Do I REALLY need to use a dock anchor or auger? First-time dock owners in Door County ask this question all the time. Their concerns are valid – no one wants the extra work or cost if it isn’t needed.
First, let me say that on most inland lakes on the Door County peninsula it is not necessary to install an auger or anchor. Except for Lake Winnebago, the inland lakes generally are not deep enough or wide enough to be of concern. Without an open expanse, the waves typically do not present a problem. That statement is contingent on you having the dock set at the proper height.
WHAT SHOULD FIRST-TIME DOCK OWNERS LOOK FOR?
For new dock owners, we recommend you look around your area. How high are the docks set? Experience is a great teacher.
If a majority of the piers are set “low” to the water, it’s probably safe for you to do the same.
Here’s a great way to meet your neighbors. Most people want to help. Don’t be surprised if the name – Pier & Waterfront Solutions comes up in the conversation as the place to go.
In general, if the summer storms reach a height of 36 inches, then the bottom of the frame should be at least 38-42 inches above the water. This height allows the vast majority of the waves in a storm to pass under the dock frames.
WHO NEEDS TO ANCHOR A DOCK?
Summer thunderstorms kick up 4-6 waves on the bay of Green Bay with little warning. It’s no wonder that people use augers to anchor their docks.
One method to secure your dock is to pound pipe legs into the gravel or sand. This takes a toll on your back (or your friend’s back if you were smart enough to recruit help).
Not the best idea. Besides, you have to figure out a way to get the pipes out in the fall. You can’t pound UP!
This method is ineffective in most cases. A wave pounding against the bottom of the decking will lift the dock straight up. Once the leg is pulled out, the dock usually will twist or roll-over due to the continuous pounding from the waves.
WHAT OTHER OPTIONS DO I HAVE?
The recommended option is to use augers in critical locations. One way to do this: the husband holds the dock frame up (he’s strong you know). Meanwhile, his wife uses a pipe wrench to screw the auger pipes into the bottom. This is hardly a recipe for marital harmony either. We DO NOT recommend this procedure.
auger pipe
On a calm day, the only part of the pier that is in the water is the support pipes (legs). The legs have a low surface area in comparison to the entire dock. Waves easily pass around the legs with little resistance.
Minimal resistance is the key to securing your dock.
WHAT TYPE OF DECKING YOU USE IS IMPORTANT?
Most decking has an almost solid surface. As a result, there is no place for the water to relieve the pressure when it hits the dock. In a vast majority of decking, there are only a few 1/2″ openings in the decking. Waves hitting the underside of your dock have no way to reduce the pressure on the pier. This will cause an upward movement.
Typical Plastic decking
What’s the best decking with the least resistance to waves?
Open decking
Flow Through decking provides the least resistance to the waves by reducing the surface area by 42%
Our advice is to assess the worst case scenario for wave conditions in your area. Then set your dock height higher based on those conditions.
Setting the dock height too low on the bay is a bad idea. You do so at your own risk.
Customers with steel framed docks and board decking have found their docks flipped over in storms. The dock usually sinks. or in some cases, get washed down the shoreline. The parts of some of these piers have never been located.
Others were damaged because they ran out of pipe length and did not want to replace the pipes with longer ones. With the higher water levels the past few years, pipes that are too short are getting common.
In some situations, even though the dock height is set correctly, a neighbors boat or other floating debris will hit your dock. You can’t prevent every situation.
WHAT ABOUT BEDROCK?
There are many places where dock augers do not work due to the limestone bedrock in Door County. There are three ways to handle this.
The first is to use angled leg pockets. The legs are angled out from the dock similar to spreading your legs to gain stability. This helps stabilize the dock more than standard vertical legs. However, this is no guarantee that the storms will not flip your dock. It does help though.
ANOTHER WAY
The second way to anchor a dock involves drilling in rock anchors. Once installed a chain is attached between the dock and the anchor. The problem is – how to locate the anchors after the ice goes out in Spring. In some cases, the ice and boulders that move in the Spring will destroy the anchors.
A final option involves using a large, heavy mass in the water to secure the dock. This serves as a dock anchor during a storm. Depending on the depth of the water this may have to be removed from the water each year. The ice may move it away if the dock anchor gets trapped in it. A submerged weight may not be the easiest way to secure a dock.
In summary, after everything is said and done, the simplest method is to keep the dock set higher than the waves.
Need Help Planning a Dock System For Your Home or Cottage?
The Infinity Track system was designed for convenience and versatility. Your dock will work for you – not the other way around. You should be out enjoying your time on the water. With the Infinity Track system, you can avoid the hassle of drilling holes, rearranging accessories or tripping over tools just to move a ladder or bench to a new location.
