Pontoon Boat Dock

When its windy I can get the front to touch dock easy, but stern blows away from dock. Is there a trick to this?

If you have a small pontoon boat you can dock the boat by approaching the dock bow first. slow down as you approach. if you have capable crew on board have them jump from the bow to the dock with the bow line and tie the bow line to the dock with enough slack in the line to pivot the boat. after the bow line is secured. if you have a line led from the stern of the boat on the outside of the boat and led to the bow , then the crew on the dock can reach this line and walk it along the dock to a point where you would normally tie the stern line to and pull the stern side of the boat to the dock. once the crew member has control of the stern, the motor can be shifted to neutral.

if you use this method, make sure that the stern line that has been led to the bow, is secured so that it cannot fall into the water and fowl the prop.

This is an alternative to simply tying off the bow and turning the engine toward the dock with the motor running in reverse. some pontoon boats smaller OBs lack enough thrust in the motor to back a boat
against the wind.

2009-03-15 17:52:35 by jpcrash1

Pontoon Autodock, automatic docking system for pontoon boats. Wheelchair accessible system. Now available. pontoonautodock.com

I am buying a boat and and would like to dock it at Salt Fork State Park Lake in Cambridge Ohio. I would like to have some kind of idea of the cost of docking it there. Does anyone know about this lake and the cost? Thanks

Long term docking is not allowed at state parks unless you are staying on the property. Private parks will likely allow it but not state run parks due to available space and liability.

2010-03-28 16:32:17 by Karen S

Made of anodized aluminum
Can be mounted permenantly or temporary for easy removal. (see pictures)
Ladders hangs at the perfect angle for an ease in climbing

Going to take the tree down this winter, but new this summer is bees all over the dock and on the cover of my boat. I rinsed off the sap on the cover and the dock and the bees came right back. What can I do to keep them away, not sure if a nest is nearby, only a few weeks of boating season left, any suggestions are appreciated

i'd get a bee trap and hang it from the tree.
i had one last year by the BBQ, got it at ochard hardware for 2 bucks. big plastic bag with a one way opening on top filled with little white pellets, just add apple juice and it will be full of bees ina week or two.

theres also lots of ways to make your own bee traps, just enter "bee trap" into your search engine.

2010-08-29 18:10:54 by justafan

Price: $15.99 $15.99

Leg base plate for increased stability; 2-1/4'' I.D.
Engineered for strength, durability, and simplicity
Stationary dock hardware is designed with 7/16'' holes for 3/8'' carriage bolts

I live in Ann Arbor Michigan. We live on a small lake outside of the city and we are interested in getting a new dock built. Our current one is very shabby looking. We are looking for something that isnt extravagant but allows us to dock a jet ski or pontoon boat.

What kind of company do we contact for construction? Just a normal carpenter? Thanks

Why don't you just buy a removeable aluminum or composite dock that you put in and pull out every year?
I don't know what you can get built that will stay in place permanently that won't cost you an arm and a leg. As "boatin in VA" mentioned; a permanent dock will require pilings etc, and depending on what the lake bed is like, that can get $$$ in a hurry.

Buy a roll-in such as this;
http://www.dakadock.com/rollin.cfm

P.S. I know nothing about this company, it's just the first one that popped up when I yahooed "roll-in docks"..

2009-05-14 09:23:27 by Steve S

How or where can I get information on boat building and the
legality issues. I have access to large diamiter stanless pipe
and other materials, plus a large shop with facilities to do most
any comercial project. I could build a extra large pontoon style
craft that would float a 8x40 foot conex\container. I could put deck on either side to make overall dementions around
28x40. Building it, dissambling and houling to the coast, then reasembling would not be a problem. Usage would be limited to east coast close to shore and intercoastal waterwways.
Dock and bridge repair and underwater welding equipment
would be primary use.Should it be self powered or towed like a barge?Any related info helpfull. Thanks

dont know of anywhere to look for info on something like that.
will say, if you are using it for mainly stationary platform, and building it yourself, be better, id say, being a barge. if you add engines or propulsion system of some form to a pontoon style craft, the design will have to incorporate a mounting platform etc for this engine. then your going to need fuel tanks, your going to need some form of control system. your going to need to figure out how you want to do it, most likely outboard id say, but then you need an outboard mounting plate and figure out how to get it situated so it would work efficiently, pontoon boat that size, would be very non hydrodynamic and would require a large amount of power to propel. so a large engine would be required. with a container that size on it, i dont think an outboard would be up to the task, you wouldneed to go diesel inboard. then you have engine bays, load bearers, various fire extinguishing systems, stern drive would neen to be mounted, ad on a pontoon, this is difficult without careful design of some form of pod between the sponsons. unless you went twin engines in each sponson, then your getting even more cost and more design. id just go tow, if the only time it moves is to and from a job site.
legality? i wouldnt know, BUT, if it was being used as a commercial craft, im sure the coast guard will require it registered, and thus, inspected and meet the standards of a commercial craft, usually safety systems and so forth.
im sure also it would be very hard to get a craft like that insured. iknow my boat is custom made and getting insurance for that is hard, and thats n ot used for commercial use. and that was built using modern day standards, to code.
also on coastal waters, materials would be something needing careful concideration. you have access to stainless but bare in mind, in salt water, it would have to be marine or hospital grade stainless. regular stainless wont last long at all in salt water.
i think its an ambitious project, especially to carry a load that size, and id sit down and do some serious math on it and design before you weld together a platform. weight distribution going to be key. thats abig load and a high load thats going to be sitting high int he water with very little draft. going to be unstable, even on a pontoon design. hafta design it so the weight is well distributed so as not to sit the bow too low or make it too side to side.
sure it be possible, just probably pretty expensive if safety is a concern.

2007-11-22 02:32:00 by fishwater