb loaded, so capacity is rarely the hard part. The hard part is fit. A technical poling skiff has a shallow, flat running surface, and a bay boat has more deadrise. The bunks need to support each hull properly, and the lift has to raise the boat high enough above Florida's king tides and storm surge.
Dockside Builders uses only superior, premium materials on customer projects. We work with only the best distributors, our partners and for small boat lifts that includes Hurricane Marine Products, the exclusive distributor of Precision Lifts. Precision Boat Lifts are made in Theodore, Alabama by Lewis Precision and CNC, Inc.
How to size your lift in 5 steps
- Find the builder's published weight and check what it includes. Some list a bare hull, some list the boat with a specific engine.
- Add the engine if it is not included. Yamaha lists its F70 outboard at 253 lb, for example.
- Add fuel at about 6.3 lb per gallon. A 30 gallon tank adds about 190 lb when full.
- Add gear. Batteries, a trolling motor, push pole, coolers, tackle and anchors add up. We use 300 lb as a planning figure on small boats.
- Add about 20% and round up to the next Hurricane lift size.
Skiff, flats and bay boat lift sizing chart
Weights come from each builder's official website (checked November 2026). Loaded estimates follow the steps above and are planning figures, not scale readings.
| Brand / model | Type | Length | Published weight (as the builder lists it) | Fuel | Loaded estimate +20% | Recommended Hurricane lift |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hell's Bay Professional | Technical poling skiff | 17'8" | 625 lb (hull) | not listed | about 1,410 lb plus fuel, with a 253 lb Yamaha F70 | Precision 8k (8,000 lb lift) |
| Hell's Bay Marquesa | Flats skiff | 18'1" | 695 lb (hull) | not listed | add your engine, fuel and gear | Precision 8k (8,000 lb lift) |
| Maverick 17 HPX-V | Flats skiff | 16'9" | 1,250 lb with Yamaha F70 | 23 gal | about 2,030 lb | Precision 8k (8,000 lb lift) |
| Carolina Skiff E18 JVX TH | Skiff / john boat style | 17'11" | 1,400 lb boat weight* | 12 gal | about 2,130 lb* | Precision 8k (8,000 lb lift) |
| Maverick 18 HPX-V | Flats skiff | 18'4" | 1,460 lb with Yamaha F150 | 29 gal | about 2,330 lb | Precision 8k (8,000 lb lift) |
| Hewes Redfisher 18 | Flats boat | 18'10" | 1,900 lb with Yamaha F115 | 31 gal | about 2,870 lb | Precision 8k (8,000 lb lift) |
| Carolina Skiff 19 LS | Skiff | 19' | 1,900 lb* | 30 gal | about 2,870 lb* | Precision 8k (8,000 lb lift) |
| Carolina Skiff 21 Ultra Elite | Skiff | 20'9" | 2,636 lb* | 52 gal | about 3,920 lb* | Precision 8k (8,000 lb lift) |
| Pathfinder 2400 Tournament | Bay boat | 24'4" | 4,100 lb with Yamaha F300 | 88 gal | about 5,950 lb | Precision 8k (8,000 lb lift) |
| Pathfinder 2700 Tournament | Bay boat | 27'0" | 4,934 lb with Yamaha XTO 425 | 126 gal (max) | about 7,230 lb | Precision 8k (8,000 lb lift); Precision 10k (10,000 lb lift) if you carry heavy gear |
| East Cape 18 EVO V | Flats skiff | 17'9" | not published | 26 gal | ask East Cape for the weight | Size with the steps above; ask us for the right capacity |
| East Cape 25 Open | Bay boat | 24'10" | not published | 130 gal | ask East Cape for the weight | Size with the steps above; ask us for the right capacity |
*Carolina Skiff lists a "Boat Weight" but its spec pages do not say whether that includes the engine. If it does not, add your outboard's weight before you size the lift. East Cape does not publish boat weights on its website, so get the figure from East Cape or your dealer.
How we built the estimates: fuel at 6.3 lb per gallon, 300 lb of gear, the engine added only where the builder lists a bare hull, then multiplied by 1.2.
What lift do I need for a pontoon or tritoon?
Pontoons and tritoons are long and wide for their weight, and they sit on two or three tubes rather than a V hull. That changes the lift design more than the capacity. The lift needs to carry the tubes evenly, and a wide boat needs a wide enough lift and slip. Hurricane's lineup includes a Precision Platform lift as well as its standard boat lifts. Hurricane does not publish beam or length ranges online, so we measure your pontoon, tube spacing and slip, then confirm the right model and capacity with Hurricane. Use your builder's published weight, plus engine, fuel and gear, plus about 20%, just like any other boat.
