I hope I'm in the right area for this posts......
Having a dock built. Do you use the lifting straps for your boats? I've never had any experence with these type of systems.
Pros and Cons on the straps...for a bass boat
Any advice would be helpfull...Thanks in advance.

A cradle will provide better support for your hull and there is a smaller chance of distortion of the hull.

Straps will give you more clearance when the lake is down.

How much water do you have under your dock now, that would make the decision for me.

Not sure... built a home on Cedar Creek lake up on the north end, which is the swallow end. the lakes at full pool, so i think its around 7 to 8 feet of water. I've been told that you loss aroudn 1 1/2 foot by using a cradle? I was wandering about hull support with straps. I plan on if the lake gets so low that I would pull my boat out and trailer to ramp. plus it would be on the straps year round. Until the wife retires, I'll be pulling the boat back home for summer months back here in Illinois. Thanks for yhe input.

i built a mirror image of my trailer less the tounge for mine , i dont like the stresses put on the hull by straps

Thanks, thats what i needed to know. never used and didnt think i want the boat hanging on straps, but didnt know anything about them.

Correct on the trailer cradle, I built exactly the trailer with longer bunks for both boat and toon. I had them make it not so tall, I have seen some built so tall it would take 3' of water just to float the boat off the cradle. Mine only takes about 1'. I have seen the straps or slings, dont like the pressure they put on the boat, and have heard some horror storys. IMO I guess it all depends what type of boat you have and what you want. Go to Groom and Son in Mabank, they have American made products !!

Thanks for the info on Groom and son....will check out. Thats what i'd heard that it takes 3 foot of water for a cradle, didn't know if that was true. Look like, as you stated, depends on the height of your cradle.

I am assuming you submitted your plans to the Tarrant County Water board and obtained a permit before beginning construction? They are very picky about lifts and boat houses on CC. Just a heads up.

As for slings, they are ok if you maintain them and dont use the little cheap ones. They need swapping out from time to time.

Yes, been approved. The slings he showed me are around 8 inches wide I think.

My buddy hangs a Nautic Star center console with slings about that size. Has used them for 5 years now. On the other hand, after advising a neighbor on CC NOT to use her rotted slings several years ago, she learned the hard way.

She used them anyway, big storm, 6 foot waves ( oh yeah...they get that high on upper CC at times) the sling busted, boat went down, hanging by the launch rope which was tied off. 2 days later I bought the entire rig for $200. It sat underwater for 2 days. ( old boat).

Straps work im pretty sure just drive around and see what most people have...

It appears to me most docks have the sling straps....I just wasnt sure what they may due to the boat, stress on hull, leaving marks and so on....heard stories, just looking for suggestions or someones experence with them.

My dad hung boats from slings in his boat house for 30 years at Murvaul with no issues at all.

Is Stroud building your lift? ( assuming he's still building them). He can tell you.

I hung my runabout in a sling the first weekend I bought my house then noticed I couldnt close the walk though window because of the pinch it put on the hull. That was the last time the boat went in the sling. Had a low profile cradle built.