[knothead]

Do any of you have any ideas on how best to secure my boat on the lift in a blow?
This last year we decided to have a lift installed for our Nor'Sea 27'. The lift is well built and is rated at 16,000lbs. The Boat weighs considerably less than that.
My problem is that the company who built the thing seems to be one of those companies that once they recieve payment would just as soon forget that you exist. I've emailed questions to them a number of times only to be assiduously ignored.
What I'm wondering is if when it starts blowing, should I lift the boat as high as I can so that I don't have to worry about storm surge. Or should it be just high enough to keep it from floating to keep the wind from having as much effect on her. I worry that the power may be out when the storm reaches it's height and I won't be able to do anything.
The lift is on four pilings and even in a moderate breeze the boat swings around quite a bit. The pilings even move. I wonder it I should try to tie the pilings to trees or anchors or something.
I love not having to scrape the prop everytime I want to go sailing not to mention no dock lines, fenders or chafe on the rub rail. It's nice not having to worry when I'm out of town and a little squall blows through but just last week the Tampa Tribune ran an article about boats in hurricanes and it mentioned that boats on lifts usually do not survive very well. I think they were mostly refering to power boats but I thought I would get your well respected thoughts on the matter.
thanks in advance, Steve