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Help With Dock

Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh

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My existing dock is a focus of another add on / make over

I would like a I_I..... U Shaped Dock to park Benny In 

Unfortunately on this man made lake the lake drops significantly from the shore line 

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To build the U shaped dock with the S21 even if each leg of the U is 18 - 21 foot in length the depth of the lake could be 20 -25 feet easily 

So the idea of making a T Shaped Dock has become a possibility 

The T could easily be 24' in length with a 4 foot width 

I looked into mooring whips to secure boat but it seems the boat will be at least 3 feet off dock (need input from those that have used them}

I would like a true pontoon lift, but with the depth, I have been told that I would need concrete piers to level the lift 

Looking for suggestions and input on what to do 

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What issue are you trying to solve that your existing dock isn't good enough?

I would think it'd be nice to choose which side you dock on (like you have now) depending on the wind direction.  Or is it you want a lift?  Or maybe you just want to secure all four corners of the boat so the boat "floats" inside the "U" and doesn't touch anything?
 
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If it's to suspend the boat so it doesn't rub on the dock, then maybe just put in two separate docks like you have now, but without the bottom of the "U".  That way the two docks wouldn't be as long (maybe just by a few feet though), and the footings won't have to be so deep?
 
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For me the concern is securing the mooring cover it is a headache each and every time boat is brought back to dock

Next is with the rip rap added to shoreline when water level drops due to lack of rain the toons are too close to rock

The U Shaped dock having access on both sides will give ease to securing mooring cover 

The Lift would eliminate all concern completely and will be the most costly of all options if possible

If I use the T Configuration Benny will not have a water depth problem during times of drought , ofcourse securing the mooring cover will still be difficult

Going out another 6 feet may be the best way to go depth will have to be tested for posts
 
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How deep is it where you dock and what is the bed of the lake like? Are sea legs for the boat an option?
 
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We may need some water depth measurements. From your description there is eastern grand canyon under your lakes water surface! I always vote for a lift if the budget allows. Rocky lake bottom? Sand?
 
It is rock .. fine rock ...

Due to Lake Requirements we had to add 60 Ton of Rip Rap to our shoreline 

This rip rap is for wake dissipation 

The depth at about 12 - 15  feet off the existing dock hits 20 - 30 feet 

It drops considerably

When on the dock I wear a life jacket at all times due to depth 

Love The Eastern Grand Canyon Analogy (lol)

After talking to people who live here 

Looks like best solution is to add a 6' x 6' piece with 4 poles at the end and call it even

Placing Mooring Cover on Boat Is A Drag When You Are Unable To Walk With Ease Around Boat 

Those with Boat Lifts here are mainly in coves not nearly as deep 

The Wake Zone and Dam is deepest area of Lake here

Not sure how I feel about the Modular Dock System as covering boat is still a headache 

Well it was worth thinking about :)

 
 
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Most lakes that have a great variance in water depths use floating piers and they can be substantial enough to have a full boathouse/lift with a roof or deck.  You might have to go farther out to clear the rip rap in case the water was really dropped. 

I was supposed to put rip rap in front of our sea wall when I built it 28 years ago.  I plan to get around to putting it in some day.  Our waves are now much higher than when I was a kid due to so many seawalls causing a bathtub sloshing.
 
Our Benny is full time in the water inside of a boat house that has 4 main rows with 10 slips per row. We head into the main dock bow first. There is a finger dock on my port side. We have a routine in which we fasten the starboard side of the mooring cover first, from the deck of our SLX21. We have an extended rear deck which is GREAT with a boat that stays in the water since it allows me access to the flush port, ability to install my motor cover, and most of all, allows easy fastening of the stern portion of the mooring cover.

Once the port and stern of the mooring cover is secured, we finish the starboard and bow from the finger dock and main dock at the bow of our boat. Takes all of 10 minutes to remove and store cover and about 15 minutes to button her down. With a roof overhead, plus the mooring cover, she is really protected well.

We like the marina and boat slips so much that we limited ourselves to a boat no longer than the 21SLX. We were to stay at 20 feet, but got an OK for our boat since it was only 1 foot over. Who knew that the actual length is just a hair under 22 feet, plus the 150 yammy which adds a significant length overall.

Sorry, Pittsburgh, not trying to tell you the life story of our Benny, but just to tell you that even with access from only the front and one side, installing and removing the mooring cover is a straight forward process that works very well for us.
 
I wish I could say the same

It will take me considerably longer this summer

BUT 

It will be worth the effort 

Will just take some breaks in between 

Good things are worth working for :)
 
Not sure Willb but am still looking into suggestions from the Lake Board 

They will have to approve anything that we do 

Time will tell

May switch the focus to deck instead of dock if a solution is not obtainable

 
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Always so much to be done (lol) 

So happy it looks like an early spring 
 
Maybe and L shape with the boat being parallel to shore and the dock. Less stretching to moor and stay in shallow water for mounting?

I'm going to add a grab handle to the post on our dock.

I do one side then the rear but then have to scramble over the lounger and jump to the dock as my boats too long.

After seeing this, I thought- why haven't I fell in yet- a garb handle would be nice.

Getting too old and fat to be Spider-Man
 
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