# US 10,766,581 B2 · Alignment guide for pontoon boat lift > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,766,581 B2 - Document ID: US10766581B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/783,491 - Filed: 2020-02-06 - Published: 2020-06-04 - Granted: 2020-09-08 - Earliest claimed: 2018-08-09 - Applicants: Jon W. Devitt - Inventors: Jon W. Devitt - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10766581B2 ## CPC - B63C 1/10: Centring devices - B63B 1/02: deriving lift mainly from water displacement (B63B1/16 takes precedence) - B63C 5/02: Stagings; Scaffolding; Shores or struts - B63C 15/00: Storing of vessels on land otherwise than by dry-docking - B60P 3/1075: {Guiding means for loading the boat (using rollers B60P3/1066)} - B63B 35/34: Pontoons (floating bridges E01D15/14) - B63B 35/613: with tubular shaped flotation members - B63C: LAUNCHING, HAULING-OUT, OR DRY-DOCKING OF VESSELS; LIFE-SAVING IN WATER; EQUIPMENT FOR DWELLING OR WORKING UNDER WATER; MEANS FOR SALVAGING OR SEARCHING FOR UNDERWATER OBJECTS (floating nets, floating slipways, or the like for recovering aircraft from the water B63B35/52) - B63B: SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; EQUIPMENT FOR SHIPPING (arrangements of vessel ventilation, heating, cooling, or air-conditioning B63J2/00; floating substructures as supports of dredgers or soil-shifting machines E02F9/06) - B60P: VEHICLES ADAPTED FOR LOAD TRANSPORTATION OR TO TRANSPORT, TO CARRY, OR TO COMPRISE SPECIAL LOADS OR OBJECTS (vehicles with special provisions for transporting patients or disabled persons, or their personal conveyances A61G3/00) ## Abstract An alignment guide for a pontoon boat lift that includes a pair of laterally spaced rails, where the spacing corresponds to the spacing between the pontoon floats. The rails are attached to the boat lift by adjustable brackets, so they are positioned at an elevation above the waterline of the pontoon floats, and below the deck that is supported by the floats. A stop bar is positioned at an elevation above the boat motor and extends between rail extensions that are directed downwardly and rearwardly from the spaced rails. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A boat lift for a pontoon boat having a pair of laterally spaced pontoon floats supporting a deck, and a motor operably mounted to a rear portion of the deck and disposed to extend down below the floats, the lift comprising: a frame having a front and a rear; vertically moveable transverse support beams attached at the front and rear of the frame, the support beams being moveable between a lowered position to load, and a raised position to lift the boat out of a body of water; vertical supports operably attached to and extending up from the movable support beams; an alignment guide including a pair of laterally spaced rails, the rails being generally horizontally disposed and spaced apart at a distance corresponding to spacing between the pontoon floats; wherein the rails are operatively attached to the vertical supports and disposed at a selected fixed elevation above a waterline of the pontoon floats and below the deck when the support beams are in a the lowered position, whereby the rails capture and guide the pontoon floats as the pontoon boat advances toward a full forward position on the boat lift, while limiting movement of the pontoon boat with respect to port and starboard; a pair of downwardly directed extensions, each having an upper end and a lower end, wherein the upper end of one of the pair of extensions is attached to one of the pair of rails, and the upper end of another of the pair of extensions is attached to another of the pair of rails; and a stop bar attached to and interconnecting the lower ends of the pair of extensions, wherein the stop bar is disposed at an elevation above a lowermost portion of the boat motor, whereby the boat motor contacts the stop bar when the pontoon boat reaches the full forward position to locate the pontoon boat bow to stern at a desired point on the boat lift. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The lift of claim 1, wherein the extensions are directed downwardly and rearwardly. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The lift of claim 1, wherein the rails have a generally circular cross-section. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The lift of claim 3, wherein the rails are formed of metal. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The lift of claim 4, wherein the metal is aluminum. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The lift of claim 5, wherein the aluminum is enclosed in a polymer casing. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The lift of claim 6, wherein the polymer casing is extruded. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The lift of claim 7, wherein the extruded polymer casing is slid around and onto the aluminum part of the rails. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The lift of claim 8, wherein the polymer extrusion is formed from polyurethane. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The lift of claim 1, wherein the vertical supports are adjustably attached to the moveable support beams, and the rails are thereby positionable at one of several fixed elevations and lateral spacings. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) A method of lifting a specific pontoon boat above a body of water with the boat lift of claim 10, comprising: adjusting the vertical supports so that the rails are disposed at an elevation that is above the waterline of the pontoon floats and below the deck of the pontoon boat and so that the elevation of the stop bar is disposed above the lowermost portion of the boat motor when the support beams are in the lowered position; adjusting the lateral spacing of the rails to correspond to the spacing between the pontoon floats; advancing the pontoon boat toward the front of the frame, and directing the pontoon boat so that floats are positioned outwardly from the rails; advancing the pontoon boat until the lowermost position of the boat motor contacts the stop bar; and raising the support beams to the raised position.