Adding this link to help Otter out with some ideas.
LINK Also Zep, this link shows why I built my dock the way I did. Most build a floating dock because their water level fluctuates in dry spells. I have a bit of unique circumstance as to where my water level stays pretty even, but I do get big inflows of water and it takes a few days to go back down to normal. Zep, during these times I am not concerned about getting onto my dock to fish, as the whole ecosystem is out of whack and fishing wouldn't be good. I did walk out onto it during the largest flood we had, and it sank into the water with my weight on it. It did hold me up, but it was like wading into shallow water. Now, if your talking about the stability when the water has receded back to normal, it as stable as any permanent dock I've been on. Don't forget, at the normal water level the decking is sitting on permanent underbracing so its very solid. When its floating on water, it's like being in a Huckleberry Fin adventure
