Page 26 - Dockside Magazine Muskoka, Summer/Fall 2018

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Gas motor powers lift for remote locales
THE GRID
enjoy different views; there are safety-designed trip switches to ensure the lift automatically stops at the top and bottom; and it can be built to your property’s specifications.
“We’ve even designed baffles to push the sound of the motor away from the lift seating area,” says Alvin. “It is louder than
an electric lift, but the sound is reduced with our design.”
Alvin has more than 25
years in the lift business. He has come up with mobility solutions for a wide array of clientele and can design a lift to fit any property, from basic lifts along a gentle incline to those requiring 180-feet of track on a steep rocky slope, Cottage Lifts has met the needs of their clients.
“And with the gas-powered lift, we can provide accessibility to even more cottage and homeowners,” says Alvin. “Just like the electric lifts, these can carry between 500 and 1000 pounds per trip.”
Elevated properties reap huge rewards from installing a lift. It’s not only about convenience. They provide greater accessibility for cottagers and guests, especially those with limited mobility.
“It also adds resale value to your property,” says Alvin. “Not everyone can climb stairs, so a quality lift opens
up the market to a larger group of buyers.”
Alvin’s team has installed lifts throughout Muskoka, Simcoe and Georgian Bay. They’ve even made it to the Smoky Mountains of Georgia and the Finger Lakes of New York. Cottage Lifts provides a 10-year warranty on all weldments and installation, as well as providing emergency service as required.
“We will work with you to design and install the perfect lift for your property,” says Alvin. DS
BY CHRIS OCCHIUZZI
Lifts are a perfect way to access sloped properties, but they do have one
limitation: they are run on electricity, making them inappropriate for sites without electric power or those on typical solar systems.
Cottage Lifts owner Alvin Allen has come up with a solution:
a gasoline-powered motor providing power for the lift.
“An electric motor requires three times the working amps of a gas motor to get
going,” Alvin explains. “It’s more than most cottage solar power systems can handle – especially if they have a big property to provide energy to.”
Using a small motor as a prototype, Alvin created a gas- powered lift. The motor starts with the turn of a key, and is operated using the same type of control panel as an electric lift.
Other than the power source, all the features are the same as an electric lift. You can press pause at any point on the trip to
PHOTOGRAPHY BY SCOTT TURNBULL
COTTAGE LIFTS ENTERPRISES
705-644-1011 • info@cottagelifts.com www.CottageLifts.com
Alvin Allen, Owner of Cottage Lifts Enterprises