Need to Build Boat Dock - Suggestions

**MercoMarine** · 07-28-2010, 10:26 AM

Originally Posted by randybenham

titleman,

You are the smart one to have someone else build it for you. I built mine myself, and wound up hurting my back, having surgery, & spending more money on the surgery than the dock!! 3 feet is a significant variance, & during the low water period, may be sort of uncomfortable if you fish a lot year round. Mine is a hybrid dock, 1/2 fixed, w/ a floating 12 x 16 platform. I used 30 gallon blue barrels to float them. I put 12 floats under the floating part of my dock. Some advice I would give is spend the extra money if you do fixed & get 6x6 posts. You can buy dock hardware, and "certified" floats that are endorsed by the coast guard at Boat Docks & Boat Dock Accessories Manufacturer | Merco Marine | Wellsburg, Wv - Merco Marine . they are eeeexxxxpensivvee. $100-$150 per float. You can spend a crapload of money on these things.

Goto our web site for a complete price list of all of our floats including all the techinical specs such as float buoyancy, size, weight, cubic feet and more.

We have several sizes under $100. Float drums are in fact highly regulated by the Corps of Engineers. ("blue barrels" are not allowed to be use by this regulation)

Another thing to note about using float drums and with the correct psf of flotation is that they will create a very very stable dock system.

If anyone has more questions about docks or how to build docks or things that people ask us every day, Go to our Frequently Asked Questions page on our site.

**blairarnold** · 07-29-2010, 02:44 PM

I think fixed docks hold more fish, but everywhere I would want to put them has too much change in water levels in the course of a year.

**MercoMarine** · 07-29-2010, 03:00 PM

Originally Posted by blairarnold

I think fixed docks hold more fish, but everywhere I would want to put them has too much change in water levels in the course of a year.

I'm not sure what you mean by "will hold more fish". If you mean flotation, the average floating commercial dock should have about 35# per square foot. That's plenty of float to put a few fish on. As far as water level fluctuation, we have docks here on the Ohio river that fluctuate with the river level sometimes +/- 20 feet, with 40' of total travel up or down. Stationary dock would be flooded and unusable with more than a couple feet of rise. With our floating dock systems you could potentially be using your dock when everyone else in your area may be under water.

**blairarnold** · 07-29-2010, 04:53 PM

Originally Posted by MercoMarine

I'm not sure what you mean by "will hold more fish". If you mean flotation, the average floating commercial dock should have about 35# per square foot. That's plenty of float to put a few fish on. As far as water level fluctuation, we have docks here on the Ohio river that fluctuate with the river level sometimes +/- 20 feet, with 40' of total travel up or down. Stationary dock would be flooded and unusable with more than a couple feet of rise. With our floating dock systems you could potentially be using your dock when everyone else in your area may be under water.

What I meant was more fish stay around the dock and you catch more on fixed docks as opposed to floating docks, or at least I do. I do know what you mean on water level changes as all of our rivers, all of our corps reservoirs, and nearly all of our oxbow lakes here have way too much variance in water levels to be able to use a fixed dock and must have floating docks.

**crappie dober** · 07-31-2010, 09:08 PM

title man
I have built several docks slips and floating marinas in arkansas as well as oklahoma i would be more than happy to see what you have in mind and give you a quote my company is barrs steel erection i also do steel buildigs statewide as well as oklahoma my number is 479-849-6101

Thread: Need to Build Boat Dock - Suggestions

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