May 7, 2018
DOCK INSTALL SEASON HAS RETURNED. Finally!
Dock install season usually starts around April 1 each year. We have a limited number of days available to complete the work with an April 1 start date.
Even then, we can only install selective sites due to ice conditions, but at least we can get a start. This year was abnormally cold, and the ice would not loosen its grip. Even the inland lakes remained frozen. The ice only allowed less than a handful of installs between the April 1st and the 17th.
However, that is just the beginning. To add to the problem, the saturated ground caused by the rapidly melting snow AND almost daily nighttime rain is making the situation worse. The wet ground means our machines cannot enter many properties without significant damage. Our crews have had to walk away from jobs due to standing water until it dries out.
We encountered numerous ice shoves which have to melt away also.
On April 17th we had to stop the installs completely. An unusually late blizzard hit the Door County Peninsula with 30” of new snow and freezing temperatures. These conditions kept the ice in place until the end of April.
The dock install business has resumed as of April 30th.
All crews are working six days a week to try to make up for lost time. Our new machine is also operational. We are actively recruiting employees, but the economy is very hot in the area. Unemployment is at record lows which makes recruitment very difficult.
We ask for patience as we try to work through a tough year. Everyone is in the same predicament.
Where can you find Pier & Waterfront Solutions?
We are located in the center of the Door County Peninsula at 7325 St. Hwy 42/57. That’s 1 mile North of County MM (Hwy 42) and 3 miles South of Sturgeon Bay. Look for the Idlewild Road intersection.
Our staff is always ready to serve your needs year round.
Don’t forget – Give us a call If you have a dock or boatlift topic you would like to see addressed on our site,
Call Jerry at 920-493-4404 or Email Jerry@wisconsinpws.com for more information.
May 1, 2018
Decking for your dock is a critical choice
With all the materials available today for your dock – your decking choice is the most important decision you will make.
Cleaning wood decking
At one time, cedar or treated wood were your only choices. It wasn’t long before people realized the
maintenance for a wood deck took time away from enjoying their summer.
As simple as cleaning a deck may sound, it takes time each year. Even painted, or stained and sealed wood requires maintenance. The costs and inconvenience mount up quickly.
In addition, a wood deck gets uncomfortably hot on sunny days. It also traps the dirt on its flat surface. This dirt needs to be washed off to prevent mold from forming.
Then, along came a better choice!
ShoreMaster Aluminum Decking
Aluminum
Aluminum cuts down the maintenance considerably. It solves the problem of painting or staining and sealing the wood. It only requires minimal washing to keep its appearance. No pressure washing or cleaners needed.
Plus, it does not get hot in the prolonged heat of the summer. It dissipates the heat quickly.
Are there problems with aluminum?
Despite those advantages, aluminum does make noise when walked on. You can correct this issue by applying a custom tape to the frame.
Additionally, like wood, it comes in a “board” form only. Why is that important?
Standard practice is to install a dock high enough above the water to keep waves from reaching the deck. Many times a storm will send waves crashing against the bottom of the deck or worse yet, over it.
With only a 3% opening between the boards, this puts virtually all of the wave pressure directly on the deck.
With a deck bolted to the frame, the pressure from the waves goes directly to the frame structure. In many cases, this results in the entire dock twisting or flipping over no matter how massive the dock is.
There had to be a solution for this problem.
So what’s the Solution?
Plastic.
“Flow-Through” Decking
But not just any plastic. Flow-Through decking from ShoreMaster.
It’s also important to understand that not all plastic decking is an actual plastic deck. Some people refer to a composite deck as plastic decking. That is NOT the case.
If the plastic contains wood fibers, it will eventually swell with moisture, despite the fibers being “encapsulated” in plastic. The plastic will wear off the surface and expose the fibers.
You must also understand that there are two basic styles of plastic decking:
1. The “board” style (similar to wood boards); and
2. “open” panels. (perforated panels)
Here’s why that’s important.
The board style has the same problems that wood decking has but without the maintenance required on wood.
The “open” style eliminates the build-up of water on the panels. It self-drains” and cleans itself everytime it rains. It cleans itself without the moisture buildup on the panels. You just have removed one of (3) ingredients for mold and mildew to form.
There are numerous reasons that plastic is the best choice for decking including:
• It’s lightweight;
• Available in many colors and patterns;
• Eliminates the need to clean the decking;
• It can be mounted to the frame with a breakaway clip (recommended) or screwed down;
• It’s cool in the summer heat; and
• Most importantly, it has a 43% open surface.
The open surface allows the water to pass through the decking. These openings relieve the pressure on the dock when a wave hits it, unlike other decks.
In conclusion, if you want the BEST decking for your dock – look for
Flow-Through decking.
Where can you find Flow-Through decking?
At Pier and Waterfront Solutions, of course.
PWS is located at 7325 St. Hwy 42/57. That’s 1 mile North of County MM (Hwy 42) and 3 miles South of Sturgeon Bay. Look for the Idlewild Road intersection. Our staff is ready to assist year round.
