Boat carrier assemblies and boat lift systems and methods including the same

Abstract

A boat lift system for raising and lowering a multi-hulled boat from and into a body of water, the boat including first and second laterally spaced apart hull structures, includes a carrier assembly and a drive system. The carrier assembly is configured to hold the boat. The carrier assembly includes a crossbeam having a length and first and second cradle assemblies spaced apart along the length of the crossbeam and secured to the crossbeam. Each of the first and second cradle assemblies is configured to receive a respective one of the first and second hull structures and includes a coupling bracket and a pair of longitudinally extending runners each secured to the coupling bracket and positioned to receive and support the respective one of the first and second hull structures. The coupling bracket connects and resists lateral separation between the runners. The drive system is operable to selectively raise and lower the carrier assembly.

1 . A boat lift system for raising and lowering a multi-hulled boat from and into a body of water, the boat including first and second laterally spaced apart hull structures, the system comprising:
 a) a carrier assembly configured to hold the boat, the carrier assembly including:
 a crossbeam having a length; 
 first and second cradle assemblies spaced apart along the length of the crossbeam and secured to the crossbeam, wherein each of the first and second cradle assemblies is configured to receive a respective one of the first and second hull structures and includes:
 a coupling bracket; and 
 a pair of longitudinally extending runners each secured to the coupling bracket and positioned to receive and support the respective one of the first and second hull structures; 
 wherein the coupling bracket connects and resists lateral separation between the runners; and 
 
   b) a drive system operable to selectively raise and lower the carrier assembly.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1  wherein each coupling bracket is directly secured to the crossbeam. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2  wherein each coupling bracket is bolted to the crossbeam. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1  wherein each coupling bracket has laterally opposed sides and the associated runners are secured to respective ones of the opposed sides such that downward loading on the runners from the supported hull structure applies a tension load across the coupling bracket. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1  wherein each runner includes a bearing surface and the bearing surfaces of each pair of runners define a generally V-shaped trough to receive the respective one of the first and second hull structures. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1  wherein each runner includes a rail having a bearing surface and a bumper on the bearing surface to directly engage the respective one of the first and second hull structures. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1  wherein each runner rests on an upper side of the crossbeam. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1  further including a second crossbeam having a length, wherein:
 the first and second cradle assemblies are spaced apart along the length of the second crossbeam and secured to the second crossbeam, and each include a second coupling bracket that connects and resists lateral separation between the runners thereof; and   the second crossbeam is spaced apart from the first crossbeam along the lengths of the runners.   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8  wherein:
 each first coupling bracket is directly bolted to the first crossbeam and each second coupling bracket is directly bolted to the second crossbeam;   each of the first and second coupling brackets has laterally opposed sides and the associated runners are secured to respective ones of the opposed sides such that downward loading on the runners from the supported hull structure applies a tension load across the coupling bracket;   each runner includes a bearing surface and the bearing surfaces of each pair of runners define a generally V-shaped trough to receive the respective one of the first and second hull structures;   each runner includes a bumper on the bearing surface thereof to directly engage the respective one of the first and second hull structures; and   each runner rests on an upper side of the first crossbeam and an upper side of the second crossbeam.   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the drive system includes:
 a drive motor operable to selectively raise and lower the carrier assembly; and   a linkage between the drive motor and the carrier assembly.   
     
     
         11 . A carrier assembly for use with a drive mechanism for raising and lowering a multi-hulled boat from and into a body of water, the boat including first and second laterally spaced apart hull structures, the carrier assembly configured to hold the boat and comprising:
 a) a crossbeam having a length;   b) first and second cradle assemblies spaced apart along the length of the crossbeam and secured to the crossbeam, wherein each of the first and second cradle assemblies is configured to receive a respective one of the first and second hull structures and includes:
 a coupling bracket; and 
 a pair of longitudinally extending runners each secured to the coupling bracket and positioned to receive and support the respective one of the first and second hull structures; 
 wherein the coupling bracket connects and resists lateral separation between the runners. 
   
     
     
         12 . A method for raising and lowering a multi-hulled boat from and into a body of water, the boat including first and second laterally spaced apart hull structures, the method comprising:
 a) providing a boat lift system including:
 a carrier assembly configured to hold the boat, the carrier assembly including:
 a crossbeam having a length; 
 first and second cradle assemblies spaced apart along the length of the crossbeam and secured to the crossbeam, wherein each of the first and second cradle assemblies is configured to receive a respective one of the first and second hull structures and includes:
 a coupling bracket; and 
 a pair of longitudinally extending runners each secured to the coupling bracket and positioned to receive and support the respective one of the first and second hull structures; 
 wherein the coupling bracket connects and resists lateral separation between the runners; and 
 
 
 a drive system operable to selectively raise and lower the carrier assembly; 
   b) mounting the boat on the carrier assembly with the first and second hull structures seated in the first and second cradle assemblies, respectively; and   c) raising and lowering the carriage assembly, and thereby the boat, with respect to the water using the drive system.