Older Dock Wobbles
 

My (5) 8' section wooden/pipe dock is starting to show its age and regardless of how far I pound the steel pipes into the lake bed it still shakes a little more than I'd like.

Can anyone attest to the effectiveness of adding cross bracing using clamp on brackets and piping in an X pattern? It looks to be about $150-$200 investment per setup so I was thinking of adding 1 or 2 of these cross braces to my 40' dock.

The deepest part of my dock is only in 5' of water.

But if experience shows it doesn't really add much rigidity then I'd just live with what I have for now.

Thanks.

Night and Day
 

The difference with /without cross bracing is like night and day

Bracing
 

Our all aluminum dock first section is in 4-feet of water and second section is in about 7-feet of water. As stated before, it is like night and day with/without the braces. Our dock would be borderline unsafe without the bracing. Money well spent.

Thanks
 

Thanks for the endorsements. Now I'm excited to try it.

We use a single cross brace on each section of dock (see image 1) - which might keep your costs down - we we find to be quite effective. You'd want to alternate diagonal directions on each section. These get tucked up under the dock as high as they can go to be most effective; in fact, the final brace usually is installed above the dock platform until the water warms sufficiently and we go swimming to move it to the underside.
[Image credit docks.com]

As others have stated, cross bracing is very effective... You will wonder why you spent so many years driving the steal posts into the bottom of the lake bed for the stability.

I am however not sure you would need the X brace on all legs.... I would just add it to the deepest 3 sections to start.... The shallower sections may not warrent the need.... or as some on said, may just need a single brace and not the full X.....

That only stiffens one leg in relation to the other so you only get 50% of the desired result. Better than none but not as good as two. It's a geometry thing....

The answer is yes, the cross bracing will help. It's amazing the difference.

We have a similar setup, 4'x8' sections, wooden with metal post. The former owner didn't pound the post in far and had cross bracing only on the last section. We have a 23' tri-toon and I was a bit concerned about the dock. Last year I pounded the post in and put on a second set of cross braces and then added whips, these additions really helped.

Correct..... I don't brace all my legs, as I find the shallower ones don't need it... however if I wanted to firm the dock up a bit more, I would only brace the shallow legs in one direction.

Definitely cross brace. Also keep in mind those steel pipes do corrode, I had to replace pretty much all of them on a dock before. Take a hammer ( claw hammer or ball peen, not too heavy) to them, underwater. You should hear a metallic ting when you hit them and they should not give. If you hear a thud or the hammer deforms it easily you need new pipes. They should be able to withstand a pretty good whack.

Stirred—not Shaken...
 

Refresh your boat docking-skills before you add the recommended braces. ;)

.

.... dock-a-dozie dock repair?
 

Looking at Walmart.com and the PlayStar line of do-it-yourself dock repair items for aluminum and wood docks, it looks like PlayStar makes some totally super-duper, dock-a-dozie repair and construction items.

Where is a local retail store that carries similar dock items?

two would be best
 

I have a 36' dock. Have cross piece at end and 2nd cross piece ~8' from that.
In your case, one at end, one at the 3rd section. Also my dock sits on the floor. Add aluminum footings to end of piping, saves hammering. Dock is very rigid even with boat attached.
If putting cross pieces make sure you use couplings at middle of pipe that goes side to side and at the vertical pipes. If you have to raise/lower deck one of the sections of each cross brace will have to be taken apart.
If you have galv piping to hold your section up get a mini come-along to raise
and lower dock. Do not have to get in the water except the cross pieces.

Dave M

PS I do live in a cove so wave action is not as severe.

Forgot to mention. My dock is 6' wide. Width plays into this as well.

I put them in without getting into the water. It can be done, but last fall with the low water, I got in the water with waders, that was quicker.

You can buy dock hardware direct from RDS in Franklin


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Sorry, got caught up in something. RDS sells to marine stores, etc. but you can buy direct. Web site is: http://www.rdsdockhardware.com




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Will they install the dock also?

That will make a huge difference try just one set and you will see drastic improvement


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Watermark, Gilford. But you would have to pay the full retail price! :)

WildWind, RDS only sells hardware.


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