Idle Pine - Our New Dock

The Story of Our New Dock
thru July 3rd, 2002

I had promised Jane that we would have a dock this summer, big enough for her to do yoga or drink iced tea with a few friends. After asking for recommendations and doing some research over the winter I settled on Great Northern Dock Company, which makes wooden docks and systems of hardware and accessories for their installation. They helped me with my design, and agreed to build the pieces by the end of June. [Click on the images to see enlargements]

I borrowed a trailer for the six hour round trip drive to Naples, Maine, where the docks were fabricated. Fortuitously my brother-in-law Dan was visiting for a few days just when the docks were ready. I took this picture at our lunch stop on the way home. You can see the larger 8'x10' float section on the bottom. On top of it are the two 4'x10' sections, one fixed and one with a single float. (which will be explained below) In the bed of my pickup are the pipes, anchors, and hardware.

Dan and I wrestled the two smaller dock sections off the truck when we got home that afternoon. They weigh 167 lbs. and 191 lbs. respectively. The next morning we drove a mile down the lake to the public boat ramp and, with some difficulty, were able to float the large section off the trailer. It is good that this plan worked, as the float section weighs 422 lbs., and I did not have any additional help lined up.

I then borrowed Aloha Hive's little motorboat and towed the float section back up the lake to our camp. It was a stately cruise, and passed by Hive's dining hall as they were having breakfast, to the delight of the campers. The boat was not very powerful, but we probably couldn't have gone faster even with a more powerful tug. Laura was waiting with her camera for us to arrive, and took this photo.

I returned the mortorboat to Hive, and picked up my truck. When I arrived back home Jane and Laura were already trying out the new floating section. Until this moment I had not been sure that my chosen dock size and float combination would meet our needs. This was not the least of my many uncertainties about this project, including my decision to deliver and install the dock myself.

Our builder had conveniently left a dozen styrofoam insulation panels for later use on our foundation. We used these as floatation for the stationary dock section. Laura tried out Jane's new-fangled kayak while Dan paddled the first dock section to the planned location in front of the Pine Crest cabin.

The first section was to be supported by four two inch galvanized pipes driven into the lakebottom. We used the dock section itself as a template to place the pipes. To our dismay, three of the four struck bedrock within a few feet. Only one pipe is deep enough in the lake bottom to hold the dock against a storm. We will have to find another way to properly secure it.

By the time Dan and Laura had to leave in the early afternoon we had the four pipes driven in, and the first section of dock temporarily suspended between them. I did not have the right drill bit to proceed, so I roped the docks to the shore for the night. I connected the large floating section with the middle "ramp" section, which has a float at only one end. The other end as well as the stationary dock section floated on styrofoam insulation panels.

The next morning I purchased the right bit and bolted the first section to the posts. I can say it in one sentence but it was a two hour struggle in realtime. Then I paddled the other two sections into position and bolted them together. Voila! Not finished, but looking very good. This was taken from the porch of the first cabin.

This morning I went out in the canoe to take these pictures of Jane and the dock in the morning sun. You can see one of the two temporary yellow nylon ropes which connect the floating section to the shore. I have two cement anchors (about 275 lbs each) in the back of the pickup. When these have been transported to the lakebottom under the float section I will be able to remove the ropes.

Here is the view from the makeshift dock we had been using (visible in the third picture above). It gives some idea how far the new dock sticks out into the lake. The dock has to come completely out of the lake in the winter, to save it from being damaged by the ice. I hope to be able to haul these sections up the bank with skids and a winch.

This is my favorite "picture postcard" view. For the time being the pipes will remain staggered, because I might decide to move the dock later this year or next. And I might want to add another section of dock or change the configuration sometime. Finally, I have parts for a swimming ladder which will be installed sometime soon.

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I had promised Jane that we would have a dock this summer, big enough for her to do yoga or drink iced tea with a few friends. After asking for recommendations and doing some research over the winter I settled on Great Northern Dock Company, which makes wooden docks and systems of hardware and accessories for their installation. They helped me with my design, and agreed to build the pieces by the end of June. [Click on the images to see enlargements]
I borrowed a trailer for the six hour round trip drive to Naples, Maine, where the docks were fabricated. Fortuitously my brother-in-law Dan was visiting for a few days just when the docks were ready. I took this picture at our lunch stop on the way home. You can see the larger 8'x10' float section on the bottom. On top of it are the two 4'x10' sections, one fixed and one with a single float. (which will be explained below) In the bed of my pickup are the pipes, anchors, and hardware.
Dan and I wrestled the two smaller dock sections off the truck when we got home that afternoon. They weigh 167 lbs. and 191 lbs. respectively. The next morning we drove a mile down the lake to the public boat ramp and, with some difficulty, were able to float the large section off the trailer. It is good that this plan worked, as the float section weighs 422 lbs., and I did not have any additional help lined up.
	I then borrowed Aloha Hive's little motorboat and towed the float section back up the lake to our camp. It was a stately cruise, and passed by Hive's dining hall as they were having breakfast, to the delight of the campers. The boat was not very powerful, but we probably couldn't have gone faster even with a more powerful tug. Laura was waiting with her camera for us to arrive, and took this photo.
I returned the mortorboat to Hive, and picked up my truck. When I arrived back home Jane and Laura were already trying out the new floating section. Until this moment I had not been sure that my chosen dock size and float combination would meet our needs. This was not the least of my many uncertainties about this project, including my decision to deliver and install the dock myself.
	Our builder had conveniently left a dozen styrofoam insulation panels for later use on our foundation. We used these as floatation for the stationary dock section. Laura tried out Jane's new-fangled kayak while Dan paddled the first dock section to the planned location in front of the Pine Crest cabin.
The first section was to be supported by four two inch galvanized pipes driven into the lakebottom. We used the dock section itself as a template to place the pipes. To our dismay, three of the four struck bedrock within a few feet. Only one pipe is deep enough in the lake bottom to hold the dock against a storm. We will have to find another way to properly secure it.
	By the time Dan and Laura had to leave in the early afternoon we had the four pipes driven in, and the first section of dock temporarily suspended between them. I did not have the right drill bit to proceed, so I roped the docks to the shore for the night. I connected the large floating section with the middle "ramp" section, which has a float at only one end. The other end as well as the stationary dock section floated on styrofoam insulation panels.
The next morning I purchased the right bit and bolted the first section to the posts. I can say it in one sentence but it was a two hour struggle in realtime. Then I paddled the other two sections into position and bolted them together. Voila! Not finished, but looking very good. This was taken from the porch of the first cabin.
	This morning I went out in the canoe to take these pictures of Jane and the dock in the morning sun. You can see one of the two temporary yellow nylon ropes which connect the floating section to the shore. I have two cement anchors (about 275 lbs each) in the back of the pickup. When these have been transported to the lakebottom under the float section I will be able to remove the ropes.
Here is the view from the makeshift dock we had been using (visible in the third picture above). It gives some idea how far the new dock sticks out into the lake. The dock has to come completely out of the lake in the winter, to save it from being damaged by the ice. I hope to be able to haul these sections up the bank with skids and a winch.
	This is my favorite "picture postcard" view. For the time being the pipes will remain staggered, because I might decide to move the dock later this year or next. And I might want to add another section of dock or change the configuration sometime. Finally, I have parts for a swimming ladder which will be installed sometime soon.