Boat Lifts & PWC Lifts on Lake Martin: Permits and Limits

Boat lifts and PWC lifts on Lake Martin sit in the lakebed, so they fall under Alabama Power's shoreline rules like the dock they're attached to. The guidelines allow up to two PWC floats or lifts without touching your square footage, count a third against the 1,510-square-foot cap, and require a written permit for it. This page covers those rules, what the guidelines don't say about full-size boat lifts, what the winter drawdown means for a lift, and what to ask before buying or moving one.

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A pontoon boat lifted clear of the water under a metal-roofed slip, with two jet skis docked on drive-on floats alongside — A pontoon lifted clear of the water, with two jet skis on drive-on floats alongside.

PWC floats and lifts

Alabama Power's Lake Martin guidelines handle personal watercraft separately from the dock footprint:

"Permittee may be allowed up to two PWC (i.e., personal watercraft) floats or lifts (or one of each)."
"A third or more PWC float or lift counts against the allowable square footage allotment and requires a written permit from Alabama Power."

So two jet ski ports or lifts can sit beside a dock without eating into its 1,510 square feet. A third one has to fit inside that cap and needs its own written permit. If your dock is already near the limit, a third PWC float may not fit at all.

Full-size boat lifts

The residential guidelines we read don't set a separate rule for a boat lift. They set the limits for structures as a whole: 1,510 square feet, 62 feet of total length, and a 15-foot setback from the extended property line. A lift inside an existing permitted slip is a different question from a free-standing lift on new pilings that changes the dock's footprint.

On its permits page, Alabama Power carves out only painting and pressure washing from the lakebed work that could need a permit. Before buying a lift, describe the installation to the Lake Martin Shoreline Management office (256-825-0053) and ask whether it needs a permit and how it counts toward your square footage.

Lifts and the winter drawdown

Lake Martin runs near 491 feet in summer and is lowered to 484 feet by the third week of November, and every six years it has gone lower, to near 481 feet in the 2021 and 2022 drawdown. A lift set for summer pool will have far less water under it in winter. Things to ask about:

How much water is under the lift at 484 feet, and whether the boat should come out before the drawdown.
Whether the lift's legs or cradle will sit on the bottom, and whether that bottom is level and firm.
How the lift is secured if the dock it's attached to floats down with the water.
What to check while the lift is exposed: cables, pulleys, bunks and the frame below the summer waterline.

Alabama Power's 2021 drawdown notice asked owners of water-related equipment to watch the changing conditions and be ready to protect their property. The drawdown page has the details. Removing silt from under a lift is dredging, and the guidelines say "Dredging material from the lakebed must be approved by Alabama Power prior to the removal of any material."

Floats and materials

The Corps of Engineers' general conditions for Alabama Power reservoirs say "All floats (existing and proposed) shall be encased or closed cell," which applies to PWC floats as much as to dock floats. Alabama Power also requires non-reflective materials. Ask what any float or lift you're considering is made of.

What lifts cost

No Lake Martin price for a lift, installed, has turned up in our research. Local reference: [PRICE]. Lift capacity, whether it's free-standing or built into the dock, installation, and any Alabama Power fee all move the number. Ask for a written quote that covers the lift, installation and permit.

Boat lift questions

How many jet ski lifts can I have?

Two, in any mix of floats and lifts, sit outside the square-footage cap. Number three and beyond come out of the 1,510 square feet, and each needs Alabama Power's written permit.

Do I need a permit for a boat lift?

The guidelines have no rule written just for lifts, and nearly any work in the lakebed can call for a permit. Ask the Shoreline Management office about your installation before you buy.

Will my lift work at winter pool?

That depends on the depth at your dock at 484 feet. A contractor can check it while the lake is down.

Getting a lift quote

Call (256) 667-6569 or send a request describing the boat or PWC, your dock, and roughly where on the lake you are. We'll pass it to one independent local contractor who can look at it and price it in writing. The referral costs you nothing.

Sources

Need a lift installed or fixed?

Call or send a request to reach one independent local contractor on Lake Martin. The referral is free.