The Advantages of Owning a Floating Boat Dock

Deciding to add a dock to your property can be a fairly easy decision. Yes, I want a dock! But deciding what type of dock to get, and figuring out which type of dock best suits your needs – that decision can be a lot more difficult. There are so many choices!

One of the biggest choices is to decide between a floating dock and a fixed dock. This post will focus on the advantages of owning a floating dock.

Basic, Less Expensive and Easy to Install

Many floating docks are pretty basic. Some of these basic floating docks can be purchased and delivered fully assembled while others are designed for easy assembly by a handy do-it-yourselfer.

Installing a basic floating dock is not typically considered a true marine construction project, so installation does not require:

• the expertise of a marine contractor
• the use of speciality equipment
• obtaining the proper building permits (although you should always verify this with your local governing agency)

For these reasons (and more) installing a basic floating boat dock is usually much less expensive than other types of boat docks.

Easy to Maintain

Most floating boat docks are made of low-maintenance materials, such as polyethylene. This type of material doesn’t need to be painted or stained, so you can set up your floating dock and start enjoying it right away. And it’s also pretty easy to clean; usually soap and water will do the trick.

Many Floating Docks are Modular

Modular floating docks are easy to expand and are often sold in sections. Using connectors, sections can be assembled like building blocks allowing you to configure and reconfigure your floating boat dock to best suit your needs at any given time.

Marinas love to take advantage of this feature. Slips can easily be reconfigured to accommodate boats of varying sizes. This means not having to turn any potential customers away because of boat size.

Adjusts to High and Low Water Conditions

Because it floats on top of the water, a floating boat dock is always at the same height as your boat or watercraft allowing you to embark or disembark with ease. You will have use of your dock no matter how high the water rises or how low the water levels drop. Unfortunately, the same can not be said for your boat – low water levels can leave you high and dry, unable to move your boat without scraping the bottom.

Easy Removal

You don’t have to worry about your floating dock getting damaged during a hurricane or severe weather event. Floating docks are easy to remove from the water and should be placed in a safe storage area before a big storm.

Call the Dock Experts at Gibson Marine Construction

Sometimes even the most basic dock installations can give the best do-it-yourself guys a hard time. If so, Gibson Marine Construction is standing by ready to assist with the install.

Or if you want a floating boat dock with more than just the basics, the experts at Gibson Marine Construction can handle that too. They can create a custom design incorporating a floating boat dock that will best suit your needs.