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STURGEON BAY, WI– Suntex Marina has recently upgraded their marine forklift fleet with the delivery of a Marine Travelift M5200H Hydro M_Drive at both their St. Petersburg and Riviera Beach, Florida locations. These center cab forklifts are the biggest step yet in the evolution of the Hydro M_Drive Series and each detail was meticulously crafted by Marine Travelift engineers and service team who spent weeks in the field observing the marina’s activities and noting enhancements that would further ease operations.

The new M5200H Hydro_M Drive (52,000 lb. equivalent capacity) marine forklifts feature increased maneuverability with a shorter wheelbase and wide stance. The 160” compacted wheelbase minimizes tail swing, which allows the forklift to easily navigate through tighter spaces and improve mobility to maximize Suntex dry stacking facilities.

“We chose Marine Travelift for the track record they have in the industry,” says John Purinton, General Manager at Suntex Marina at St. Petersburg. “The time to raise and lower boats has been significantly reduced with the new M5200H forklift.”

In addition to increased speeds, the M5200H’s center-mounted cab boasts the industry’s largest wide-view mast and features an interactive touchscreen interface which is customizable to display preferred functions such as mast height, engine details, rearview back-up camera and important dashboard gauges. Other enhancements on these particular machines include a Load Moment Indicating system and a fuse monitoring system which notifies the operator of a blown fuse, eliminating the time it would take to check with a meter.

“It has been a privilege being a part of the partnership to get these highly customized M5200H marine forklifts operating in Florida,” says Michael Marchese, Director of Marine Travelift Operations at W.E. Johnson Equipment Company. “Seeing features like the center-mounted cab views firsthand to the tailored features like the slightly tilted cab FOPS to prevent water from coming forward onto the operator, it is a clear realization of the capabilities Marine Travelift has in the marine forklift industry.”

The industry exclusive hydrostatic drive system, which is used on all Marine Travelift forklifts, allows marinas to operate with minimal maintenance over time compared to a conventional transmission.  Some of the other features that help with maintenance time and costs include hoist chains that are armor coated to provide maximum protection against corrosion and a mast lubrication manifold and self-lubrication canister system to automatically supply lubrication to critical grease points.

The intelligent remote diagnostics feature comes standard on all Marine Travelift Hydro M_Drive marine forklifts and is designed to wirelessly transmit machine information directly to a smart phone or tablet.  This allows a trained offsite technician to troubleshoot any issues and upload a new program if needed, all in one session.  Just another feature that saves time and money and is one of the many enhancements designed around sixty plus years of experience in designing, manufacturing and servicing only Marine Travelift boat handling equipment.

The Suntex M5200H Hydro M_Drive marine forklifts are equipped with many unique features to ensure operator comfort and ease of operation. Marine Travelift knows that no two marinas are alike and operator preference and challenges can vary from one site to the next.  With the Hydro M_Drive series marinas are given the ability to select from many innovative custom options and enhancements to create a machine that best fits their needs.

Suntex Marina is headquartered in Dallas, Texas and they are led by executive officers with over 100 years combined experience investing in, acquiring, and managing marinas. Suntex owns and operates 43 marina properties in the United States. Learn more by visiting them on the web at suntex.com or emailing the locations at StPete@suntex.com or Riviera@suntex.com.

For more information about Marine Travelift and its full range of mobile boat hoists, marine forklifts and transporters, call (920) 743-6202, email the sales team at sales@marinetravelift.com or visit www.marinetravelift.com.  Also, be sure to follow them on FacebookInstagram, and LinkedIn for all the latest company updates.

The world’s first mobile boat hoist was conceptualized and manufactured in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin in 1945. Officially established in 1954, Marine Travelift Inc. has a long-standing reputation as a marine industry leader and is recognized for its tradition of excellence on a global scale. The company manufactures mobile boat hoists, marine forklifts, self-propelled transporters and other related marine lifting products. It also has an extensive U.S. and international dealer network, with more than 4,000 units in service worldwide.

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