Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations peir help

My father recently died and now i am in charge of the pond, its nice but i have some kids that came down and started a fire on the peir, the rails and top burned but the post are still standing ( in water) i have no idea what i am doing or who to contact. DO we start over or can the post be saved? plus who can help me with the up keep, and any ideas on beaver? they are so so bad

elbafishing, you should subscribe to POND BOSS magazine and look for ads by professionals in your area. Anyone would have to see what you're dealing with before improvements could be recommended. I offer my condolences on the death of your father.

elbafishing,

My condolences to you also.

It is very likely that you can simply rebuild the top structure on the existing posts. Can you see any damage to the posts? Seems unlikely that they would be damaged at and below the water line. Just rebuild the above the water line stucture on the posts.

Beaver, there are some experts at trapping them here on the forum and hopefully they will jump in....but one thing for sure, you can't let them stay and expect to have a viable pond dam. I hope you do decide to keep up your Fathers pond.

elbafish,

I also offer my condolences on your father's death.

Rebuilding a pier is not so hard if the posts are still intact. In fact, after it is done, you may get a lot of satisfaction from having done it yourself.

I suggest you trim the left over posts off to as level as you can and inspect them for being solid and still sturdy. If possible, I would then treat the fresh cut wood with some tar.

Next, if you can afford it, I would purchase the new fiberglass type lumber from Lowes or Home Depot. It is designed for outside decking and is water proof and a bit heavier than regular lumber. I would then lay down a good level runner on each side of the existing posts to build a base. The size and number of pieces you will need to use will depend on how far apart the posts are. Use lag bolts, pre drill the holes in the runners and pre drill a starter hole for the posts. Use a battery operated drill. Use a wrench to tighten the bolts and do not strip them.

After the base runners are set, you will need to put in cross runners. Their size will also depend on the distance of the span. Use deck screws and/or small lag bolts.

After the floor is built, just build the deck and space the pieces 3/8 in. Use deck screws.

For more details, purchase a deck builers hand book from the lumber store. The books have some great ideals for railing, sizing of underdeck support, etc.

A more expensive alternative is to purchase a preformed floating dock sold in sections. See this site's product support or use the internet to call up floating docks.

Good luck..

Be sure that you use the proper fasteners. Treated lumber usually needs galvanized bolts... synthetic lumber uses stainless steel. Check with your supplier. I just completed my pier several weeks ago.

Oh yeah,

Death to beavers!!!!

As for the beavers....
Check with the game warden to see if you can kill or trap them in your state.

If you want to trap them, you can purchase a trap from The Snare Shop. 712-792-0600 or www.snareshop.com. I bought a 10 by 10 BR 330 beaver trap, bar support, and a setting tool for about $30.00 plus shipping. I trapped 5 beaver and accidently caught one big snapper.
The traps are set at the entrance to the dens or in a beaver run in the shallow end of the pond.

I also shot 2 beaver on my pond the first year and 2 the second year. I had a back hole operator come out and repair my dam and destroy 5 beaver dens around the pond.

A .22 rifle will kill a beaver and spot lighting them is legal in my state of Oklahoma where they are considered a rodent.

By the way, beaver is great to eat. That statement goes a long way at a party.

At the very least, cut off their tails, clean them and toss them in an open wood fire. When they turn white and start to burn, pull them out and peel them. Eat the inner meat for a really great meal. Feed it to the kids and relatives for a good laugh. The pelts can be tanned or shipped off for tanning.

Now all this so far is a lot of work. An alternate is to call the game warden and ask them to kill or trap the beaver, some will, some will not.

Another alternate is to advertise for a beaver trapper in the local paper. Believe it or not, there are still people running a trap line in a lot of areas.

Be careful if you set a trap, you will need to post a sign close to the trap. Your game warden or hunting regulations guide will tell you the requirements for your state.

Good luck. Death to beavers!!!!

When I hung my runners, I used clamps to hold them in place, then "tacked" them in place with a screw before drilling thru both the runner and post with a cordless drill and auger. It is much easier to drill a slightly larger hole than your bolt, such as 1/2" hole for 3/8" bolt, so that you don't have to drive the bolt thru the hole with a hammer. I found that a ship auger worked better than a drill bit. I hung all the runners around the perimeter and the all the joists useing the clamp method, and did most of the work single handed.