Patent ID: 8876429

Claim:
A method for selectively preventing movement of a cradle of a boat lift system, wherein the boat lift system comprises longitudinal supports and a cradle operably moveable upward to a lifted position and downward to a lowered position relative to the longitudinal supports, wherein the cradle comprises a lateral member that is oriented transverse to the longitudinal supports and that extends between adjacent longitudinal supports, and wherein the method comprises: positioning security members relative to the boat lift system such that each security member hangs from a longitudinal support of the boat lift system, wherein each security member is structured to directly hang from one of the longitudinal supports and to operably move along the longitudinal support in a direction transverse to the orientation of the lateral member between an engaged position and a disengaged position while hanging from the longitudinal support, wherein each security member comprises a bracket structured to engage the lateral member to hold the cradle in a secured position when the security member is in the engaged position, and wherein each bracket is disengaged from the cradle when the corresponding security member is in the disengaged position; positioning the cradle in the lowered position; moving a boat onto the cradle; moving the cradle upward from the lowered position to the lifted position; moving each security member along the longitudinal support from the disengaged position to the engaged position; and moving the cradle downward from the lifted position to the secured position, wherein the bracket of each security member holds the cradle in the secured position.