Crank-Up Dock Ice Protection

[MRJS]

The beauty of a crank-up dock is that it defies gravity above the ice throughout the winter. However, in the spring, the dock hinge is a sitting duck for a thousand ton rogue ice sheet to bulldoze in at 2 to 4 MPH.

Does anybody have a good solution to protect the hinge area?

[ApS]

Yes...that "hinge" problem: falling, shifting, breaking, chipping, tilting, spalling.

It may not just be the ice at work. A raised dock is like a big sail, and should be "guyed" in at least two directions against strong winds. The trees that the guy wires are attached to will move independently of one another, too.

When one cable is used, it may imperceptibly — but strongly — "saw" back and forth in the wind, weakening the hinge base so the ice can assist in shifting it. It doesn't help when the lake goes "over-full" in the spring, either.

How about making the hinge adjustable with pre-drilled adjustment holes? Once the dock is lowered, it can be leveled at the hinge end.

Or clamp the hinge-end onto an 1½" diameter steel cable secured at two big boulders?

Or a railroad tie, secured the same way, but using very short cables?

[SIKSUKR]

I would think the hinge would be located a good foot above water level?

[T.H.E. Binz]

The regulations require the entire support block for the "crank-up dock" to be above the mean lake water level. Given that winter water levels are usually substantially below mean water level, a properly installed dock should not be affected by ice.

[hazelnut]

My dock is the crank up style. The hinge point is well above high water mark. Even a couple of years ago during the spring floods my dock was about 6 inches above water. I imagine most hinge type docks would fall into the same category with the hinge being dry, above water.

[codeman671]

Originally Posted by T.H.E. Binz

The regulations require the entire support block for the "crank-up dock" to be above the mean lake water level. Given that winter water levels are usually substantially below mean water level, a properly installed dock should not be affected by ice.

Ice pile up due to prevailing winds can certainly damage a dock even if mounted high above the mean level. Ask the residents on Diamond. The new log home on the northern end had their dock smashed a few years ago due to ice piling up. It was quite the mess.

[Kamper]

I'm not sure how you could effectively protect the hinges from ice impact without some kind of ice-breaker - like a piling, that would probably need some kind of permit. You may have to continue relying on luck and preventative maintenance.

For the rest of the infrastructure... Maybe you can bury some anchorages and bolt the raised dock to pieces of angle iron between the dock and the anchors. Chain would be an alternate material, and easier to get out of the way during the season. Some convenient trees might do well for anchorages, with some padding to protect them from the attachments. This would at least take the strain off your cables.

Good luck!