Model: Island Lift, 4-Person 2-Pitch (750-pound capacity)
Track: 100’: 46' at 14°, 8’ in the curve, and 46’ at 37°
Area: Lake Muskoka
Year: 2013
This water-access-only cottage is 40’ above and 100’ back from the water and the hill was becoming a barrier for the owners and their guests. The old crib dock was another 200’ from the cottage and badly in need of repair.
There was no good 1-pitch route to the old dock or anywhere along the waterfront, but there was an excellent 2-pitch run from the side yard at the top to a small cove that was ideal for a new dock.
The very simple upper station sits off to the side in a corner of the cottage's front garden, inconspicuous but easy to access.
The track as seen from the path that circles the island. We set the track 8’ over the path so that the lift would not interfere with the islanders who walk the path daily.
Another view of the track; the motor house cover is underneath the track.
We built the track from the top down to meet the new dock. The track is almost invisible from the water, unless you are close it just looks like a 5' wide gap in the trees at the waterline.
We laid out the track line with Greg Robinson of GR Construction in late 2012, getting to the island by snowmobile. His crew built the dock during the winter and we built the lift to the dock in the spring.
One interesting challenge with this lift: the track had to cross an island walkway that is used regularly by the islanders as a regular walk. To ensure it didn’t interfere with them we made the top section flatter (14°) and the lower section steeper (37°) to keep the track about 8' over the walkway and well out of the way.
The new dock and lift will enable the owners and their guests to enjoy this island cottage for years to come.
The owner loves it: “I no longer worry about how many trips up and down the hill my guests and I will need to make. It’s wonderful.”