Home
How Do You Secure a Floating Dock in Deep Water

How Do You Secure a Floating Dock in Deep Water

May 05, 2021

Floating docks are cheap, flexible, and easy to set up, and this is the reason why they are very common in waterfront properties. However, they have one big weakness, and that is they tend to float away if they are not anchored to something. This is especially a big problem when it comes to deep waters where there’s no land for anchorage. So how exactly do you secure the best floating dock system out in the open deep waters? That’s what we are going to look at today, and if you have been contemplating doing that, then this is the right place for you right now.

Underground Concrete

This is a method that works if the sea bed is not that deep. You begin by making heavy concrete blocks which are then tied to the dock using a chain and dropped into the water. The chains are adjustable and can be made longer or shorter at any time, depending on the level of the water during tide fluctuations.

This is a very effective method that ensures the dock maintains some level of freedom in movement, but it cannot be swept away no matter how heavy the storm may be. It also means that the floating dock cannot be pulled into the water since the length of the chains can be adjusted at any moment to compensate for any changes in the water level. The only drawback is that it cannot be set up in deep waters.

A Gangway

This will have to be a considerably long gangway for it to reach out into the open waters, but it is a possible project to pull off. What you will need is to set up a very long walking path that is protected. This boat dock ramp will also have to be very solid to avoid being swayed around by the waves. This could be achieved by anchoring it to the floor of the riverbed if it is shallow enough. The bottom line is that it has to be long enough to connect to the floating dock out in the open water and at the same time be deep enough to allow a small boat to approach the land.

The drawback to going with this method is that it will cost you a lot to set it up; however, you can always add that to the value of the property if you ever choose to sell in the future, design and it would fetch you a ton of money.

Cabling

This is another long shot technique that involves setting up a boat lift system with cables that extend all the way from the shoreline to the center of the floating board. This will work best if the floating dock is not that far out in the open waters as that will require a very long cable which will bring about some structural integrity issues. The cables can be tied on a solid anchor on the ground then extended out into the water by being supported by pillars along the way to stop them from dropping into the water. For this reason, this setup can only be used in shallow waters.

Things to Consider when Choosing Dock Anchorage Types

When deciding on the floating dock designs anchorage, there are things you have to pay attention to in order to choose the right method to ensure the floating dock you have stays in place in the open waters. The following are some of the factors you need to consider.

Water Depth: The depth of the water will determine the type of anchorage you use to secure your floating docks. If the water is shallow, you will have more flexibility on the things you can do. It is easier to set up concrete blocks as anchorage using chains if the water depth is not that deep.

Water Fluctuation: You have to find a method that can be flexible enough to deal with the rise and fall of the tides. The anchor type has to allow the floating dock to continue floating on the surface of the water no matter how high or low the tide rises and falls.

Strength of Waves: The strength of the waves should give you an idea of the type of boat dock construction anchorage to go for. Places that experience very strong waves will need more robust methods of keeping the floating dock secured in the open waters and vice versa.

Local Regulations: Setting up structures as big as floating docks require persimmon from the local authorities. You have to be aware of the laws your locality has in regards to setting up.

Conclusion

Setting up a floating dock out in the deep waters is not easy, but when it comes down to it, you may have to do everything in your power to make it happen. If you have been looking at options for setting up a deepwater floating dock, then visit our website for more information on the steps to follow.