Don’t forget – Give us a call If you want to see an issue discussed on our site.
Call Jerry at 920-493-4404 or Email Jerry@wisconsinpws.com with any questions.
Apr 17, 2018
Ice Shoves have stalled the Spring Install Season
Ice shoves have stalled the Spring Install season.
Mother Nature has proven to be a real challenge in 2018. PWS was able to complete a few installs when winter returned with a vengeance!
Instead of a beautiful Wisconsin Spring as we had the last couple of years, the Door County peninsula got 10″ of wet, heavy snow. These events were followed by temperatures near freezing and even MORE snow!
Instead of this:
Relaxing on the dock
We see this:
2018 Ice Shove on Sun & Surf
LOOKING BACK
In 2016 we saw a few ice shoves like this:
Spring 2016 Ice Shove
Then, in 2017 we saw this:
Spring – 2017 Ice Shove
TODAY – we see the SAME boat house with an even bigger ice shove.
2018 Arrowhead Beach – Crushing a boathouse
It did not fare well as you can see.
2018 Crushed boathouse on Arrowhead Beach
The ice has heavily damaged this home even though there was a seawall and more than 100 feet between the house and shoreline. We won’t even talk about the trees and seawall damage occurring all along this stretch.
Ice shove lifting a deck and crushing a house
Ice shoves, caused by strong winds, are damaging sea walls and landscaping, That is not to mention, the docks and lift equipment stored on shore. The ice shoves are happening up and down the peninsula. See our previous article if you are not familiar with this phenomena. https://wisconsinpws.com/ice-shove/
What to expect in 2018
IF and WHEN the weather improves, the forecast for this year is to have up to an additional 10″ of water depth. There is still lots of snow in Northern Wisconsin and more coming. The snow will eventually melt and the Spring rains will come. (If we even have a Spring)
As of this publication date, the inland lakes and Bay of Green Bay are locked in ice. More near zero temperatures and heavy snow are in the forecast.
Is PWS ready?
Our trucks, trailers and All Terrain Forklifts are ready to go. Even our crews are getting anxious to start. They have a lot of work to do and not much time to do it. Even with additional crews and overtime, it is a real challenge this year.
Everybody is waiting for the ice to go out and stay out. Some areas open up in the morning. Then, later in the day the wind shifts and the ice comes back in the same location.
Bear with us and we will keep you informed in future posts.
Where can you find Pier & Waterfront Solutions?
We are located in the center of the Door County Peninsula at 7325 St. Hwy 42/57. That’s 1 mile North of County MM (Hwy 42) and 3 miles South of Sturgeon Bay. Look for the Idlewild Road intersection.
Our staff is always ready to serve your needs.
Don’t forget – Give us a call If you have a dock or boatlift topic you would like to see addressed on our site,
Call Jerry at 920-493-4404 or Email Jerry@wisconsinpws.com for more information.
Apr 3, 2018
The 2018 install season in Door County has begun!
Yes, the 2018 install season has begun in Door County. Actually, we started delivering equipment and did some installs a week ago in certain areas. As more areas open up we will gain access to them. We will be expanding into more areas as weather permits. We’ve all been looking forward to this. What part will Nature play in the schedule?
Nature will probably throw a few curves at us (snow, wind, rain to name a few) but we will continue with our work. As most of you know we have added a third ATF, truck and trailer setup. We’ve also added additional crews to assist us with our growing customer base this year.
What changes have been made this season?
In early March we sent out an email announcing the addition of John Englebert as our new Service Manager and Scheduler. We encourage you to contact John @ 920-495-2860 or john@wisconsinpws.com with scheduling requests and questions.
John has been doing an excellent job of accommodating requests so far. As the season progresses the schedules will get tighter but John always seems to find a way to make it work (if Nature co-operates).
What we look forward to
No more of this
Looking for something new this year? Call Jerry or Dave. Have a repair that needs attention? Call John to schedule it!
Where can you find Pier & Waterfront Solutions?
We are located in the center of the Door County Peninsula at 7325 St. Hwy 42/57. That’s 1 mile North of County MM (Hwy 42) and 3 miles South of Sturgeon Bay. Look for the Idlewild Road intersection.
Our staff is always ready to serve your needs year round.
Don’t forget – Give us a call If you have a dock or boatlift topic you would like to see addressed on our site,
Call Jerry at 920-493-4404 or Email Jerry@wisconsinpws.com for more information.
Mar 13, 2018
Boatlift Cable Maintenance (Revisited)
Boatlift cables, properly maintained, will keep your boatlift functioning the way it is meant to operate. Perform a visual inspection of all cables, especially on the winch, on a regular basis.
The most frequent cause of issues with a boatlift involves a problem with the cables resulting from:
- Misalignment;
- Chafing (fraying);
- Corrosion (rust);
- Overloading;
- Improper Drum Winding; or
- Boatlift cables without tension
Properly wound boatlift cable
Properly wound Boatlift cable
Cables must wind tightly and neatly on the winch drum as shown here.
