In the saltwater environment, marine grade aluminum (6061-T6) offers a greatly increased life expectancy when compared to galvanized steel. When aluminum boat lifts were first introduced, the primary drawback to aluminum was cost. The large structural shapes needed were hard to obtain, increasing boat lift costs. As structural aluminum became more common, the aluminum boat lift cost decreased, and is now similar to the price of galvanized lifts. Also, the lightweight properties of aluminum allow the contractors to sometimes install IMM Quality’s boat lifts without a barge or crane, significantly lowering installation costs. Today, there is really no reason to purchase a galvanized boat lift.