WATERFRONT DUE DILIGENCE
Check the lift as a working system.
Ask for the lift’s rated capacity, make and model, service history, and the vessel it has actually lifted. Compare the loaded boat weight—including fuel, water, gear, and options—with the rating. Have a qualified technician inspect the cradle, motors, brakes, switches, structure, and electrical supply.
- LIFT CABLES
- Inspect marine-grade 316L stainless cable for broken wires, kinks, corrosion, uneven winding, and correct reeving.
- ANODES
- Check sacrificial zincs for consumption, electrical bonding, and suitable placement for the immersed metal.
- STORM PLAN
- Verify hurricane davit tie-down points, hardware condition, and a written plan suited to the site’s exposure.
Look past the waterline.
Inspect seawall movement, cap and tieback condition, dock piles, cleats, and electrical bonding. Salt exposure can also shorten the life of window hardware, exterior fasteners, condensers, and HVAC coils. Look for marine-grade finishes and a maintenance record, not just a fresh coat of paint.
For glazing, confirm that windows and doors have ratings appropriate to local wind-borne debris requirements and the opening protection plan. A view of the water is not evidence of impact protection. Ask the building inspector and insurer what documentation they need.
Bring a specialist before the offer becomes a repair bill.
Lift capacity, seawall stability, electrical condition, and hurricane protection each deserve the right licensed or qualified inspector. Keep the findings separate so one general walkthrough does not become a substitute for a technical inspection.
Need a marine electrical or transom condition review? Meet the MarineNutz shop in Stuart, Florida →