Boatlift Cable improperly wound on the drum
Without tension on a cable, the cable unravels on the drum. The unraveling of the cable is like a “backlash” on a fishing reel. Re-winding the cable results in the cable winding against the side of the pulley drum. A loose winding of the cables allows an excess gap between the cable windings on the drum.
Boatlift Cable Backlash
Boatlift cable backlash
When loose cables are re-tightened on the winch drum, they become flat, snagged or tangled. The result is uneven wear and damaged strands.
What if I experience a backlash?
Caution: Whenever a cable becomes jammed, there may have been an overrun (backlash) on the drum. DO NOT use your hands to repair the problem. People have lost fingers when a cable snaps back onto a winch drum.
Caution: If you are attempting to re-align the cables on the drum make sure to wear leather gloves and keep tension on the cable at all times. Keep your hand at least 12” from the winch. Broken cable strands cause painful cuts and punctures in your hands.
When you experience a backlash, lower the boat into the water to prevent the cables from interleaving on the drum.
Never use bare fingers to align the cables. As always, carefully handle the cable to avoid breakage of the wire strands.
Never use pliers to hold tension on the cable as this will damage individual strands on the cable.
Next, unwind the cable while keeping tension on it, until you see the bottom layer on the drum. Re-wrap the cable, under pressure, in even layers. Be sure to close any gaps between the cables on the winch drum.
Finally, it is time to return your boat to the lift to raise it making sure the cable continues to wind smoothly.
If the problem persists, call your lift dealer.
Don’t forget about cable “memory.
“Memory” allows the cable to plays out and rewind onto the drum in a neat pattern. The cable must wind in a set pattern. Loose that “memory” and misalignment occurs which will cause the cable to wind against the side of the winch drum.
This misaligned cable will drop off the “stack” and cause a loud, violent sound as it drops back onto the lower winding.
The cable must remain under tension at all times to prevent the cable from interleafing with the windings in a lower layer.
What is Boatlift Cable Chafe?
Frayed Boat Lift Cable
“Chafe” are those fine broken strands that cut your hands or catch your clothes when you slide your hands along the cable.
Chafe often results from faulty sheave alignment or improper drum winding. Lower a boatlift rack without any weight on it and the result will be a “backlash.” The backlash could result in additional damage to the cables.
Note: A lightweight jet ski rack may not go down as you unwind the cable with no weight on the lift rack. Be aware of this situation and try to keep constant tension on the cable at all times.
Boatlift Cable Corrosion
Corrosion presents a significant problem for galvanized cables. When the protective layer of galvanizing wears through, corrosion will begin. Corrosion may not always be visible to the naked eye. The first time you become aware of the corrosion may be when the cable breaks.
Corroded & Frayed Boatlift Cable
Corrosion may also occur inside the cable with little or no external evidence of damage.
Any cable showing external signs of rust or corrosion needs replacement.
Overloading and Boat Positioning
Make sure your boat is positioned correctly on the lift. If it’s not far enough forward, it will put excessive weight on the rear cables and the frame structure. The boat is also prone to washing off the lift in a storm from wave action.
Too far forward may damage the lower motor assembly or break the front cables due to excess weight.
In general, a boat has most of its weight at the stern. As a result, the stern should be about 12″ – 18″ from the lift rack. This position distributes the weight evenly across the lift rack and prevents overloading the cable system.
What Cable Maintenance am I able to perform myself?
A visual inspection of the cables needs to occur on a regular basis. It is helpful to do this when the lift rack is in its lowest position. In this situation, most of the cable is available for inspection. Look for chafing, corrosion or flat cable especially near the winch box.
Don’t forget – do this inspection with leather gloves on to protect your hands. At the beginning of the boating season, be sure to apply a short burst of penetrating oil to the top of the cables wrapped on the winch drum. The penetrating oil will work its way down the cable as needed.
Boatlift Cable Lubricant
Boat Lift Cable Lubricant
Do not be afraid to do it more often during the summer months, if you use the boatlift a lot.
Never apply grease to the cables. Grease prevents the moisture from escaping the cable and winch drum. Most quality lifts use Stainless Steel cables for a majority of cables and (1) galvanized cable as the winch cable. Trapping moisture in the cables causes them to corrode faster.
To summarize, take care of your cables, and they will last for years.
Where can you find Pier & Waterfront Solutions?
We are located in the center of the Door County Peninsula at 7325 St. Hwy 42/57. That’s 1 mile North of County MM (Hwy 42) and 3 miles South of Sturgeon Bay. Look for the Idlewild Road intersection.
Our staff is always ready to serve your needs.
Don’t forget – Give us a call If you have a dock or boatlift topic you would like to see addressed on our site,
Call Jerry at 920-493-4404 or Email Jerry@wisconsinpws.com for more information.