What lift do I need for a WaveRunner or jet ski?
A personal watercraft (PWC) such as a WaveRunner or jet ski needs a lift built for its short, narrow hull, not a full size boat lift. Hurricane's Precision lineup includes a Precision PWC lift and Hurricane's quote form lists a Double Beam Personal Watercraft (PWC) lift. Hurricane does not publish the PWC lift's rating or dimensions online, so ask us for the right capacity and setup for your craft. Lifting a PWC out of the water keeps salt and growth off the hull and intake, and it is easy to add next to a boat lift on the same dock.
What about john boats and kayaks?
Aluminum john boats and small jon style skiffs are usually the lightest boats on any dock. The 8,000 lb Precision 8k is the smallest boat lift rating Hurricane lists, so a small john boat may be a better match for a Precision PWC lift or a Precision Platform lift, depending on the hull. Hurricane does not publish the PWC or Platform ratings online, so ask us for the right capacity. Hurricane also offers a Precision Cargo lift and a Precision Fish Cleaning Table, both handy on a fishing dock. See our fishing dock setup guide for ideas.
What Hurricane's Precision lifts are built with
Hurricane lists these standard features 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 and easy installation. Hurricane also lists a lifetime workmanship guarantee covering defects from workmanship, plus 1 year parts and labor. Specifications are subject to change without notice, so we confirm current details with Hurricane on every order.
Florida factors: hurricanes, storm surge, king tides and salt
Light boats move easily. A 1,500 lb skiff can float off a low lift or blow around in a storm. When a storm is forecast, follow local emergency guidance. Small boats are often easy to trailer out. If a boat stays on the lift, strap it down, pull the plug and raise it clear of the expected surge. Our hurricane season dock guide covers the dock side.
King tides and flooding. We set lift height for the highest water your site sees, including king tides. See What is a king tide, and how does it affect your seawall and dock?.
Salt. All aluminum frames and bunks, stainless steel hardware and motors and no grease fittings mean less for salt to attack. Rinse the lift with fresh water after storms.
Your dock and seawall. Precision lifts mount on top of or on the side of pilings. We check the pilings, the dock and the seawall first.
Why Dockside works with Hurricane Marine Products
Dockside Builders has built docks, seawalls and boat lifts on Florida's Treasure and Space Coasts since 1980, from our home base in Sebastian to Stuart and Jupiter. We use only superior, premium materials, and we work with only the best distributors, our partners. For more on lift styles, read How to choose the right boat lift for your Florida dock. For larger boats, see Part I of this guide: big center consoles and yachts. See our boat lift services and all of our waterfront services.
Photo gallery: bay boats and pontoons on lifts
Swipe or use the arrows to see more bay boats and pontoons on lifts. All photos courtesy of Hurricane Marine Products.
Frequently asked questions
What size boat lift do I need for a flats skiff?
Most flats skiffs we sized, including the Hell's Bay Professional, Maverick 17 and 18 HPX-V and Hewes Redfisher 18, come out under about 3,000 lb loaded with a 20% margin. Hurricane's smallest listed boat lift is 8,000 lb (the Precision 8k), which covers them. Fit and bunk placement for the hull are what we focus on.
What size lift do I need for a bay boat?
The Pathfinder 2400 and 2700 Tournament come out at about 5,950 and 7,230 lb loaded with a 20% margin, which fits Hurricane's 8,000 lb Precision 8k. If you carry heavy gear on a bigger bay boat, step up to the 10,000 lb Precision 10k.
Can I put a pontoon boat on a regular boat lift?
Often yes, with bunks set for the tubes, but some pontoons and tritoons are better on a platform style lift. We measure the boat and slip and confirm the right Hurricane model.
Do you install jet ski and WaveRunner lifts?
Yes. Hurricane's lineup includes a Precision PWC lift, and its quote form lists a Double Beam Personal Watercraft (PWC) lift. Hurricane does not publish its rating online, so ask us for the right capacity for your craft.
Does Carolina Skiff's boat weight include the engine?
Carolina Skiff's spec pages list a "Boat Weight" without saying. If the engine is not included, add its weight before sizing your lift.
How much weight does a small boat lift need to carry?
Add the boat, engine, a full tank at about 6.3 lb per gallon and about 300 lb of gear, then add 20%. That number, not the dry weight, sets the lift size.
Get a free estimate
Have a skiff, flats boat, bay boat, pontoon or PWC that needs a lift? Request a free estimate or contact us, and we will match the lift to your boat with our partners at Hurricane.
Builders referenced: Hell's Bay Boatworks, Carolina Skiff, Maverick, Hewes, East Cape and Pathfinder. 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.
