Building Your Own Dock. Sam Merriam

you could sink into it, up to your shins, then that may be a game changer for the classification of dock you’ll choose. Nevertheless, proceed with your site survey as you’ll need to know the details of your submerged waterfront before choosing any option. You should also make note of any significant obstacles as you move along, such as stumps and boulders. Have your helper write down what it is, its distance under the water’s surface, and its distance from the shore with any other references as to its location. Use a GPS device or app for this if you have one. If visibility into the water is poor, use your paddle or PVC pipe to sweep around and find obstacles that are not visible. If an immovable obstacle will impede the installation or intended use of the dock, you may consider setting over from it in another spot and repeating the survey there.

       A marked paddle for measuring depths is a great tool for probing the bottom while checking for hardness and for obstacles that need to be included in your plan. For depths greater than the length of your paddle, consider a marked length of PVC pipe.

      Continue to drift away, toward the location of the next set of legs. Once over the spot, hold the tape measure taut and get the next depth measurement while checking for firmness. Repeat this procedure for each additional dock section that may be in your plan. For docks that extend over to the side, such as an “L” or “T” shape, set over to check that the depths there are no different than what you measured along the main portion. Keep in mind that most power boats need a minimum of 3 feet (91.44 centimeters) in depth for the stern end. If there is potential for severe chop, then more distance out for greater depth may be required to prevent the pitching boat at the dock from hitting the bottom.

       Drawing Up the Plan

      Finally, after you’ve exited the water, go for a clean sheet of graph paper. From a bird’s eye view, plot out your water depth to scale on the graph paper, beginning at the shore and then moving out. Draw in the dock, section by section, and the legs adjacent to their respective depth measurements. Add in any obstacles or landmarks that may be important to you. Indicate anything to help with erecting the dock, such as the height off the water you want it set at, the landmark on the opposite shore you’re aiming it toward, and a landmark on the shore near where the dock should start. At this point you have the basics down. Add more details if you’d like. Show where the ladder or the bench is supposed to go and where each boat gets moored to the dock.

       From shore, measure out where you want the dock to begin in increments equal to the dock sections’ length that you’ve considered for your plan. At each increment, record the depth needed to determine the length of each dock leg. Check the bottom’s hardness and see that your plan doesn’t take you into depths greater than what is practical to manage.

      This is your plan. However, if you will be using this survey drawing for a permit application, keep the one with all the extra details for yourself. Make a separate drawing that only includes the details asked for within the application instructions.

      If your site survey findings are not suitable for a fixed dock, the information you gained from this exercise will most certainly assist with the planning of any other classification. If you do have the right conditions for a fixed dock, the next few chapters describe a host of different support methods for fixed docks in sections, each with its own chapter that details a different support technique. Look and learn about them to find the method that best suits your environment, your wallet, and the purpose you have in mind for a dock.