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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jun 2013
    Location
    Naperville, IL || North Scott Lake, MI
    Posts
    1,455

    Default Floating dock removal for the winter

    I have a floating "U" dock that I built approx. 10 yrs ago and have always put it in the lake in the spring and taken it out in the fall. With my son off at college I have very little help these days and am wondering what damage could/would be done if I left it in thru the winter?

    Anyone have thoughts on this? Or even better have specific experience?

    Some specifics in case it matters.....our lake is in SW Michigan and we certainly deal with a lot of snow and ice. The lake is approx 200 acres but doesn't get any really high winds or much wave activity. The dock is built from pressure treated lumber and is quite heavy. The floats are a couple of different sizes but all of them are rectangular in shape as opposed to drums. The only sections of the dock that are under water are the wheels, their supports and of course the floats which are probably submerged about 50%. The pier you see in the pics that leads to the dock is permanent and stays in the water all year round (with *knock-on-wood* no damage in many years).

    Here's what the dock looks like...

    IMG_1735.jpgIMG_1737.jpgIMG_1738.jpg
    Mike

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  2. #2
    Join Date
    Mar 2014
    Location
    Park City, Utah
    Posts
    1,291

    Default

    Have you seen the TV show Ice Lake Rebels? If their floats can handle northern Canada and the Great Slave Lake, I think your dock should be fine. Thing looks like a beast and is solid.
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  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jul 2015
    Location
    Lake Anna, VA
    Posts
    18

    Default

    If it freezes hard enough to walk on, then pull it. It will crush it like a soda can when the ice expands. I have a friend on a lake that freezes and they pull all docks and don't allow pier docks anymore b/c the ice can freeze and lift the pylons out when it thaws (and the lake rises).

  4. #4
    Join Date
    May 2015
    Location
    NC
    Posts
    461

    Default

    When what ice expands?

    You're fine. I don't see what could happen? The floaters are not going to stay frozen in the water. In theory, as the top of the lake begins to freeze, the floaters should pop up on top of the ice.

    What other concerns do you have? I assume you stored the floater outside during the winter, so it can withstand the cold.
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  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jun 2013
    Location
    Naperville, IL || North Scott Lake, MI
    Posts
    1,455

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by mjr119 View Post
    When what ice expands?

    You're fine. I don't see what could happen? The floaters are not going to stay frozen in the water. In theory, as the top of the lake begins to freeze, the floaters should pop up on top of the ice.

    What other concerns do you have? I assume you stored the floater outside during the winter, so it can withstand the cold.
    Yes, the dock and floats are stored outside, but the weight of the dock keep the floats down in the water at about their half way point. So to pauley71's point, I'm worried that the floats would stay in the water until it freezes and then be crushed from the forces of the ice. Unless of course there is some phenomenon that allows the float to surface as the ice takes shape??
    Mike

    2013 Outback V
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  6. #6
    Join Date
    Oct 2013
    Location
    Ft. Collins, CO
    Posts
    688

    Default

    Water expands in all directions when it freezes, so in theory you get a horizontal "crush" but the reality is that since it is floating, it has enough movement to squeeze up and out of the way. I've seen lots of floating docks survive like this. The bigger issue is usually the ice movement around solid piers. It doesn't take much to twist them all around with a little wind or up if the water level changes with ice on it, but it sounds like you haven't had any trouble yet. Around here, people run little aerator bubblers to keep the water open around their piers which works except for the coldest times but it seems OK when they are frozen for short periods of time.
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  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Location
    Ontario, Canada
    Posts
    9

    Default

    I have a floating dock in Northern Ontario I pull my dock every year. I left it a couple years and always regretted it. The ice did not destroy the dock but there was always repairs needed when I left it in place. If possible I would remove it. I don't think the ice will destroy your dock but it may be damaged some in the spring. It might be worth trying to leave it in for one year to see how it fairs. Here is a pic of my dock what I do is I basically pull the L piece into the shore and since they lower my lake water every year my dock sits mostly on dry ground all winter.dock1.jpgdock2.jpg
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  8. #8
    Join Date
    Aug 2011
    Posts
    2,522

    Default Re: Floating dock removal for the winter

    Obviously these guys don't use docks.. Lol

    All you need is a big ice flow and wind and it'll crush that thing.. Lol
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  9. #9
    Join Date
    May 2015
    Location
    NC
    Posts
    461

    Default

    If you are concerned with winds and ice flow, then the pier is in danger as well. The lake freezing presents minimal danger to your floater.
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  10. #10
    Join Date
    Sep 2015
    Posts
    1

    Default

    All it takes is a good wind in the wrong direction during the spring thaw and whatever ice is floating around the lake will be heading toward your dock set up.
    I've seen it first hand and its not pretty. Don't think it's worth the risk personally.

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