Boat Docks: A Rant!

Iggy · **Posted:** Mon Aug 20, 2012 8:24 am

Ok folks,

As the proud new owner of a beautiful boat I've spent years making with my own two hands, I am dumbfounded by some of the monstronsities that try to pass for boat docks these days. You'd think the premise behind someone designing and building a boat dock was to make it friendly for boats to actually DOCK on the side without getting damaged. But nooooo... that particular detail seems to slip people's mind, or at least it seems to have slipped the mind of virtually every boat dock I've seen in my short experience this summer.

Its become this little game... how to dock without scratching the hell out of the sides of my new hull. I have bumpers (actually one type of bumper actually scratched my hull), and I am a very cautious driver, however I have enough scratches already on my brand new hull to make it look much older. While I know this is part of the deal, I still wonder why anyone would design/build some of the docks I've seen.

I have to start taking photo's of these nasty docks and post them here.

One in particular had 10" rods sticking out from the sides... sorta like spikes. I didn't dock there, but cast anchor off shore and picked up a canoe taxi.

Another dock was this factory made floating plastic pillow type that had connectoin points in every corner, however the outside edge was like a serrated saw blade. In fairness, they dock manufacturere might have had a trim piece that was supposed to be used around the outside, but the cheapscate provincial park operator didn't bother to buy that particular part.

One of the joys of having my own boat was to visit various lakes and explore, however these crazy dock designs make it just a little more painfull for me. Outside of covering every inch of my hull in bubble wrap, I guess I have to deal with the unavoidable scratch and nick and gouge caused by unfriendly boat docks.

I will promise you this, if I buid a boat dock, it will be boat friendly.

Bill Edmundson · **Posted:** Mon Aug 20, 2012 8:50 am

Ian

I agree! We worry about abrasion on the bottom. But, my scratches are on the sides from docks. The bottom and deck are just fine.

Bill

vupilot · **Posted:** Mon Aug 20, 2012 1:43 pm

Amen Brother!

Here are some helpful tips for filling those scratches when it comes time to touch up the varnish. Thick super glue for balsa models is the trick.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=unqX1IyN ... ature=plcp

Trackhappy · **Posted:** Mon Aug 20, 2012 3:55 pm

I just wanna have a boat in the water near a dock.... :cry:

But I understand your angst. How about this:
http://www.kaptenboatcollar.com/gallery.html - Check out the white boat with the yellow collar...

Ugly as sin but your boat will be safe ...

DaveLott · **Posted:** Mon Aug 20, 2012 4:57 pm

This was one of our biggest worries at Nickajack a couple of years ago. I showed up a day early last year just to make sure the dock was boat friendly.

The only damage I have to Midnight is from a dock as well.

Another problem I have seen is the bumpers are too high. Our boats go right under them and catch all types of heck

jeffh · **Posted:** Mon Aug 20, 2012 9:17 pm

Iggy, I have four low freeboard fenders. They protect the deck as well as the hull. I'm fortunate that the fuel docks and the one restaurant I go to all have very nice docks. As of now, I have not inflicted any damage to the hull or deck from any docks. Here is a photo of mine on my boat.

You can see them a little in this photo at a fuel dock. Notice the dock has nice padded edges:

Moeregaard · **Posted:** Tue Aug 21, 2012 1:44 pm

The only docking issue I have is when the Zip tries to drift under the dock. You then realize just how small that boat really is....

-Mark Shipley

Glen-L.com

Boat Docks: A Rant!

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