Help finalizing dock project please - 01/24/12 06:27 PM
I've attached a couple of pictures of the dock I'm getting ready to build. This will be my first dock, and I was hoping to get some pointers from an expert. It'll be 16 x 16, and I'd like it to place it in the middle of my lake by the dam, about 30 yards from the dam. We'll have to boat out to it, but when money allows I'm going to add a floating walkway. Our lake is surrounded by cattails, and I am trying to get far enough out in the water to fish all sides. It's a pretty deep lake, about 30 feet where this will be floating, so it'll make an excellent swimming platform as well.
It will be a floating dock, for which I have already gathered styrofoam blocks salvaged from the Lewisville Lake Marina. I also have a 20 foot piece of 6x6 angle iron 5/16 inch thick. I want to bolt all the corners of the dock to this to add stability, and I'll also be welding some half rings to it to attach some of those pvc porcupine things to. I was thinking suspending those underneath the dock will give fish a little bit of habitat. I'm also going to weld some posts to this to give us a place to tie our boats.
One suggestion I've had for the design is to put in some more wood underneath the deck boards that the styrofoam will go under, that way it won't push up my deck boards. I will be omitting the awning to start with, probably adding that later or figuring something else out to provide shade. I've also included a livewell, and will probably add another trap door for a fishing hole in the winter. I'll be adding a fish feeder to this to, but that will all come later.
I have everything but the lumber and the fasteners so far. I'll be picking that up next week, and starting on this project either over the weekend or in mid february. I'll be using treated 2x6 x 16 lumber, and I was thinking galvanized deck screws would be fine. For the steel plates I'll be using normal grade steel bolts nuts and washers.
If anyone has any suggestions to make my design better, please let me know. I can't wait to get this thing in! I foresee a lot of spring and summer days and nights on it... One last thing, it's 30 feet deep there, any ideas on how to anchor it? I could probably use some 1.5 inch drill stem and just pound it it, but maybe something cheap temporarily...
Thanks!