As one of the Shootout’s most consistent sponsors and supporters over the last 25 years, Poly Lift continues to connect boaters to their docks.
Boat lifts protect vessels from ice in the winter, scum in the summer, and all sorts of elements that seemed designed solely to mar the look and impair the functionality of a boat.
Poly Lift brings decades of experience to dock owners with the understanding that how a boat floats out of the water is as important as how it floats in the water.
Poly Lift, founded in the early 1970s, offers a whole spectrum of services and products: lift repairs, upgrades, and transport, as well as custom-specified lift builds with a range of features.
The company’s core product is simply called Poly Lift. Tried and true, a Poly Lift promises durable construction and superior protection for boats. But a new line of products began rolling off the factory floor five years ago—Roto Lifts.
“It’s our more economical kind of lift, without sacrificing all the quality; it’s still a lot more heavy-duty than a lot of new lifts you see out there,” said Charlie Noland, sales manager for Poly Lifts. “We try to have something for everybody.”
That includes the sale of used lifts as well, but Noland clarified that purchasing a used lift from Poly Lift is not the same as an “as-is” purchase a boat owner might have dug up on the Internet. “We refurbish that lift, we put new arm bolts and bushings, we set it up for the boat,” he explained. “Once we refurbish them, we put a warranty on them, so [the buyer] has some security.”
For many boaters, their lift only sees use on weekend Lake getaways. So a problem with the lift can potentially spell a ruined vacation—wasted time, money, and a major letdown. Poly Lift has service team members available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, for those kinds of situations.
A boat lift company must always be attuned to trends in the boating world, and Nolan said he has noticed a shift over the last several years.
“In the last few years, we’ve seen a lot more people moving to the tri-toons,” he said. “But now it seems like the economy is getting better and better... we’re still doing a lot of lifts for tri-toons, but we’re seeing more and more people that are still loving the sport boats and the bigger boats... we’re doing more performance [boats].”
Overall, the boating trend at the Lake of the Ozarks seems to be on the upswing, and Poly Lift is right in the middle of it.
“Our goals are about 10 percent over last year, and so far we [have been] able to meet and exceed those goals this year.”
Boating on the Lake—whether tri-toons, powerboats, or PWCs—offers excitement and freedom with the engine’s rumble. But when the sun has set, the weekend is over, and the boating season ends, Poly Lift Boat Lifts are at their best, keeping vessels secure and ready for their next voyage.
