Need opinions on docks

Have never had to buy one before and never had much to do with one really. This is the first lake place we have owned so I’m in a learning curve on a lot of things. We had other priorities of things that needed to be done this first year and a dock was about 5th on the list but now it’s about at the top.

I’ve already gotten some quotes on new ones. I see a lot of junk on CL. I want a roll in aluminum as little maintenance as possible and adjustable from the top. Water depth is about 4′ where the dock will go and the bottom is loon crappy but you don’t sink but a couple inches when you walk in. 32′ long with a L will do the job. I have a quote on a new Beach King at $5300 including taxes, delivered and assembled. Floe is considerably more. Guy I bought the place from had a Beach King and loved it.

Would like to get the dock purchase done this season yet as next spring will be pontoon shopping so I don’t know yet what kind of a boat will be tied to the dock or if that is even a consideration when buying a dock but I don’t think I want to go bigger than a 22′ pontoon.

I ran across Solo Dock that is a hinged system that supposedly can be installed by one person. I have no idea how they price out but I plan on getting a quote from them.
So anything else I should look at or am I missing some key considerations?
Thanks in advance for any input!

Oh almost forgot. Might wife showed me one on FB a guy was selling that was powder coated and all aluminum but only 24′ long. He had a patio L on the end with about 4 benches and a fire pit built into it!! He must have made this himself because I’ve never seen this before. It looked nice it didn’t look like a hack homemade job so he may be a fabricator or something. It looked like the ashes and coal would just go through a grate and fall into the lake which as far as I know is verbotten! Sent a message to him last night to call me but haven’t heard back from him yet.

Ain’t nothin like a permanent dock.

I do have a roll in aluminum 24′ with an 8’x12′ platform for sale.

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I started shopping for a new dock last year. Started looking for someone to install a permanent dock like EPG did. But no one would touch a 48 ft dock for under $40K.

I found an outfit in Remer who builds a “permanent” dock out of steel. There definition of “permanent” is not EPG’s or mine.

I didn’t want a “rollin” because I didn’t want to look at it all winter in my front yard. I live on the lake, year round. My neighbors who are gone to some place warm all winter don’t care if their dock sits in the middle of their front yard all late fall/winter/early spring.

I then looked at sectional dock that I could stack more or less out of sight. There are a lots of dock companies that are really proud of their products and charge accordingly.

After getting quotes from 6 or 7 dock companies I shopped weight and ease of install and removal. Lift off decking sections (25 lbs each) and frame sections (67 lbs with legs). Greg at Fish Lake Dock & Lift was my vendor of choice. They have been very easy to work with.

If I had to, I could pay someone many years to put in and take out my dock for what I saved.

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Ice Cap wrote:

I don’t know yet what kind of a boat will be tied to the dock or if that is even a consideration when buying a dock but I don’t think I want to go bigger than a 22′ pontoon

Yea you need to take what you’ll be tying to the dock into consideration. Floe dock sections “float” meaning they use a quick connect system where the sections aren’t bolted riggedly together. If you tie up a 22 foot pontoon and it gets rough out the wave action will cause the boat to buck, and the dock to buck and bend/fallout/smash.

If you put the pontoon on a lift, issue mitigated.

Page 8. https://www.floeintl.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/610-83002-00-Roll-In-Docks.pdf

What/how big of a lake are you on?

What brands of dock are carried by the dealers near you? In case you need a part/have an issue one can quickly run to the dealer instead of ruining a weekend/week waiting for a part to arrive, or having to drive hours to get one

Looking at your criteria and doing a quick read of Solo dock, installation doesn’t sound fun “Installation is simple — install two aluminum posts with footpads on one end of the 6 foot section, carry or wheel the section to the end of the dock, stand the section on end, align the full length aluminum hinges, and simply tip it into the lake.”

My dad got a Walks on Water (WOW) dock with composite decking three years ago, bought it direct from them at the NW Sportshow. He shopped around for a couple years prior and felt that they were the best value considering the quality.

He’s happy with it, I believe it’s 40′ with a bench on the end of the platform, looks just like the one on the cover of their product guide. I haven’t had to do much with it except adjust it a couple times, a local company hires the HS kids to install and remove docks every year, but it seems well built to me. Hope this helps, good luck.

Installation of the Solo dock is easier than taking it out the way it looks to me. Taking it out you have to buy the tri pod winch and use that to lift the end of the dock out to get it upright. Kind of a cumbersome operation and the guy I spoke with admitted as much. But it’s a great design and solid as a rock.
they all have their pro’s and con’s.

They get spendy with all aluminum 4X6 sections go for $750 and the same size with Titan decking goes for $800. sections includes the poles and foot pads and pole covers. You still need to buy the end pieces hinges for the L winches and other accessories so with tax for a 36′ dock with a L I’d be up around 7 grand.

I’d have to drive to the Cities to get it so I’d have a whole day invested in transport. The Beach King guy is local and have heard from several people he comes running when you need something. Right now that looks like the way I’ll go unless I run into a good deal on a lightly used one but that’s highly unlikely.

I think location has a lot to do with your choices. In NW sconny Badger Docks are awesome.

I put in a shoremaster dock 5 years ago. It goes in and out easy. Still looks like new. I am very very happy with it.

I got mine from Marine Dock & Lift. Their service is exceptional.

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I would take a look at Porta-Dock out of Dassel, MN. The current model we have at the cabin is still solid and I don’t know how old it is at this point. Install is easy. Roll in, set height, level, done. Roll lift in along side, set height, level, done. The have numerous dealers in MN and WI and you may be able to buy direct.

A lot depends on the lake you are on. Wave height, what the bottom is like (gravel, sand, muck, small rocks, large rocks) also what the bottom and shoreline are like. Is the drop from the shore into the lake gradual or steep, etc.