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I'm no expert but I think the issue is having the boat suspended by the lifting eyes for an extended period, not the actual lifting of the boat. Having the weight of the boat concentrated on those three points for a long time would probably cause more stress on the bearing surfaces than they are designed to endure for a long time. I have lifted my Montauk 17 by the lifting eyes a number of times to launch it with no issues at all. I have seen a bow lifting eye "pull through" on a 15 that was hanging from a dock.

Most Whaler tenders I see on larger yachts are 15s and a few 17s usually sitting in cradles on the upper deck and only lifted by the crane or davits when being loaded or unloaded.