Pond Boss Forums GENERAL QUESTIONS Property Projects & Construction Dock Questions for large water level changes?

My water level in the pond can and will change in the range of three feet between full pool and emergency overflow, not to mention what might happen below full pool. Maybe as much as 5 or 6 feet between extreme low and high waters. I can not wrap my head around how dock legs can reliably accommodate the large level fluctuations. It seems the "slip joint" would likely bind and I would find the dock submerged after a heavy rain, OR bound up in the air after the water dropped.

Can I design a "T" shape dock, let's say, a 4 by 10 foot gangway with a 6 by 8 foot "T" at the end that is only anchored to the shore(anchored with concrete foundation and hinged)?

I ask this because the Menards in my area is having a buy one PlayStar Dock Float (3' x 4')for $99, get one free and I am back onto the dock thing or at least considering buying now to save later as more dock money is made.

That's a good find on the float it looks like. I'm like you and think a floating dock is a better way for me to go and something similar to what you are describing.
It looks like these are rated for 500 pounds. I know others have used the plastic 55 gallon barrels which will still be cheaper but this might be the "better" way to do it.
I will keep watching for the others to chime in.
Dave

Quarter check out my link if you haven't.

http://forums.pondboss.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=469147#Post469147

My post are all adjustable but who wants to adjust posts all the time right. What we did is measured our water depth at full pull and made our dock for full pool. Now does this look a little funny when the water goes down in the summer yeah it may not look perfect then as your gonna have a lot of dock showing at certain times. But I am not worried about that myself. The only reason I will adjust mine is to make sure it stays level until it fully settles then I am not messing with it. I don't care how low my pond gets. Trying to keep up with raising and lowering your dock can be tiresome so why not just put it at full pool stage and enjoy.

RC

If your dead set on a floating dock I know some guys put a walkway on their docks that are on a big hinge. The walkway can then float up or down as far as you need it on the hinges. Depending how far up or down you will travel will be how long your walkway needs to be. If that makes sense.

RC

That's what I did - and it works, for the most part. I do still get the dock in a bind after a real gulley washer - like right now for example - but it works well 95% of the time.

It would be cool if they made a permanent dock or pier
that you could adjust basically with the touch of a button.

If you got clever, you could have the "ramp" be made out of stairs on metal dowels between sets of boards that hold the boards/steps. As the floating part descends, the stair parts stay level (articulate).

Something like this, only I'm sure you could make one for less than this costs:
http://www.boatliftanddock.com/p-1109-ar...ting-stair.aspx

Oh Zep you know what they say. For the money they can make anything... lol. I bet there is something out there like that if you got the cash to pay for it that is....

RC

I am pretty set on the floating dock RC. Zep, a floating dock adjusts without the touch of a button and that is what I am after. A stationary dock would at times be completely under water when the emergency overflow is in use. That could last for a day or so and I would hate for it to become unanchored and float off or sink. My biggest concern is establishing the shore anchor system to be the only anchor point, no legs at all.

I envision a concrete pad/pier on the shore a foot or two above full pool with a large hinge device attached to the gangway. The gangway might have a float or two under it near the platform (or not). Then a hinge between the gangway and platform. As the water level changes the hinges allow the platform to stay level but change with the pool. It works in my head, but sometimes my head lets me down and that would be a waste of money, blood, sweat and then tears. Hence, throwing it around here on PB!

dlowrance - what kind of binds does your dock get into, do you have any pictures of it, bound or not?

Custom, the local used barrel guy asks over half much as these (at sale price) would cost to do the same job and I am betting that the low profile design helps stability much more so than what you get from barrels.

I went the menards way. Bought when parts or kits were on sale. I have 2 10x4 sections for my walkway, then two more 10x4 configured side by side. I put poles down to the bottom. Mine slides up an down 3-5'. I put a ladder on the 8x10 foot platform because it's too steep and muddy to easily climb out of the pond.
So far so good. It's survived two stretches where it's dropped down, and now back up.
We swim in it a lot, if our HBG/piranha cross will let us.

QuarterAcre, This URL has some hinging ideas that you probably know about already. https://www.dockbuilders.com/wooden-gangway-hardware.htm

I went with T-comF and T-comM connected with ConPinS where the ramp connects to the shore braces and the ramp connects to the main 12x12 dock.

Dock and Walkway

Take a look at how this one is constructed. The first part of the walkway is fixed. The second part is hinged as is the dock part to allow for major water changes.

I don't have a pic but I can take one tomorrow as it's currently in a bind right now after the big rain event.

