with the floating dock my teammates and I built in college. It was a joint effort between the rowing team and the sailing team, and the dock served the dual purpose very well, was very stable. As far as height goes, you think a kayak sits low in the water, try a rowing shell. Yet our dock worked fine.
We used HDPE (plastic) 55 gallon barrels, used, that had originally held vegetable oil, which we picked up for a song. WAY more environmentally friendly and more durable than styrofoam billets, which will degrade from exposure to UV light, ambient ozone, chronic exposure to even small concentrations of fuel in the water if you're anywhere near a marina or ever plan to use an outboard from your dock, and mechanical wear.
You can adjust the floating height of the dock by adding ballast to the barrels through their bungs.
We Use Jet Dock Jet Dock floats are used along the Hudson River in a number of spots, including the two parks where our kayak shops are located. They work well for kayaks if you flood the outer cubes, so the slot is low enough to the water so you can run up the float for landing. We have ropes rigged to pull yourself the last couple of feet, in case you don’t hit the float with enough speed.
Jet Dock is expensive, and not so easy to get out of the water if your float is very big. The park at Norrie just freezes the dock in for the winter, without harm.
DOCKS TO BUY Check out the whole line of kayak docks, that were built specifically for kayaks - which sit only 7 inches off the water line, at Accudock’s website:http://www.accudock.com/kayaks-docks.html
Only company I know of that made something specifically for kayaks, and can make the height of the dock - whatever you want it.
flotation for a wooden dock In some places (I don’t know about central Michigan), it is illegal to use certain objects for the flotation under a floating dock. Foam blocks will disintegrate into the water over time. Air-filled plastic tanks can get punctured (in NYC we have lots of sharp stuff poking up from the bottom of the river). Some plastic tanks will leach toxins into the water. In NYC, we are required to use foam-filled plastic tanks, and only certain kinds of plastic.
Unrelated point: I have used the modular docks (flexible plastic cubes that bolt together in the shape of your choice). They are a cool concept, but they wobble a lot in response to waves and in response to the weight shift of a person moving around. I would deploy them only for people with good balance.
As for getting down to the float, there are several companies that make ramps specifically for floating docks. Google a bit. They make floating docks, too, of course. Aluminum or wood. There are various issues like where the ramp hits the dock at low and high water and whether the ramp is heavy enough to require more flotation under the dock. Details are on the websites.
Finally, geese and ducks love floating docks. Be prepared for a disgusting dock, or have a hose or other system for washing the dock off.
iROCKER INFLATABLE DOCK
When it comes to water toys, this changes the game. And trust us, we know water toys.
Fish off the side, bask in the heat, yoga under sunsets, or use the inflatable dock as a large swimming pier in the middle of the lake. iROCKER
