The Front Mount Boatlift mounts to the front of your dock with two dock brackets. These brackets hold the front of the frame in place with solid steel circular pivots and allow the back of the boatlift to lower. The two side brackets that are attached to the side of the dock support the lift when it is in the down position. This leaves the boatlift in a slant position with the back of the lift submerged underwater, basically just like a trailer backed down a ramp. You then drive your boat up the lift just like a trailer backed into the water. The polymer cradles hold your boat in place while you let the blower motor raise your boat and steel frame completely out of the water. The side brackets that stop your lift from going down too far are solid steel and mounted to the docks inner frame. When the lift is in the upright position the side brackets which now look like a capital "T," are actually applying up pressure to your dock. With your boatlift locked in the upright position you are virtually adding extra floatation to your dock and combining your boatlift and dock as one. This makes the Front Mount Boatlift the ultimate boatlift for rough water because your boatlift and boat will only move as much as your dock does.