Docking it

Six inch high private dock? Nice!

And if the water level drops you can always get one of these:

@Otterway - pictures are always better!

It was 63F for a high here today, the coolest day we have had in a while as it has been around 80 and humid for a few weeks. I’ve got the space heater on now! (I’m in St Pete, FL)

Yeah, you need a space heater.

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Glad to hear a fisherman can get some income out of that eagle. I have been getting photos from a friend who lives quite close to where the eagle is hanging out, or at least was last week. Pretty nice New Year’s surprise for locals.

Floating dock…with dog ramp and 4 ft of "tide " allowance movement

You can launch in the slip.

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nice low floater! Our dock has higher floats alas.

I wanted to build one of them on my daughter’s new waterfront property. Maryland Environmental Agency won’t approve expanding permanent docks over a certain sq footage, because it blocks sunlight to the seaweed. Just when I was looking for a mower to cut the stuff. It has to be removable. But I have a plan. It’ll just take more time to build.

Go for it. Our dock system cannot stay in place during the winter. Its some 75 feet long with three arms each 20 feet in length. Made of PT wood it is heavy. A winch system and a frontloader make deploying it in and out just an afternoon job and no one has to get wet. April water temps are just above freezing and Oct temps in the 40s … We used to manhandle it with people in wetsuits but was just too cold.

Zoning regs prohibit permanent structures within 100 feet of the shoreline and prohibit cutting of vegetation too… but dock dragging helps that.

My Mn. ice country relatives have metal docks that go in and out. Ice in winter destroys docks.

THAT is another reason I live in Florida. Of course don’t feel to envious. I have $$$ of repair work to do on one of the docks. Florida weather can be real hard on wood.

At the canoe clubs we pit in one of these hc docks on the club floating dock.

It gets a lot of use. However with my longer boats including the canoe in that photo I prefer dropping it in next to the big floater.

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You took the words out of my mouth. I think the key is that it’s portable and not permanently in place. It’s like a shed on a concrete pad is permanent, but one on block (ar an approved height to discourage pests from setting up hime) is temporary, whether you move it or not. Lakes and ponds that don’t move are easy, but tidal is challenging. Winds that are roughly Southern empty the bay and Northern winds load it, then storms. We can find water levels stopping at the end of the pier or six inches over it. I can imagine the extremes in Maine. It will be solved!


In some of the lakes in the Adirondacks ice and changing water levels can severely damage docks Some people use prefab aluminum docks that are hinged at the shoreline and can be winched up like a drawbridge. They have legs that rest on the bottom when deployed.

Understand and agree; actually most probably have a fair amount of natural variation.

Grab a book full of knots, 98% of them you’ll never need. 2% of them you’ll tie constantly. Once you can tie your own rigging you’ll be golden.

Check out this link for exiting your kayak from a dock…

That’s easy for a youngster like him, by the way, nice name 123456789, but how do you remember all those numbers. Actually, I think I could get in that way, but getting out might be a bit troublesome.

That does give me an idea that is far easier than I planned. Once I work it out, I’ll post it. Much appreciated. I need some support bars due to limited range from shoulder injury.

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There is nothing I can say about kayaks that won’t get me into trouble here.

I put a two-wheeled canoe transport cart into the canoe with me so that it is much more manageable for a one person portage. I haven’t encountered a dock which did not have a cleat. In my area it is not a completed dock until you have attached at least one cleat.

The game changer can be docks set up for sculls, which are common around here. Once those extensions are added on, access to the part that may have cleats can be tightened up a great deal so that anyone in a paddle boat is mostly in the way of incoming motor boats.

If the main ramp area is loaded up with motor boats and all I have is those dratted rubber cubes, I go with the flopped fish approach. Get out of the kayak or canoe any way you can so that a useful part of your upper body is laying on them. Best to bring a line along with you to the boat, in case you end up pushing it away in the process.

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Floating modular dock cubes have become very popular because they are easy to assemble, easily modifies, and relatively cheap. However when installed for public use by the state or county they often have absolutely nothing to hold on to. They are usually designed for boats and canoes and are typically up to 1½’ above the water, which can make them difficult to get out on for a sit-in kayak and offer nothing to tie up to.

Yes, I’ve tried that and seen others do it to. Not elegant :rofl:

BTW, I think most around here are plastic.

At least they’re preferable to a “too high” dock, i.e. anything higher that about this: https://smallboatsmonthly.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Rideau3249web.jpg