InfinityTrack™ System
Imagine adding, removing, and re-configuring your dock system with ease. Move any of your accessories at a moment’s notice. No need for tools. You don’t have to imagine anymore. The ShoreMaster Infinity Track System allows you to do just that.
You will never need tools to adjust or reconfigure your dock accessories! Just loosen the t-handle and move the attachment to the new location. Then simply tighten the t-handle.
Plus, ShoreMaster offers the most extensive selection of accessories. The accessories include benches, furniture, steps, ladders, bumpers, cleats, and the list goes on and on. Your dock will stand out from the rest.
You won’t find an easier mounting system anywhere!
Infinity Track systems are only available from the leader in waterfront equipment – ShoreMaster.
NO drilling, No ugly holes in your dock
The ShoreMaster Infinity Track system requires no drilling. That means no ugly holes in your beautiful dock system. You’ll have endless configuration options (sky’s the limit)!
The Infinity Tracksystem is only available on ShoreMaster dock systems
Here’s are examples of what you can do. ShoreMaster adjustable Quick Steps make getting out of the water – or back on shore – easy. Available in 4 and 6-Step configurations they are easy to move anywhere on your dock.
4 Step Dock Stairs
What about the ShoreMaster’s bench accessory?
ShoreMaster Off-Deck Bench
Does the sun get in your eyes? It’s easy to move. Simply turn the T-handles (no tools) and move the bench anywhere along the side of the dock. The Infinity Track system is available on all ShoreMaster Dock Systems.
ALL ShoreMaster accessories use this system.
Do you have a friend that may be interested in this information? Please share a link to this article with them.
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 at the Idlewild Road intersectionOur staff is here year-round to assist you.
Pier Solutions – that’s an unusual name. But then again, PWS is not your ordinary Pier & Boat Lift Company.
In previous articles, we looked at some of the work we have done to solve customer issues. Today let’s look at still more problems PWS has solved for customers.
Is your embankment so steep it makes it unsafe to access the beach?
PWS solved that issue with a set of aluminum stairs. These come in 4’ and 6’ sections to adjust to changing conditions Handrails are standard equipment for added security.
Aluminum Stairs
PWS also will make wood stairs if you prefer.
Steps with Handrails
A PWS pier solution to meet ADA regulations
With the passage of the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act), more opportunities for peoples with disabilities opened up. A simple fishing pier is a norm for most people. However, that same pier presents many obstacles & dangers for someone in a wheelchair.
PWS was selected to provide an ADA compliant fishing pier for people with disabilities. Built on a landfill with a man-made lake on top, the changes are apparent right from the shore end.
An access plate allows a wheelchair to roll out safely onto the pier. Rails surround the entire pier. There is also a bumper around the edge to prevent a wheelchair from accidentally slipping off the pier.
Lowered fishing stations and bait rails are strategically placed on the patio area to allow a person in a wheelchair to fish comfortably.
The entire pier stays in the water year round.
Starting the Robl Fishing Pier
Completed Robl Fishing Pier
Fishing Stations
You can count on a PWS pier solution!
Where is Pier & Waterfront Solutions?
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 here year-round to assist you. 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.
Dock and boat lift damage was severe in the wake of the Aug 4th, 2017 storm. We were reminded of how important it is to choose the right dock and boat lift for your boat. So many homeowners were reeling thinking about having to replace their entire dock and lift system.
Even ShoreMaster owners had some issue with their dock and boat lift. Fortunately for most of the ShoreMaster owners, the damage looked severe in the early morning hours. Within a day things had settled down and they had minimal damage like missing deck panels. In most cases, these were later recovered downwind of the dock…
Why is a ShoreMaster dock and boat lift so important?
Shoremaster prides itself on premium quality docks and boat lifts. They can stand up to some of the harshest conditions Mother Nature throws at their systems. Their design team considers severe storms like these to provide you with a dock and boat lift system that can last a lifetime. That’s why ShoreMaster has the largest market share on the Bay of Green Bay – they work.
Some dealers screw solid decking down firmly and count on the sheer weight of the system to keep everything in place. ShoreMaster doesn’t do this for a reason. They want the decking to get blown out in a storm as severe as this one.
Yes, you read that correctly – They WANT the decking to get blown out. Why?
Over the years, our experience has shown that when a deck is attached permanently to the frame, the structure takes the brunt of the pressure. All too often, the whole dock becomes a twisted mess as a result. In fact, we have seen ShoreMaster aluminum docksleft standing after a storm. At the same time, the steel dock with rigid decking is a twisted mess on both sides of the ShoreMaster dock.
They use a plastic clip on the bottom of the decking.
Glacier Flow Through decking has 42% of the surface open. The open surface allows most of the pressure from a wave to pass thru the deck panels harmlessly.
