Kent, Wash. – Sunstream^® Boat Lifts, the leading manufacturer of premium boat lifts and the SwiftShield™ Automatic Boat Cover System, announced today its newest lifting technology, the LiftBar™, has been awarded the 2025 Miami International Boat Show Innovation Award in the Docking and Fendering Equipment category.

Organized by the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) and judged by members of Boating Writers International (BWI), the awards recognize innovative distinction from other products currently being manufactured, benefit to the marine industry and consumers, practicality and cost-effectiveness. The awards were announced during the Discover Boating Miami International Boat Show’s Industry Breakfast, presented by the Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation, held at the Miami Beach Convention Center on February 13, 2025.

The Sunstream LiftBar is a first-of-its-kind boat lift, incorporating a screw jack-based lifting mechanism that is all housed in one tube, to deliver high speed, a hidden structure, no sway, increased reliability and enhanced submergibility. The lack of cable winders eliminates the need for cable-keepers and prevents tangling, and lack of limit switches maximizes reliability. LiftBar can be trickle charged with 110 volts or solar power and no underwater AC power creates a safer waterfront experience and does not require an electrician for installation. Because of its contained design, the lift is submersible which enables it to be installed out of sight at dock level and provides peace-of-mind in extreme environments. 

The entire lifting mechanism of the LiftBar is hidden within a 6- by 7-inch bar with contained hoses and no external powerpack that needs to sit on the dock. The unique regenerative braking feature, which charges the battery when lowering, is another first for boat lifts and also enables batteries small enough to be contained within the bar. The top lid has traction stripes, matching the details of the lifting cradle. A walkable solar lid option is also available. The port and starboard LiftBar mechanisms come pre-assembled for fast and easy installation, and they are ready to bolt on to pilings, to pilings of a fixed dock or to a floating dock by hand without the need for a crane. The lift is controlled by a long-range Bluetooth^Ò transmitter, a control panel, as well as a smartphone app.

“On behalf of all of us at Sunstream, thank you to the NMMA, BWI and judges for selecting the LiftBar for this incredible award,” said Ken Hey, CEO of Sunstream Boat Lifts. “As a team we consistently push to not only build a better boat lift, but to truly innovate and drive the industry to try what has never been achieved to provide boaters with the best. The culmination of this effort is the LiftBar. This revolutionary lift will not only change the customer’s experience but will change the way docks and marinas will be conceptualized well into the future.”

“Sunstream raises the bar for boat lifts again. This time with the LiftBar, a self-contained, 24-volt lift that delivers installation flexibility and reliable operations,” said judge Ben Stein. “LiftBar is pre-assembled and can be installed by two people in just a few hours. A true game changer!”

Available in five sizes LiftBar can accommodate vessels from 8,000 to 32,000 pounds. It is now available in piling lift, fixed dock and fabricated floating dock (concrete, wood and truss) configurations. Plastic modular dock and freestanding portable lift configurations will be released in the near future.

For more information on the Sunstream LiftBar, Sunstream or its complete line of high-quality boat lifts and accessories, please call (253) 395-0500, or visit www.sunstreamboatlifts.com.

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About Sunstream Corp:

Sunstream Corporation, based in Seattle Washington, is the leading portable hydraulic boat lift, hoist, and automatic boat cover system manufacturer in the world. Founded in 1996, Sunstream has been recognized multiple times for their innovation and fast growth. www.sunstreamboatlifts.com