Floating Docks for Fluctuating Water: Buying Guide - Hiseadock
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Floating Docks for Fluctuating Water

October 26, 2020
Boats Lined Up
Source: Unsplash

Floating docks for fluctuating water are a necessity for those with waterfront property. It takes a while getting used to water tides but you are best placed to use floating docks if you stay in an area that experiences extreme cases of water level fluctuations. To better deal with tides, we are going to take you through the best dock solutions and the things you need to keep in mind when choosing the one that works best for you.

Table of Contents

Things to Consider When Dealing with Fluctuating Water Levels

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When dealing with fluctuating water levels, there are a number of things you have to keep in mind if you want to save your vessels and the dock from any damage. They include the following

Stability and Security

You have to find a way to keep your boat stable while it is on the dock if you do not have an alternative storage option. One solution that would work is recreating a dry-dock miniature. This could be made out of rails upon which the boat slides over away from the water, thus it cannot experience the rocking and swaying which may bump it against the dock leading to scratches and damage.

Keeping Things Dry

Boats can withstand water for a while, but without proper maintenance, rust will start creeping upon them, if you do not plan to use them for a while, say you are traveling away for months, then you would be advised to find an alternative place for dry storage. A boatlift raised higher than the water level and covered with shade would be a good option. You could also turn your garage into a storage room for the boat if it is being enough.

Alternative Options

Alternative options of dealing with erratic water levels would be to construct a dry dock, a storage facility whose sole purpose is to provide shelter for the boat when the weather conditions get too extreme. When the tide fluctuates too much, the ship may run aground, to counter this, consider setting up your dock in an area that has deeper waters.

The Flexibility of the Dock

Floating docks are the most flexible and the best suited to deal with fluctuating water levels. They are made of buoyant materials like modular plastic cubes that will never sink no matter the amount of weight applied to them. Mobility is another advantage of having floating docks, they can be moved quickly to another location without dismantling anything.

The Cost of Relocating the Dock

Relocating other types of docks will not only cost you something substantial but you will have to expend a lot of energy while at it. Some like crib docks are permanent, once they are submerged by high tide there is nothing you can do about it other than waiting it out. Those that can be moved will require dredging up the seabed to remove the dock foundations before digging up the seabed in the new location again. You will need a lot of hands and a lot of time for this.

Best Floating Docks for Fluctuating Water

The following are the best floating docks you can use to counter fluctuating water levels

Source: Pinterest

Floating Boat Lifts

A floating boat lift is a mechanized contraption that lifts the boat some levels higher than the water surface to keep it dry even when the tide hits its highest peak. They are easy to use and they keep the boat stationary no matter how turbulent the waters may be.

A Safe Boarding Platform

This is a floating gangway that people use to walk on when accessing their boats and jet skis. The boarding platform is wide enough to handle a number of people and strong enough to support huge weights as people embark and disembark from the boat. The platform can also be suspended just above the waterline using cables if the tide is too high and the water is too rough.

Floating walkway
A Modular Plastic Cube

Modular Floats

Modular floats are a series of plastic cubes that fit into each other like jigsaws to create any size of floating dock depending on the number of cubes available. They are buoyant and fit in together so tightly that water cannot get through. They are the best solution for fluctuating water levels.

Conclusion

The redeeming thing about fluctuating water levels is that there are solutions for them. Your boats and jet skis may be water vessels but they do need to be kept dry when they are not in use. A floating platform is without doubt the cheapest solution to dealing with fluctuating water levels. If you are having trouble deciding on what to do, contact us and we will walk you through the whole process.

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