Torch Lake's gravel bottom, wave exposure, and high summer traffic demand a boat lift that's properly sized and correctly anchored. We install vertical, cantilever, and hydraulic lifts on Torch Lake and the full Antrim County Chain — spec'd for your boat, your bottom conditions, and your shoreline.
Torch Lake property owners take their waterfront seriously — and the right boat lift is central to that. Torch's 18-mile length and depth to 285 feet means significant wave action on exposed shores, and a lift that isn't correctly sized and anchored for those conditions will move, fail, or damage your boat.
We install boat lifts throughout the Antrim County Chain of Lakes, including Torch Lake, Clam Lake, Elk Lake, and Intermediate Lake. Each location has different considerations — depth, wave exposure, dock configuration, bottom substrate — and we assess all of them before recommending a lift type and size.
The basic rule: take your boat's total loaded weight (boat + motor + fuel + gear) and add 20% for safety margin. On Torch Lake, where wave action is real and recreational traffic is heavy, we often recommend going to the next capacity tier — a 4,000 lb lift for a boat that loaded weighs 3,200 lbs, for example. A lift operating near its maximum rated load on a high-wave lake wears faster and carries less safety margin than one running at 70–75% capacity.
We also assess water depth, beam width, and how your boat sits in the water before making a recommendation. A lift that's correct for a 22-foot bow rider on calm water may need different specs on Torch Lake's open main lake.
"They assessed our water depth, checked the bottom conditions, measured our boat properly, and recommended a cantilever lift instead of the vertical we were initially thinking. It was the right call for our rocky bottom. Installed perfectly, works great."
"Great Lakes Dock Works installed a hydraulic lift for our pontoon on Clam Lake. They took the time to assess our specific location on the Chain and spec the right product. Lift has been working perfectly through some rough weather. Solid installation."
Torch Lake's gravel and rocky bottom is actually well-suited for cantilever lifts, which don't require bottom anchoring — they extend off the dock itself. For freestanding lifts, we use proper anchor plates and systems designed for hard bottom. Standard soft-bottom anchor screws don't hold well on Torch Lake's substrate, and we spec the correct anchoring approach for each installation.
New boat lift installations in Michigan waters may require a permit under EGLE Part 301 (Inland Lake and Stream Act), depending on size and location. Torch Lake has sensitive shoreline areas, and we recommend confirming permit requirements with Antrim County and EGLE before installation. We can help you understand what typically requires a permit and what doesn't.
The standard rule is to add 20% to your boat's total loaded weight (boat + motor + fuel + gear) when selecting lift capacity. On Torch Lake's exposed open water, we often recommend erring on the higher end of capacity — a lift operating at 90% of rated capacity on a lake with wave activity will wear faster and have less safety margin than one at 70%. Better to size up than to under-specify.
Yes. We install boat lifts alongside existing docks regularly. We assess your dock's configuration, water depth at the proposed lift location, bottom conditions, and boat dimensions, then recommend the right lift type and size. In most cases we can work around your existing dock without requiring significant modification.
Call for a free site assessment and lift recommendation tailored to your location.
Call (231) 227-8885Tell us about your boat and we'll get back to you with recommendations.
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