This week has been 'get the dock ready for the boat' week. Water levels can vary by 3 feet throughout the season, so we needed some more length on our dock to ensure that we have enough water. This floating dock, bobbing on 6 nice sturdy, clean plastic barrels gives us 8 feet of water even when the mighty St. Lawrence is at its lowest. I checked out the hinges at Home Depot and then visited a local welder who made terrific hinges and pins for the ramp. He recommended a triple/double tongue rather than the double/single type that you can buy. The tongues are actually welded to 3" flat bar which goes across the whole width of the dock and down the side about 18".
When we get a 60 km wind blowing down from Howe Island I'm glad I took his advice. We had a little lifting from the ice this winter, but nothing a crowbar and a 2 x 4 can't fix in a hurry. I guess we're ready now to call the marina and get that new Carver back in the water so we can figure her out. A local boater told me that it's a three-year process to get to know a new boat - I certainly believe that. I did take one year off that process, though, last fall when a friend helped me winterize her for the first time. I certainly got to know what every pipe and pump was for!
This week has been 'get the dock ready for the boat' week. Water levels can vary by 3 feet throughout the season, so we needed some more length on our dock to ensure that we have enough water. This floating dock, bobbing on 6 nice sturdy, clean plastic barrels gives us 8 feet of water even when the mighty St. Lawrence is at its lowest. I checked out the hinges at Home Depot and then visited a local welder who made terrific hinges and pins for the ramp. He recommended a triple/double tongue rather than the double/single type that you can buy. The tongues are actually welded to 3" flat bar which goes across the whole width of the dock and down the side about 18". 
When we get a 60 km wind blowing down from Howe Island I'm glad I took his advice. We had a little lifting from the ice this winter, but nothing a crowbar and a 2 x 4 can't fix in a hurry. I guess we're ready now to call the marina and get that new Carver back in the water so we can figure her out. A local boater told me that it's a three-year process to get to know a new boat - I certainly believe that. I did take one year off that process, though, last fall when a friend helped me winterize her for the first time. I certainly got to know what every pipe and pump was for!
1 comment:
Well, it's part of the natural order of life. First, you work on the dock. Your hard work allows you to sit on the dock, by the bay and watch the tide roll away.
Of course, at this point, you're just wasting time.
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