Glacier Flow through PlasticDecking by ShoreMaster
The use of a plastic clip to hold the decking in place means that the decking will stay in place for the average wave or strong winds. With repetitive large waves, the clip is purposely allowed to break-off. The clips will break long before your dock frames become a tangled roller coaster mess like other dock brands.
Speaking of which – Have you tried the roller coaster ride at Bay Beach in Green Bay? While you are there, remember your dock would look like that roller coaster if the clips had not broken.
What about the decking you just lost?
The decking is plastic, has a low surface area, and it will sink to the bottom quickly. During this storm, we were able to recover 99% of the panels downwind. The decking is usually less than 50 feet away at the bottom. We found the panels intact with only broken clips. Isn’t it cheaper to replace some clips than to replace an entire dock frame?
What about the lifts?
ShoreMaster lifts are built to hold up too. ShoreMaster’s all aluminum welded frame, and the premium components protect your watercraft investment under the harshest conditions.
The bolts that hold screw-together boat lifts together can wear out over time, especially with strong wind and wave action. They can give out when you need the protection the most. Welded frames offer durable stability.
How reliable are the lifts?
Recently, customers have come in and told us they couldn’t find a lift with a better-constructed frame. They know that a Square or rectangular frame is much stronger than a round tube anytime. Plus the round tubes are thinner. They look at the wall thickness of the uprights and racks and find that ShoreMaster has the thickest construction in the area.
The other guys
ShoreMaster Heavy wall construction & brass pulleys
Notice the brass pulleys on the ShoreMaster lift versus the plastic pulley on the competitors lift.
These are a few of the design features that ShoreMaster implements to provide their customers with the very best in waterfront equipment. These elements mean that we keep you on the water all summer long.
If you were affected by storm damage on the Bay – or are looking for a premium dock and lift system – Contact your authorized ShoreMaster dealer – Pier & Waterfront Solutions. We will be able to assist you with:
Service work,
Replacement parts,
A new system or
any other needs you might have for your waterfront.
We even service “those other brands.” Ask us about it.
Where is Pier & Waterfront Solutions?
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 the 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.
Boat carpet takes a terrific beating every year. Extreme moisture, sand, stones, harsh UV rays, etc. If you’re reading this post you have a
Big Boat
OR a
Small Boat
and you want to know how to keep the boat carpet clean. Keep on reading.
Is this your boat? Imagine what the carpet looks like.
Do’s and Don’ts for Boat Carpet Care
Regularly vacuum and hose off your boat carpet to prevent staining.
If there’s a spill, clean it up right away!
Allow the carpet to dry thoroughly
Do NOT:
Fold your carpet.
Roll or store your carpet while wet. This will result in mold & mildew.
Boat Carpet Cleaning Tips
#1: Start with the basics. Using plain vinegar and water is an ageless trick. Mix around 40 ounces of white vinegar to 1 gallon of water. Spray on the soiled area and let it soak until the area is saturated. Using a medium bristle brush, scrub the area gently. It’s important to thoroughly rinse the soiled spot and let it dry before using it again.
#2:
Boat Carpet cleaner
As an alternate use a commercial carpet product for cleaning your boat carpets. It’s best to use a non-foaming
product.
You can even use degreaser for those grease or oil stains as long as it does not have harsh solvents. Make sure to presoak and rinse the carpet thoroughly for the best results. Do not leave a residue as this traps dirt easier.
#3: Fishermen (or women) will find fish blood to be a difficult stain to remove. However, it’s simple – use cold water and mild dish soap. Apply to the damaged area and let it soak in.
Do not use hot water because it will make the stain permanent. Blot with a towel or a clean sponge. Follow up with a soft-medium bristle brush and scrub after the first or second soaking. Again rinse the area thoroughly and repeat the process until clean.
One More Tip
#4: Have a carpet that stinks? Baking soda works wonders for removing odors such as a wet dog or that fishy odor. A box of baking soda works great in a closet too.
Use Baking soda for a Boat Carpet Cleaner
Baking soda will also assist in eliminating some stains. Lightly mist the carpet first, then sprinkle a generous amount of baking soda over it. The longer you let it sit, the more it will absorb. Allow 3 hours minimum – and it can be left overnight. Be patient, after it’s done its job – merely vacuum it up.
Hint: place a layer of “PRESS N SEAL” over the baking soda to keep the moisture in – it works better that way.
Follow these simple carpet cleaning tips, and your boat carpet will stay fresh and clean for years to come.
Don’t forget to clean it at the end of the boating season.
Where is PWS?
PWS is located in the center of Door County at 7325 St Hwy 57. It is located 1 mile North of County MM (Hwy 42) and South of Sturgeon Bay. Look for the intersection of Idlewild Road.
Want us to address a dock or boat lift topic for you? Feel free to give us a call.