Essentially my floating section is a T shape, all one piece floating on barrels. There is a ramp attached to the T floating section via a big hinge I made. The ramp sits on the shoreline (at a fairly steep section - when at full pool the ramp runs downhill to the dock).


When the pond goes way up (can change up to about 40 inches during the multiple 100 year rains we've had the last several years) the dock floats up and the ramp goes from a downhill slope to horizontal to an uphill slope, to ultimately floating off the shore completely.

When the water recedes the ramp hits the shore (because it has no floats to carry it higher) before it really should, and creates a bind between it and the dock. The hinge pivots UP, putting the whole dock in a bind.

I fix it by walking out to the hinge and jumping on it. Works every time.

I'll have some pics tomorrow - both before and after.

Mine is fixed on piers. Excellent at full pool. At low pool, it's completely out on the bank. I wish I had a detachable floating section. Maybe someday.

I have big fluctuations in water level with a hinged dock. It works well and hasn't needed repaired for a long time (knock on wood).

Pretty small files. I hope they don't slow down the thread. The pics show the poles in place that the dock slides on. When the dock is at its lowest, the kingfisher will use the poles as perches to dive from.

August 9
[img:center][/img]

January 18
[img:center][/img]

Holy Moly Catscratch! It took a minute for me to realize your dock had not become dislodged and floated out to the middle of your lake. Now, that is what I'm talking about. So, you have no poles, just a hinged gangway/catwalk (anchored to the shore or the bottom of your lake at high pool) hinged to a platform. Your dock gives me a lot of hope that it can be done without poles!

The reasons I don't like the pole to the bottom concept is that my dam has a lot of rock in it, it's too late to set the poles as the pond is full, I did not know for sure that the pond will live at full pool ( I still don't), AND I would like to try and design it such that the platform can be unhooked and motored around the pond.

Setterguy, It looks like your dock manages the water level changes very well.

dlowrance, I can imagine your binding issues assuming that your ramp is not anchored to the shore and you have poles to keep it from floating off.

Thanks for the great responses, I really enjoy the conversations!

Yes sir. The walkway is attached to the bank (and the dock) with a hing at both ends. The hinges are sections of pipe with a long allthread through the middle as a pin. No vertical posts at all. I've seen the water level so high that the the dock stands on end!

There is a pipe that runs out to the dock on one side to triangulate things and keep it from shifting side to side. I'll look to see if I have a pic of it somewhere...

Sorry, I don't have a pic of the triangulation pipe.

Thanks for checking, I can see how triangulating the gangway to the dock would beef things up.

I'll try to take a pic sometime soon and post it for you.

My groundwater pond fluctuates about 4-5'. I couldn't find the post from my original dock build, but here is the one from "phase 2" when I added a 16' section. You can see how I did my hinge 3 or 4 pics down. I did something similar to Catscratch except I used a section of 1/2" black pipe from HD, only about $10. This hinge allows a great deal of postitive and negative articulation with no stress on the hinge joint. I was going to add criss-crossed cables anchored under the gangway to add lateral stability but I didn't think it was necessary. I has withstood 2 hurricanes (CAT-1's) and some wicked straight line storms and it remains solid. Take a look, it may work for you.

http://forums.pondboss.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Main=33275&Number=437779#Post437779

2O2S

There's a auger type screw on the ends of the galvanized pipe. I just twisted them a few times after I pounded them down. Haven't had any issues. I was concerned about using 2 of the 4x10 walkways hinged in the middle. It's actually worked very well. No problems with getting pinched etc.. I've got two more pipes I'm going to sink down off of the main platform. I just don't think my 8' pipes will work. I need to get some 10' pipes. At high water, the dock would float right off the top of the pipe.

Why don't you put some inside couplings on the pipes and put on some 2 foot extensions?

Really nice dock.^^^ Good build!

Thanks a bunch for the link 2Old and I like your setup (property included). It's time to start collecting hinge components and the steel dock components. There's still a few things on my todo list before th3e dock project can surface. I've got some time to round up all the stuff. Maybe I'll do a dock build thread when the time comes.

I have got some great ideas and comfort from you all! Thanks again.

Opinions on preliminary dock design wanted...I have put together a gangway style design that should get me out past my submerged structure and habitat out into the depths of the pond without consuming too much of my small pond and was hoping to get any feedback from the group regarding any pros and cons. My main concern is stability for a couple of fishermen or their wives just sitting and talking. I hope to avoid both scenarios at the same time. LOL. The PlayStar floats have a 500 pound capacity each and I have followed the manufacture's suggested designs fairly closely. Instead of three floats for 10 foot of gangway per PlayStar's advice, I have stretched it to three floats for 12 feet. That is 160 pounds of dock per float (no people involved) compared to the manufacture's recommended 145 pounds of dock per float. I am considering adding upright posts to sections of the dock to attach ropes to as hand rails to keep from accidentally falling in the water. This will add some weight, nut very little. The 3 foot wide sections of the first cross piece will be open (no ropes) for fishing and the three flat sides of the last cross piece will be open as well.

