Galvanized Steel Cable

The Galvanized Steel Cable designed for boat lifts is a reliable and durable solution for lifting and securing boats of various sizes. This cable is factory-cut to specific lengths, ensuring convenience and ease of use for boat lift installations. With its exceptional strength, moderate corrosion resistance, and long-lasting ductility, it is the go-to choice for freshwater applications and is widely considered the most commonly used cable for boat lifts.

Strength and Durability:
The Galvanized Steel Cable features a 7 x 19 strand configuration, making it highly resilient and capable of withstanding substantial loads. Its galvanized construction enhances its overall strength, making it a robust choice for lifting heavier boats. When compared to stainless steel cable, galvanized steel cable is renowned for its superior strength, allowing it to handle heavier loads with ease.

Corrosion Resistance:
While the Galvanized Steel Cable provides moderate corrosion resistance, it is important to note that it is best suited for freshwater environments. The galvanized coating acts as a protective barrier against rust and other forms of corrosion, ensuring the cable’s longevity and reliable performance. However, in saltwater applications, stainless steel cable is generally recommended for its enhanced resistance to corrosion.

Ductility and Sheave Compatibility:
One notable feature of the Galvanized Steel Cable is its ability to remain ductile over extended periods, even when running over sheaves. This characteristic is crucial for boat lifts, as the cable needs to flex and move smoothly through pulley systems or sheaves. The cable’s ductility helps prevent excessive wear and ensures consistent operation over time, minimizing the risk of failure and maintenance requirements.

Safety and Rating System:
When determining the appropriate cable size and strength for boat lifts, it is essential to adhere to safety guidelines and industry standards. The American Society for Mechanical Engineers (ASME) recommended safety factor and rating system are commonly used in the boat lift and overhead crane industries. It is crucial to follow these guidelines to ensure safe and reliable lifting operations. Additionally, it is important to note that the breaking strength of a cable should never be used as the sole basis for rating it.

Application and Sizing:
The Galvanized Steel Cable is specifically designed for boat lifts and is the preferred choice for boats in freshwater environments. It is available in various sizes, with the outer diameter being the primary factor in determining the appropriate cable size for a particular boat lift application. To ensure precision and accuracy, the cable is cut in-house at BH-USA, providing you with reliable and professionally tailored lengths.

In conclusion, the Galvanized Steel Cable for boat lifts is a robust, durable, and reliable solution for lifting and securing boats in freshwater applications. Its strength, moderate corrosion resistance, ductility, and adherence to safety standards make it the preferred choice for boat lift installations. However, for saltwater applications, stainless steel cable is recommended for its superior resistance to corrosion. Choose the Galvanized Steel Cable for a dependable and efficient lifting solution for your boat lift needs.

Aircraft Cable

Aircraft cable is specified by the number of strands in the rope times the number of wires in each strand.  “7 x 19” means the rope has seven (7) strands, with 19 wires in each strand. 7×19 is the most flexible aircraft cable construction.

BH-USA recommends 7 x 19 aircraft cables for boat lift applications. Always consider at least a 5:1 safety factor when figuring working loads. Use a minimum of 4 drops when using in boat lift applications. A test certificate for all cables sold by BH-USA is available upon request.

7 x 19 aircraft cable is not suitable for use in aircraft controls. Never lift humans with 7 x 19 aircraft cable.

Safe Working Load vs. Minimum Breaking Strength

It is important to use the Safe Working Load (SWL) of the cable and not the breaking strength when selecting wire rope. The breaking strength is just that… the amount of force a brand-new wire rope can hold in a perfect world where if you put one more pound on it would cause it to SNAP!

Why don’t we use the breaking strength?

The breaking strength of wire rope was tested using a machine that isolates just the wire rope so that the end connections do not affect the overall strength. In the real world, the wire rope is a system of components including the wire rope itself and the end connections working together dynamically which have to bend around sheaves and cable winders and are only as strong as the weakest link. The minimum breaking strength is simply a measure of how much tension the wire rope can withstand in a perfect scenario that does not take into consideration the other factors that reduce the capacity of the wire rope system in a boat lift.

Why is the rating so low?

The Safe Working Load includes a safety factor (SF) to allow for all the things that can happen to wire rope during its useful life that will reduce the breaking strength. The safety factor is a recommendation from the American Society for Mechanical Engineers (ASME) for this type of equipment such that the lift can still safely hold the load when some or all factors working to break the wire rope are present. The safety factor gets “used up” as the wire rope deteriorates effectively lowering the breaking strength. In the next steps, we will determine the loads that each wire rope will be exposed to and then will choose a wire rope size with an SWL rating higher than the maximum loads.