Are you tired of your dock creaking, wobbling, or dipping on one side? These problems are not only irritating, but they may be hazardous and expensive when they are neglected.Â
Many dock owners make simple mistakes without even realizing it. The good news? Most problems have easy fixes if you know what to look for.Â
Here are the mistakes to avoid when using dock floats the right way.
1. Cracks or Splintered Wood
The wooden dock is prone to expand and contract as a result of heat and moisture fluctuations, which can lead to cracking, warping, splintering, or even rotting. They are dangerous, particularly to bare feet, since the damage is exacerbated by constant sun, water, and foot contact.Â
To maintain your dock, you should stain and seal wood on an annual basis, inspect the dock, and replace the damaged boards. In order to have a more permanent solution, you can take the help of composite material, aluminum decking, or other dock floats that are designed to survive changing conditions and that need less maintenance.
2. Unsteady or Wobbly Feeling Underfoot
It can become wobbly at times when walking on a floating dock, especially in poor water conditions, during high tide, with heavy traffic, or when carrying a heavy load. This normally happens due to a bad anchoring, imbalanced positioning of the floats, or floats that are too small for use as dock floats.Â
The answer to this dilemma is to make sure your floats are properly sized and spaced. Have your dock well anchored in place to minimize swinging, and install some form of stabilizing support, such as cross-bracing or spud poles. These few modifications would make your dock much safer and sturdy.
3. Sections That Look Like They’re Sinking
When one side of your dock sinks lower than the other, it is usually caused by waterlogged dock floats or uneven weight on the dock due to gear or other accessories. At various times, the tilt could be gradual or abrupt. To prevent or repair this issue, use high-quality, non-absorbent, and non-sinking floats.Â
Additionally, too much weight should not be placed in a single spot. Maintaining the weight at the center and maintaining the floats in good condition helps your dock remain level and safe.
4. Low-Tide Trouble
As the tide is low, docks may be too close to the shore or even lie on the bottom, becoming unsafe or unusable. This is likely to occur when your dock or ramp is too short or when you are in an area with a significant variance of tides.Â
The floating docks tend to move up and down with the water, but design does count. To prevent these problems, choose longer gangways that bend with the tides, dock your vessel in a manner that allows clearance at low tide, and include anchoring systems that will keep everything in place without increasing stress.
5. Noise Issues – Banging or Creaking Sounds
Floating docks are susceptible to noises when the wind or waves are up, as they bang or creak within the dock. This is usually due to ill-fitting or loose joints. To silence it, hardware can be tightened, rubber spacers or bushings can be used, and higher-quality connectors with lower dock noise can be used.