Boat LiftMaintenance
These checks apply to lifts with manual control, physical limit switches, or an Atlantis Position Sensor (APS). Follow the maintenance schedule from your lift manufacturer and installer as well as the guidance below.
Inspection areas — layout varies by installation
- 1Closed controller enclosure
- 2Cables and pulleys
- 3Cradle and lift structure
- 4Motor covers
- 5Clear travel area
Look from a safe distance with the lift stopped. Keep covers closed and stay out from under the lift.
Safety first
Electrical work is for qualified professionals
Boat lift equipment can contain lethal voltage, even when the controller appears off. Owners should never open the controller, remove covers, touch wiring, or attempt internal repairs. If you see damage, water, smoke, heat, or exposed wiring, keep clear and arrange service. Turn off the labeled user-accessible breaker only if you can reach it safely without approaching the hazard.
Owner inspection
Checks an owner can perform
Start with these checks on every lift, regardless of its stopping system. Do them regularly, after severe weather, and before returning a seasonally unused lift to service. Do not change installation settings to inspect the lift.
Keep the lift in sight
Observe from a safe distance and stop whenever anything looks, sounds, or feels different.
Saw a light pattern or heard an alarm you do not recognize? Look up the pattern. For an APS lift with a position warning or short held movements, read Position Unsure.
- 01Look over the lift structure, cradle, cables, pulleys, and motors from a safe distance. Stop using the lift if anything appears damaged, loose, uneven, or heavily corroded.
- 02Check the outside of the controller for cracks, loose covers, water, corrosion, insects, or heat damage. Do not open the enclosure.
- 03Keep the controller, controls, vents, and surrounding area clean and clear. Do not spray water or cleaning products into electrical equipment.
- 04Check the app for warnings and note any unusual light or sound pattern. Follow the warning guide before testing movement.
- 05Only after the visual checks pass and any warning is resolved, use the manual controls your installer demonstrated. If your lift has AUTO, confirm it is off. With room to move safely in both directions, make a brief held UP and DOWN movement and confirm the lift stops when you release. Stay beside it and keep everyone clear.
- 06Check that UP raises the lift and DOWN lowers it. Stop if movement is backward, uneven, limited, or unexpected, or if a warning appears. Release all controls and contact your installer before moving again.
- 07Listen for grinding, scraping, repeated clicking, or other new sounds during movement.
Match your installed lift
Check the stopping system you have
Follow the matching section below. If you are unsure which system is installed, ask your installer. The Atlantis Boater App Guide shows the different control screens. Do not change Limit Type or enter Service Mode for a routine owner inspection.
No limits: manual control only
This lift has no automatic top or bottom stop. During normal use, release the held control before the lift reaches an unsafe position. The app has no AUTO control, and its dim position graphic is not a height reading. Do not run to the end of travel or wait for the timeout as an owner check.
Qualified service
Have the technician verify held movement, release-to-stop, the installed stop controls, and the saved timeout. Changing the timeout or adding automatic travel is service work.
Physical limit switches
Watch for any change in the normal upper or lower stopping point. The app can show when an end switch is active; it cannot measure height between the ends. A boat shown in the middle does not mean halfway up. Do not travel beyond the usual stop to test a switch.
Qualified service
Have the technician inspect and test both limit switches and stopping points. With AUTO off, held movement must stop on release. With AUTO on, release does not cancel travel; STOP must work. Presets and tap-to-move are not part of this setup.
Atlantis Position Sensor (APS)
During normal use, watch that the app position agrees with the lift and that it stops at the demonstrated limits and presets. If the position looks wrong, a Position Unsure warning appears, or a held move stops after about five seconds, release the control and read the warning. Stop using the lift and ask the installer to check it.
Qualified service
Have the technician check the sensor, its mounting and cable, the position reference, both travel limits, and any saved presets. Do not reset Hardware Zero or save new stopping points just to hide a warning.
With AUTO on, releasing UP or DOWN does not stop automatic travel. Press STOP to cancel it. Keep the lift in sight in every mode, and stop the inspection if anything is unexpected.
Schedule professional service
Arrange service when Atlantis Boater shows Maintenance Due, at the interval required by the lift manufacturer, and any time performance changes. A qualified boat-lift technician should complete the mechanical and control-system inspection; a licensed electrician should handle electrical supply work where required.
Service point 01
Inspect the lift structure, cables, pulleys, motor mounts, fasteners, and guards according to the lift manufacturer’s instructions.
Service point 02
Inspect the controller enclosure, power equipment, grounding, and field wiring using proper lockout and electrical-safety procedures.
Service point 03
Test the controls and stop features actually installed. Follow the matching no-limits, physical-switch, or APS checks above; do not assume every lift has automatic stops or presets.
Service point 04
Confirm the lift starts, stops, and changes direction normally without binding or uneven movement.
Service point 05
Correct water entry, corrosion, loose connections, worn components, or damaged seals before returning the lift to service.
Service point 06
Record the service date, findings, repairs, and the name of the qualified person who completed the work.
Stop-use signals
Stop using the lift and call for service if
- A held manual movement continues after release, or an automatic movement does not stop when STOP is pressed.
- The boat or cradle rises unevenly.
- A cable is frayed, loose, crossed, or winding incorrectly.
- A breaker trips or the controller repeatedly restarts.
- You see water, corrosion, heat damage, smoke, or exposed wiring.
- A warning returns or a safety feature does not work as expected.
Arrange qualified service
Include the lift location, controller serial number, photos of visible conditions, and the exact app message or light pattern. Do not open the controller to gather information.
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