Airdock

[Rick Mathews]

Does anyone have experience with the Airdock boat lift system? Their website is Here. It seems like an interesting and simpler alternative to other boat lift systems out there. I'm just considering ways to keep the Columbia River weed off our boat for the six months per year it spends in the water.

[Jack O'Brien]

The airdock seems like a good thing. I spoke with them a year or two ago. As with all things "Marine" the price seems high. If I had the place to do it I would enjoy the challenge, and reward, of doing it cheaper. I would probably jury-rig some Rube Goldberg contraption using free 55-gallon drums, scrap pieces of conveyor belting, PVC pipe, plastic hose from Home Depot, bilge pump float switches, etc. Might even use a couple bungie cords to keep Billy happy.

[Norm]

Hi Rick! I've seen quite a few of these with powerboats sittin on them in the Sacramento Delta. Pretty ingenious in it's simplicity. Couldn't find any prices on thier website. I'd be interested too if they aren't too expensive. Norm.

[dclark]

So if the Air Dock keeps the bottom of the boat clean, what keeps the bottom of the Air Dock clean?

[Norm]

So if the Air Dock keeps the bottom of the boat clean, what keeps the bottom of the Air Dock clean?

To me that wouldn't matter much. I'd just let it dry out, fold it up and store it in the garage for the winter if I didn't want to scrub it.

[Rick Mathews]

Their website says that you basically just deflate it, spread it out and scrub it off. A once-per-season scrub sounds easier than the once-per-week scrub with a Dri-Diver that we have to do to keep the scum from getting away from us.

Thanks for the feedback, everyone. I'll look into prices and will plan to post the response.

[dclark]

I dunno. I pay a guy $25/month and maybe an extra cleaning before a long trip. Plus he lets me know how everything looks. Seems pretty cheap especially in terms of what boating things seem to cost.

Then you figure if you spend any long durations in the water you probably need it painted anyway. If for no other reason just for the barrier coat. So it really won't save me there either. It may even hurt the paint keeping it lifted out of the water.

I also spend a lot of time on the boat just in the slip. In all honesty probably twice the time as compared to out sailing. I like the floating feeling. I also like that I can step on to the boat from the dock. So I wonder if being lifted on that thing changes things any.

Just my opinion, but my feeling is that it's expensive and I have a hard time finding a lot of value.

[dclark]

Their website says that you basically just deflate it, spread it out and scrub it off.

I'd be curious to talk to a few people and see how easy that really is. Have you ever seen a inflatable dingy after it's sat in the water a few months? I picture it looking something like that.

[Rick Mathews]

Good points, Dave. I'll certainly consider them. I don't think there is a diver near our marina, and I've never seen one working there, but then again I haven't asked. Apart from the points you raised, we would also have to find out whether marina management would even let us use such a thing. Also, we currently tie up in a row of boats lined up on one side of a long pier. There is not much room to back up, which looks like the only way to get off the airdock. So we are by no means sold on the idea. Just looking for more info.