It’s hard to believe just how hard everything was frozen just a few short days ago. And now the sun is out, the temperatures are much warmer, and everyone has spring and fishing on their minds. So lots of people are now working to get their Lake of the Ozarks docks repaired and ready for warmer weather.
Amazingly, the main channel was completely frozen over. That’s something that apparently hasn’t happened in twenty years. And as we all now know, it wasn’t just the lake that was frozen. Docks were frozen and being twisted, unmoored, and broken all over the lake.
Not only were there docks that were frozen and damaged, but there were several cruisers that sank, as well. These boats weren’t docked on boat lifts and the plumbing froze inside the vessels. But overall, boats that were docked on boat lifts faired well.
Docks Damaged
The thaw has since revealed a lot more dock damage on Lake of the Ozarks, and there is a lot of it. And not only are dock companies being called about damage, so are boat lift companies.
Unfortunately, though Ameren is well aware of the problems and damages to docks, boats, and boat lifts caused by the low lake levels, they are stuck between the proverbial rock and hard place. They are required to maintain water levels both upstream and downstream in order to provide adequate power.
For now, The lake is stable but vulnerable. If we were to get another untimely storm, Ameren could be forced to lower the lake more. They could go as low as 650′.
Lake of the Ozarks Boat Lift Problems
We have heard some reports that along with of local Lake of the Ozarks docks and boats taking damage, some boat lifts have had problems, too. Fortunately, we don’t know of any LOTO Lift products being damaged. Thankfully, LOTO lifts engineers the construction of our lifts to help prevent these kinds of problems.
We are the only company at the Lake that produces a boat lift with a parallel tank design that places the plumbing at the top of the tanks. So, this design differs from some of our competing boat lift manufacturers in the premium lift category who plumb their tanks dangerously close to the waterline.
And that way, when thermal expansion occurs it can loosen or even break the fitting. Additionally, our boat lift construction uses a two-stage epoxy for all of our tank fittings. The epoxy is proven to maintain its characteristics at temperatures down to -67 Fahrenheit.
Additionally, we are also the only company that uses stainless steel splash hardware. This may seem like a relatively insignificant detail. However, when exposed to extreme temperatures like those we saw in February, it performs much better. You can read more about it in this article: Elon Musk shares SpaceX will use a new stainless-steel alloy for Starship.
Boat Lift Repair and Service Needed
Lots of Lake of the Ozarks docks are going to need to be repaired and rebuilt, and probably some boat lifts, too. With spring coming quickly, dock crews will be very busy and so will boat lift repair and service personnel. If you own a LOTO lift boat lift and need any repairs or service, please give us a call right away so we can get it scheduled for you.
Time for a New Boat Lift?
We sincerely hope that you did not have a Lake of the Ozarks dock or boat damaged during this freeze. But if you did, this may be the time to think about buying a boat lift to better protect your vessel.
Perhaps you’re thinking about replacing your lift for a better boat docking convenience this year. Or maybe you have a Lake of the Ozarks boat lift that needs to be relocated? At LOTO Lift, we are pneumatic boat lift specialists, and we can help.
So, whether it’s a new boat lift, a repair, or quality boat lift parts and accessories, we’ve got you covered!
Find supplies and high-quality boat lift replacement parts you need.
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