To winterize a dock and boat lift in Southern Illinois, plan for falling water and occasional ice. That means raising and securing the lift, protecting motors and blowers, giving anchor cables room for the winter drawdown, and pulling roll-in docks and loose accessories before the first hard freeze.

Late-fall checklist

1. Clean the lift and dock, and inspect floats, frames and hardware.
2. Raise and secure your boat lift.
3. Cover lift motors and unplug the blower or pump.
4. Clean, dry and store canopy covers.
5. Bring in solar panels or batteries that won’t be maintained, or keep batteries charged.
6. Set cable and chain slack for the winter water level.
7. Pull roll-in docks, stationary lifts and accessories that can’t handle ice or low water.
8. Decide whether you need a de-icer or bubbler.
9. Put a spring check on the calendar.

Plan for winter water levels

Ice here is less constant than up north, but coves, ponds and small lakes can still freeze over. The bigger winter factor on many of our lakes is water level. Lakes like Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley are lowered to a winter pool each fall, and many private and HOA lakes draw down for shoreline work. A dock or lift set for summer water can end up sitting on the bottom or hanging on its anchors.

This is where floating docks earn their keep. Fixed docks sit at set heights, and a change in water level can leave them unusable, while floating docks rise and fall with the lake.

Boat lifts: raise, secure and protect

Floating lifts (Econolift)

Keep a floating lift in the raised position all winter. Don’t leave it hanging in the water. We also recommend tying lines from the boat to the dock even with the lift up, so the boat stays put if the lift loses air.

Before you shut it down for the season, plan on:

• Clearing debris from the float tanks and algae off the tank sides.
• Pressure washing the galvanized frame if you have a washer, and letting everything dry.
• Checking the air hose for bubbles, which point to a leak.
• Opening and closing the hose valves to make sure they work.
• Making sure the boat isn’t pinching any hoses.
• Tightening all lift bolts and checking for loose parts.

Econolift lifts use polyethylene tanks that flex as ice expands and contracts, so cold water and ice don’t damage them. If you’ll be away for a long stretch, close the safety valve on the tank.

Stationary lifts (DAKA)

Stationary lifts stand on the lake bottom, so drawdown and ice affect them differently. Many owners pull them out for winter, especially in shallow water or where ice can push on the legs. Check the manual for your DAKA lift model on whether to remove it, and how to set the cradle if it stays in.

Motors, blowers and solar

Put a cover on the lift motor to keep snow and cold rain out of the internals, and unplug the pump before winter. On any lift, check cords and connections for wear or corrosion and shut off dock power you won’t use.

On DC and solar setups, batteries are the weak point in cold weather. Either keep the battery charged and the panel clear of leaves and snow through the winter, or pull the battery and store it charged somewhere dry. Fall is a good time to replace a worn motor or blower. We carry lift motors, blowers and controls and solar charging and batteries.

Canopies and accessories

Fold canopy covers only after they’re completely dry, and store them somewhere warm and dry, since a damp cover can grow mold and mildew. Bring in furniture, removable ladders and anything that can blow away.

Roll-in docks

Roll-in and stationary docks on shallow water are usually the first to need attention, because a winter drawdown can leave them on dry ground and ice can lift or shift the legs. Pull them before the first hard freeze, store sections off the ground, and check wheels, legs and hardware while they’re out.

Anchoring: give it room to move

When a lake drops, a floating dock needs slack in its cables or chains to drop with it. Too little slack and the dock hangs on its anchors.

Cable anchoring is common in deep water and where levels fluctuate, and pairing cables with winches lets you adjust the dock as conditions change. On pile guides, make sure the guides move freely. Check slack again once the lake hits its low level, and before it refills in spring.

De-icers and bubblers

Most docks on our larger lakes don’t need ice control every winter. In protected coves, ponds and small private lakes that freeze more often, a de-icer or bubbler can keep open water around floats, pilings and lifts. If you run one, check the cord and mount first.

Inspect floats, frames and hardware

We recommend regular inspections for corrosion, algae, loose boards and wear. Look for:

• Floats that sit low, are cracked or waterlogged.
• Cracked welds, bent members or rust on steel frames.
• Loose or missing bolts and connectors.
• Soft, cracked or loose decking.

We also recommend a professional inspection every year, and booking it before winter since crews get busy in spring. Our DockGuard membership is a dock maintenance and inspection program for docks on and around Lake of Egypt that puts that on a regular schedule. If you find bad floats or frame damage, see our dock repair and float replacement services or shop dock floats and hardware.

Spring check

When the lake starts coming back up, reverse the process. Reset cable slack for summer water, reinstall roll-in docks and stationary lifts, reconnect power, run the lift through a full raise and lower cycle with no boat on it, and look over hoses, valves and bunks before the boat goes back on.

Frequently asked questions

Should I leave my boat lift up or down for the winter?

For a floating lift, we recommend keeping it in the raised position all winter rather than letting it hang in the water, and tying the boat to the dock as a backup in case the lift loses air. For a stationary lift, check the manual, since the right position depends on the design and your water level.

Does ice damage a floating boat lift?

Not to the tanks on an Econolift. Its polyethylene tanks flex as ice expands and contracts, so cold water and ice don’t harm them. That covers the tanks, not everything around them. Motors, hoses and the dock itself still need care, and moving ice can stress anchoring and connections. Cover the motor, unplug the pump and check your anchoring before a hard freeze.

Do I need to adjust my dock cables for winter drawdown?

If your lake drops for winter, yes. Cable and chain anchoring needs enough slack to let the dock fall with the water. Too little slack can leave a dock hanging on its anchors, pulling on the frame and connections. Pairing cables with winches lets you adjust a dock as water levels change. Check again once the lake reaches its low level.

When should I take out a roll-in dock in Southern Illinois?

Plan to pull roll-in docks and stationary lifts before the first hard freeze and before your lake’s fall drawdown leaves them on dry ground. On many local lakes that means late fall. Store sections and accessories off the ground in a dry spot, and check wheels, legs and hardware while everything is out of the water.

What does a professional dock and lift inspection cover?

A good inspection looks at floats, frames, welds, decking, hardware, anchoring and lift components such as tanks, hoses, valves, motors and bolts. We recommend a yearly professional inspection, booked before winter, since service crews get busy in spring. On Lake of Egypt, our DockGuard maintenance and inspection membership keeps that on a regular schedule.

Need help getting ready for winter?

We service docks and lifts across Southern Illinois, eastern Missouri, Indiana, Kentucky and Tennessee. Call 618-294-6905 or request a quote for a fall inspection, lift service or repairs.