There is nothing else better in life than friends and grand kids.
The new floating dock is now usable. Not quite finished, but good enough to enjoy. A good friend (25 years younger and with lots more energy) came over yesterday and nearly worked me to death getting it done. My 7-1/2 year old grand daughter supervised and made sure we did it right!
At the extremes, the pond goes about 18 inches above and below pool over several years during the various seasons. We hinged the dock so that it should be able to float over that range without any stress. Most of the time it stays within a few inches of full pool.
When the concrete cures, the dock will generally be pinned to two 3-foot deep x 9-inch diameter concrete footers. Using "L" pins, it can pivot up and down on these also.
The way it is hinged, we can disconnect it from the shore, flip the walkway over the top of the floating platform, and move the whole thing to a different area of the pond. For instance, in the springtime, the trout congregate in one area. During the summer, the bluegill congregate in another area. Swimming is best in yet another area.
