Center Console Boats And More

Storing a Flat-Screen TV on a Boat Using a TV Lift Console

Article by Rob Buehl

The definition of a boat: a hole in the water into which you pour money. At least, that is those with “boater-envy” say! In reality, serious boaters – anyone from the owner of cruising sailboat to a luxurious yacht – will agree: there is no place they would rather be than on the water, in their “second home.” So why shouldn’t their boat have all the amenities of their “land” home?

For years, boaters have equipped their vessels with everyday necessities such as washer/dryer units, dishwashers, and ice machines. Serious boaters often have their vessels custom built, so everything from the cockpit (or pilot’s house or fly bridge, depending on the boat and how/where has it designed) to the cabins (bedrooms) to the heads (bathrooms) are specific to the boat owner’s preferences. Basically, it is a “luxury floating condo,” as one avid sailor described it recently!

However, designing for a boat can be significantly more challenging than other venues, for two reasons: Space limitations and safety – specifically, when the boat is under way (moving.)

Enter the TV lift console. Not only is the TV lift an innovative space-saver for the on-board entertainment center, but it is also the safest way to travel the “high seas” with an expensive piece of electronic equipment, like a flat screen TV. Many TV lift systems are now available in fully “marinized” (corrosion-resistant, weather-proofed) materials.

Because the TV lift is designed to “pop up,” using a mechanized, remote control when in use, and “disappear” back into the console for safe storage, it is ideal for the narrow nooks and space constraints of a boat. TV lift consoles can be made with real wood cabinetry, in a variety of colors, grains and motifs. When the TV is not in use, the console blends into the boat’s interior like a beautiful hand-crafted cabinet, befitting the rest of the boat’s custom design.

Within the vessel, options for placement of the TV lift console include customization for the salon (“living room”) of the boat, as well as a cabinet at the foot of the bed.