I initially put the dock in when the pond was being constructed so I used a post hole digger to make holes put the pipe in and then concreted around the base. After that I drove 3 pieces of rebar into the ground inside the pipe that were 2 ft longer than the pipe. I drilled my mounting holes and place dowels in the hole and wired the rebar to the dowels to hold it in place and then filled with concrete. After it hardened I pulled out the dowels and attached my main 2 by 8 beams. I had to drill out one dowel that broke when I twisted it but all the others came out fine.

Round two for this summer. Attach 2 by 8 by 16 to end of pier to make a "T" off end of pier. Get ladder (water is only 4' deep and drive pvc into gorund with a sledge and a board to protect the pvc. Suck out water with a shop vac and extension hose (50' of 1.5 inch sump discharge hose). Drill holes and rebar as before and fill with concrete.

I tried this method up to the point of filling with concrete in the shallows next to the pier last fall and it worked fine so think it should do ok.

If you were working on ice it might be very easy to do as you could draw out your outline and piling positions on the ice. You might give it a try before you thaw out.

Bob