I'd love to hear any feedback. BTW the decking (not shown) will be 5/4 treated lumber and the framework shown is all treated 2x6's and will have steel brackets and such for added strength at the joints.

I think that would be plenty stable. My only suggestion is to put a smaller float on the end of the gangway. It will help support weight of gangway, plus make it WAY easier to attach and disconnect the main dock.

Good Point Brian, maybe a 55 gallon barrel.

I used 2'x4' the same type as rest of my floats, just smaller and 4" taller. They sat perfect height when I put it in the water.

Look at these guys Dock Builders Supply for hardware to brace the corners, tie plates, etc. I used them to build my dock and a few others, and they are quality, strongly built pieces.

The only thing that I sourced at a different place is the galvanized bolts/nuts/washers.

If it were me I would make the doc much more square and bigger. Here is the issue.

Your always gonna wish you went bigger. How are 4 of you supposed to sit out at the end of the dock and fish and chit chat. Plus have chairs and a tackle box and a net and a and a and a.... You see my point here.

The last dock I just built in this pic the deck area ended up being 12x10 and that's like perfect for 4 folks a couple chairs even a small table as shown in pic. We even already said man we should of made the deck a little bigger! lol. Just saying I half Assed it the first time and it sucked!! So think it through first. I get you have to float something but I would make said deck area more square.

So make your gangway make sure it's anchored good to the shore because you will have twist with a floating dock. Make sure it's anchored good to the dock. IMO it would be much more stable with a nice say 14x14 deck then the whole T thing your doing. Then you all can enjoy the actual deck area. That's just my 2 cents tho.

Keep us posted and take pics which ever you do!

RC

Thanks for chiming in guys,

esshup - that hardware looks very well done compared to Playstar's commercial line and a price to reflect it. I have not pulled the trigger yet on purchasing the bracketry. I am hoping that something falls in my lap before I build...like, some stainless steel angles, bar stock, whatever. I sure would like to save several hundred dollars on bracketry. Who would have thought the stuff was so expensive after you added it all up.

RC - I hear you loud and clear! My mind is not made up, I'm just pinching pennies in my mind right now. The diagonal braces at both "T"s will be decked for use as extra room albeit not that much extra. 99% of the time it will be just me and the other % it will be me and a buddy. The wife and the chit chat will likely be done in the house, not while I'm fishing (unless she says otherwise)...LOL. At any rate, I look forward to building the dock one piece at a time as what I have sketched in my OP may look too big as it is in my little BOW. The above design is already 1/3 the length of my dam, but it will get me out to where I can fish most of the pond and allow for swimming in the deepest part. I suppose this design would allow for expansion down the road by adding another 4 x 12 section to the end making an 8 x 12 platform.

Yeah kinda just depends on what your use for it is for sure. Just throwing out ideas for ya. Course I do have 2 kids a wife and a mom and dad that use mine so hence why its bigger. If you went with the bigger platform you could always make your gangway shorter also to compensate for the bigger deck area.... The shorter that gangway is the more stable it will be also I think.

Keep us posted man,

P.S.

And yes them dang brackets are not cheep!!! I can testify to that for sure! I have 540 bucks wrapped up in brackets alone on this dock.

You could very easily turn that into a 12x14 and gangway if that is what you want. U might need one more float, but you would have less hardware. So it would be wash. That said I really like the look of the dock you designed.

I got my floats from Docks on Demand, they build docks for a living. The are in Benbrook, just south of Ft Worth, but might be worth the drive. It was for me. My floats were right at $4000 and I got 20 floats. I got my hardware from www.dockhardware.com.. About 1400.00 in hardware.

You are right at 1/2 what I built, so you should be able to build it for about $3K

Noel, one thing to keep in mind is sufficient room for the handicapped to get out to the dock. I had one built recently and paid extra for four foot wide gangway so that a wheelchair could make it.

This may or may not be a consideration given your circumstances, but after I busted my patella in a boating accident and had to endure a wheelchair for several months...

Dude! I keep forgetting to take pics of how our's is put together for you. I'll TRY to remember to do that today. Warning, it's nothing fancy but it has held together for a long time.
By-the-way, your plans look great.

Don't forget about Home Depot and Lowes for dock hardware, that's where I got my hinges. I didn't find them on the shelves but they can be ordered from their website.

I will try to check some another pics related to this.