Written in Partnership with Kropf Industrial

May 20, 2025

An open-frame hydraulic boat trailer with adjustable frame width remains the gold standard for boat handling and storage efficiency. Either used on its own to retrieve vessels on a ramp, or in conjunction with a marine lift, hydraulic trailers such as those manufactured by Conolift allow facilities to maximize the utilization of their available vessel storage space.

However, in certain applications or due to constraints such as facilities, budget, or operational factors, there is immense value in using a mobile marine lift to both launch/retrieve vessels and place them directly in their storage locations. In these instances, an adjustable-width marine lift can provide a significant improvement in the efficiency and total capacity of a storage facility. Conolift is pleased to offer adjustable-width marine lifts, alongside its full lineup of trailers and other boat handling equipment.

Typically, a marine lift is designed to suit a facilities new or existing infrastructure, specifically the lift well. It also needs to be suited to the widest beams a facility intends to launch or retrieve with the lift.

However, this means that when handling smaller vessels, or vessels with narrower beams, the width of the lift requires additional space between the vessels. This is where an adjustable-width lift can improve efficiency, by allowing for the frame of the lift to be retracted so the columns are tight to the sides of the vessel.

Admittedly, this is still less efficient than a trailer with an expanding frame, where the trailer frame is adjusted to match the beam of each boat, allowing for vessels to be stored within inches of each other if desired. However, in facilities where the use of a trailer is not feasible, or in applications where the marine lift capacity is greater than the capacity of the hydraulic trailer, a lift with an adjustable-width frame provides significant opportunities to increase storage within the same facility footprint.

Conolift is a division of Kropf Industrial, an established industry leader in boat handling equipment, docks, breakwaters, and other equipment both in Ontario and throughout the world.

https://kropfindustrial.com/conolift/