I am thinking about building a floating dock for up at our camper. I have a few 30 gallon plastic barrels laying around and some treated lumber for a frame. Use plumber strap to anchor barrels to frame. I am thinking a "T" shape. Once it is in does it need to come out? I have been told that a friend of my uncles ministers sisters dentist leaves their floating dock in year around and no worries about ice, but never hear from the person directly. Is this true, can anyone say they actually have left a floating dock or even a roll in, in through freeze up and how did it handle it?
Plenty of time to plan. Won't put in til spring, and might not even build til we go back up so I don't have to haul it.
I've seen them left in, but it was in a lake where the water rose and fell 8 feet every time the wind changed direction for 24 hours. It floated up and down guided by 3" pipes driven into the bottom of the lake. Nothing beautiful about the pipes being pushed all over and bent back and forth, but it did work and it's been there for at least 15 years
When you fasten the barrels to the dock make sure you use SS fasteners and Plumbers tape, otherwise they will rust apart after one season. Also check local regulations about reflecting the swim dock to prevent some idiot running over it with a boat at night. Some jurisdictions have laws with regard to that.
When ever its below freezing, here now til April.. Moving water does not freeze. If your building it throw axle underneath it and d rag out..
If it's the round plastic barrels and none of the wood structure is in the water the barrels should float on the ice. As long as the barrels are horizontal the ice freezing should push them up as the water freezes. As long as you don't have lots of shifting ice to pull on anchors you should be fine.
