Anybody use Hewitt lifts?

[MooseKnuckle VI]

I bought a new cantilever lift last year when I got my camp. It's only a 3000lb lift. They sell an "upgrade" kit for pretty cheap that includes double pulleys and a new cable. This will boost the capacity to 3600lbs.

I'm considering a new to me boat in the near future. I'd like to not have to get a new lift. Does anyone use one of these and overload it?

I'm looking at a Grady 208 adventure or something similar and it'll be around 4200lbs I'm thinking with full fuel and gear. It's in a protected area as well, we don't get a ton of wind and almost no waves. I'm ok with replacing a cable every couple years if need be. The lift itself is pretty beefy. It's 3" (I think, might be 4") 1/8" wall thickness square tube with gussets everywhere. I can't imagine 600 measly pounds over weight would crush the thing but I'd sure hate to come up to camp and have a mess.

What say you?

[lost a lure]

Check with Hewitt, but I think the difference between the 3000 lb and 4200 lb is the double pulley system and bracing

[mr 580]

I have a Hewitt lift for my 17 ft Lund. I got it used from a guy who had gone from a 17 ft glass boat to a 21 ft small cuddy. I was told he'd had issue's fitting boat on lift so he bought a bigger lift. Hewitt has been a good lift my boat. I think the bigger lifts have more hull support than the smaller ones and maybe different cable ratios to handle more weight? In the end it worked for me as I got the lift pretty reasonable at the of the season.

[MooseKnuckle VI]

I called Hewitt yesterday and whoever I talked to was no help. Today I talked to a different guy and told him my weights. He said the difference between the 3000 and 4200 lifts are just bigger gussets and pulleys. He said if I do the upgrade kit to get me to 3600, it'll handle it all day long in bad lake conditions. He wouldn't say if it's safe to overload it at the weight I was talking about but did say "we test the crap outta them" and then said he couldnt tell me I could safely overload it.....sort of implying I'd be ok without actually saying so (liability issues of course). I think I'll be ok as long as I'm mindful about what I'm doing and keep the boat light as possible.

[MooseKnuckle VI]

Not that it matters now anyway cause the deal fell through on the boat. Probably will be down this road again shortly