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Joined: Aug 2014
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W
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I have read through a bunch of dock threads and have not gotten a clear answer. What are the pros and cons to a floating vs fixed dock?? Maybe I missed something. I went through the archives and looked at people considering the options and saw a bunch of people say they went with this or that but never saw why.

So what are the disadvantages/advantages of each?

I see a bunch of y'all pull your floating docks out before ice over. I guess the ice will just destroy them? That seems like a major disadvantage! What if you have a large floating dock?

Thanks in advance for your input!

Last edited by wbuffetjr; 04/15/15 03:37 PM.

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a few things to consider:

Floating dock
In most cases easier to install
Ability to fluctuate with water levels.
Can easily add more or less sections.
Move-able once installed.
In many cases costs less.

Fixed Dock:
Stability...I really like stability.
Personally I think they tend to look better.
Construction after lake exists more problematic/costly.

I have gone back and forth, but pretty much decided
to have a fixed dock built this summer...
since I have a pretty constant water table.



Fishing has never been about the fish....

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One Con for the floating dock. If left hooked to your on land posts for the winter you can have a winter that the ice will want to pull it off the posts. This winter was really hard on the floating dock. I think next year I will un hook from the posts and pull back on to shore to let the dock move more free then having one end fixed.

Cheers Don.


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Check out The Dock Manual:

http://www.amazon.com/Dock-Manual-Design...s=dock+building

Plenty of info therein about floating and stationary docks.

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I am lucky to have two piers, one at the lake and one @ the pond. The fixed is real nice and is fairly large but the one @ the pond is 12x16 and I use it as a working barge with a trolling motor for such things as dropping large structure items, like 15x6' cedar tree brush piles or 9 foot tall pvc trees, or to float to the middle of the pond for a swimming or bathing pier. To increase stability I have added 5 gal buckets of concrete on each corner and anchored to the bottom and can be unattached when needed. I think u cam make the landing for the pier as nice as u want, using a deck and chairs etc for the place to step onto the floating pier.

Tracy

Last edited by TGW1; 04/15/15 08:27 PM. Reason: additions

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Gotcha. Thanks for the info. If you do a floating dock, is it MANDATORY to pull it out before ice over? Is there a way to leave it in the water to where the ice won't hurt it? I'd like to build a large one and dragging it out seems like it would be quite a job.


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Hey Tracey - great tips on using the dock as a barge...dang, I never considered that before. I've got to try that this Summer.

I have never had issues with ice damaging my floating dock. My dock was built by the Herman Bros and is incredibly stable - I'd do it again in a heartbeat.


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Originally Posted By: wbuffetjr
is it MANDATORY to pull it out before ice over? I'd like to build a large one and dragging it out seems like it would be quite a job.


I've seen some people convert large pontoon boats into a floating dock
and I guess that could make it easier to pull out of the lake?





Fishing has never been about the fish....


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