Floating Dock on a river

[rogerwa]

Is it OK to install a floating dock on a river?? I want to build a floating dock that will move up and down with the varying levels of the river we are on. I am just concerned about the constant tug of the current. Has anyone done this or is this a fairly stnadar thing to do.<br /><br />The river is not a big one and is controlled by a dam further down river. On average it fluctuates about a foot over the course of the year.<br /><br />I am also curious as to the best way to dock my boat. Does it need to be bow into the current or can it be perpendicular to the shore. It is a 17 Bowrider and this is our first year with the cabin.<br /><br />Here is a link to my site with some pics of the shore. http://www.geocities.com/rogerwa/

 

[POINTER94]

Re: Floating Dock on a river

Roger,<br /><br />Nice looking little retreat. My kind of place.<br /><br />A one foot fluxuation is not that substantial. Drive pilings into the solid stata below the sand and silt, but you would have to do that for a fixed dock as well. Have the Dock area float independantly and the ramp to the dock have wheels which will move with the water level and wave action. In this way you won't have to expose the dock pilings to the lateral forces applied when water level changes with a fixed ramp design. But realize 1 foot isn't that great of a change. You probably will need to re-adjust the pilings every spring due to the ice moving them over winter.<br /><br />By pointing the bow into the current will decrease the load on the lines, pilings and cleats. Always cross lines to take advantage of the stretch inherent to the lines. Tough to tell what the current is like by the photos. The less load the better in most cases...

 

[flashback]

Re: Floating Dock on a river

My sister has a place on the tennesee river at watts bar lake. they have a floating dock but it is not on the main channel but rather in a cove, so they don't get much wave action from the barges... water level can change as much as 7 or 8 feet but the dock handles that with ease. all that holds it in place is two spud poles and two guy cables. river current fluxuates between 1 and 3 miles an hour so it is not a concern. If you have commercial shipping and are on the main channel I would not recommend it. those barges and tugs make some very big waves...