Many lakes in the US and Canada have docks that are installed in the spring and removed in the fall. Stationary docks that rest on poles on the lake bottom are usually broken down into sections that are fairly light and can be done by hand. Sometimes large plastic wheels are permanently attached to the bottom of the dock posts. Often the fixed dock is light and stiff enough that a 30-foot-long section can be pulled out of the lake and stored on the beach for the winter.
Floating docks typically use polyethylene plastic floats and are made entirely of polyethylene or have a wood, aluminum, or composite deck that sits on top of the plastic floats. Floating docks weigh significantly more per foot than fixed docks. This additional weight makes it more difficult to create a long, rigid structure that is light enough to be carried by hand. Longer floating dock sections are often limited to about 10 feet. For long docks, the 10-foot sections connect with flexible connectors. These docks are usually removed by taking the sections apart and manually pulling them out of the water, one 10-foot section at a time. If you have a quiet beach, you may be able to pull the fully assembled dock to the beach with an ATV or SUV. Sometimes people use PVC pipe as rollers under the dock so the dock doesn’t have to drag on the sand.
There are manufacturers now making floating docks that can have a single rigid section up to 32 feet long. These docks are made of structural aluminum bolted together to form a 24″ tall truss that spans both the length and width of the dock. Polyethylene floats are caged within the frame system and most common dock materials are can be used as a platform.These frame-type structures are light and strong enough to allow the wheels to be mounted under the dock.If the dock is intended to be rolled up on the beach, the poly wheels can be mounted in a similar manner to the used on stationary docks If the shoreline is too steep or is If it is not convenient to store the dock along the shoreline, a road grade axle, wheels and tires can be installed One year of continuous immersion. You can mount a square or rectangular aluminum tube under one end of the dock.This tube acts as a receiver for a 6′ long trailer tongue to be inserted around the dock. about 2′ then pin in place. There is a trailer coupler on the extended end of the tongue that is designed to connect to a trailer hitch with a standard 2″ ball.
The dock can be towed through the water to a standard boat launch ramp where the tongue inserts into the receiver and converts the dock into a floating trailer. A light truck or SUV backs up the launch ramp until the coupler can float over the tow ball. The coupler is locked and the truck pulls the dock out of the launch ramp like a boat on a trailer. The dock can be towed down the road two miles or 200 miles. Temporary towing lights may need to be installed depending on the distance and terrain traveled.
This new “rolling floating dock” technology has dramatically reduced the hassle of installing and removing floating docks. Beachfront sites that are very steep and have little or no beach especially benefit. There are floating docks available that are up to 17′ wide, but they can be folded in the launch ramp parking lot to just 8.5′ wide, so no special road permits are needed. Some docks may also include a large second deck. Large docks that are easy to install and remove can make up for the beach that many lakefront homeowners wish they had.
Some manufacturers may even license the dock as a boat that allows it to be motored around the lake with an outboard motor and rudder. These docks become a safe, fun and mobile platform for swimming and fishing. While technology is running all around us, it’s nice to see some of that technology giving us safe places to relax by our favorite lake with a peace of mind knowing that closing down for winter will be quick and simple.