Dock and Floats Maintenance Spring 2024

Old large float and new float staged on beach at low tide to pull onto the trailer one at a time for return to storage at the end of the 2023 season. The old float was very bendy and difficult to get onto the trailer prompting the repairs this spring prior to launching for the 2024 season.


Old main float ready for repairs to start.


Ramp bracket repair & reinforcement on long dock with backer boards, 8” SS Lags, & 6” through bolts with lock washers and nylon nuts, all stainless steel.


Rot repair/reinforcement with 5/4 PT board across lower plank on hinge end of long float.

- Before -

- After -


New PT 2x12x20 notched for long dock connection for straightening and re-enforcing lower plank on rear of original main float.


Note both old floats were built using untreated nails (which rust very badly in water never mind salt water). Both float decks were fully re-screwed-in using 3” stainless steel screws as many nails were rusted to the point of broken attachment. This also contributed significantly to regaining stiffness. All new lumber was attached with these screws. The full perimeter of the long float was reinforced using these screws. For the ramp brackets, the 8” lags, 6” through-bolts, flat washers, 2” bottom washers, lock washers, and nylon nuts are all stainless steel and torqued to the max.


2 of our 4 float repair crew and our trusty tools.


Surgical removal and replacement of rotted/damaged deck boards between joists on the old main float.


Old main float corner notch repair.


Truck and special purpose trailer that transports our floats from storage to the beach each spring and from the beach to storage each winter. As the saying goes, good tools make the job easy. The large floats are 20’ long and 11.5’ wide. The long float is 20’ long and 8’ wide. Each of the floats weighs several thousand pounds.


Our new float is stored at Sylvester’s in Lowell Cove. Pictured is our ground-level platform for the float to rest on. In the spring the platform is disassembled with the boards stacked on the lower rung of the kayak rack next to the shed. At the end of the seating, the process is done in reverse.


Old 2 floats rehabbed and launched/connected in time for Memorial Day weekend of the 2024 season.


Happy 2024 Season!