It is much easier to put a floating dock in than sinking pilings. Here in the southwest(Oklahoma) you can get used oil drilling pipe very cheaply in 16'(I think or 12') lengths. After you have constructed a floating platform of treated lumber you can bolt right angle plates on each corner with a 2-3' piece of larger pipe welded vertically to the corner plates. You just drop the drilling pipe down to the lake floor through the larger pipes on each corner and no pounding is necessary unless you have a rock bottom. The weight of the pipe just drills in over time into the clay. I have had a dock on my lake for 10 years stabilized this way. Before it was stabilized the floating dock was held loosely in position by the ramp from shore.

Layton Runkle

Layton Runkle