Floating docks were first used in 1873 to raise ships out of the water for repair and were designed by John Stanfield and Edwin Clark, principals of Clark-Stanfield.
What Are Floating Docks?
A floating dock is a boat storage, commercial marina, or private dock design that maintains a constant level and surface distance from the water, regardless of water level fluctuations. Floating dock structural components include a frame supported by encased or open foam flotation and a variety of decking options. Most framing galvanized steel, aluminum, wood. Specific structural designs is determined by the environmental location, purpose and many other factors. Head piers and attached fingers form the slips for boats, which can be open or covered. The docks are secured by various anchoring configurations below the surface and attached to the bottom of the lake, river, or waterway. The anchoring is designed to maintain the structure, and orientation of the dock while allowing it to rise or fall with the water level. Pilings and/or cables are also used to maintain the stability of the entire assembly.
Advantages of Floating Docks:
- Maintains a constant level above the surface of the body of water in rising or falling water levels due to tides or storms
- Protects watercraft against extreme weather conditions causing water level fluctuations
- Can lower maintenance cost with detachable and replaceable components, compared to fixed docks
- Floating docks can be altered and expanded in size by the addition of additional slips and sections
- They can be installed in almost any location near or away from the shore or inside a harbor, making them a flexible design solution that is reconfigurable, portable and long-lasting.
- Custom-engineered floating structures can also be applied to wave attenuators, pump stations, floating buildings, floating stores and fuel docks.
Floating Dock Repair
Because floating docks are modular, damaged sections can be easily and quickly replaced. MDI maintains their own manufacturing plant, and can repair or replace most floating boat docks regardless of age or design. They can respond with an on-site evaluation within hours of the first call for help. Contact MDI for a quote on your freshwater dock project.