Q: Why are you selling the dock parts as a unit, instead of by each individual part?
A: We wanted to make it easier for the consumer, and to have no hidden costs. The last thing you need is to place an order for floats, then find you need to reconfigure your dock or want to change a tie to a bumper and have to recalculate the costs. With this system, all you need to calculate for the price of a dock is the number of floats!
Q: What is the buoyancy of the floats?
A: The buoyancy of these floats is very high; each float has a load capacity of 430 lbs or 195.22kgs.
Q: How thick is the float plastic?
A: The floats are near 1/4 inch, one of the thickest on the market; making it one of the toughest and the strongest!
Q: Since these units are so thick, and tough, they must be very heavy; how much do they weigh?
A: Actually, these units were designed to be light-weight to allow easy installation and easy removal in areas where there is destructive flowing ice. A complete float unit weighs only ~30 lbs (13.6kgs)!
Q: What is the warranty and expected lifetime of the floats?
A: The floats have a fifteen-year limited warranty and are made of rotational molded, polyethylene resin. These resins offer a balance of toughness, rigidity, and cold temperature impact performance; which, ensures an expected lifespan of 30 plus years.
Q: What is rotational molding?
A: Rotational molding; in simple terms, starts by placing plastic powder in a mold. The mold is heated while being rotated slowly, melting the powder against the inside walls of the mold. When the mold has cooled, it is opened and the part is removed as one piece seamless unit.
Q: Are these docks safe for our environment?
A: The units are made of polyethylene resin, which is a food-grade material. It is non-toxic, non-leeching, chemical and petroleum resistant. They are 100% recyclable and will not contaminate our precious waterways.
Q: How many units can you fit on the back of a full-size pickup truck?
A: You can connect and pile 22 Units! (Remember they only weigh ~30lbs each, your only restriction is the size)
Q: ICE – What do I do in the winter?
A: This all depends on the type of ice you have in your water system. If you have flowing or heavy spring break-up, then you will need to remove the dock or move it to a protected inlet or bay. If it merely freezes; simply, remove the ramp in the fall, and tie it out from shore! A good way of determining this is to look and see what your neighbours have done. If in the past they have left their docks in, then your Dewdock® will be fine to leave in.
Q: Do you have to disassemble the docks to remove them in the winter?
A: No, there is no reason. The docks are tough and can handle severe temperatures. They can be pulled up on shore (a come-a-long works well with or without the aid of an ATV or garden tractor and stored over winter as a complete dock or can be left in the water if there is no flowing ice. Large docks can be configured in sections…see our dock to dock hardware kits.
Q: Can I use plastic lumber to deck my dock?
A: We don’t recommend it. Plastic tends to get very hot in the summer sun, and can be very slippery when wet. Plastic lumber also grows and shrinks when heated and cooled by the elements.
Q: What is the advantage of a wooden deck?
A: There are several advantages. A dock is out in the open water and directly exposed to the elements. Wood will stay pleasant to walk on, on hot days as well as on cool ones. It provides good, non-slip traction in most circumstances and adds a “cushioning effect,” to make the dock a comfortable place to walk or sit. Wood, whether it is spruce or cedar is always a very attractive finish to any cottage/home. If the dock is made of cedar it will also have a wonderful aroma…as the cedar guys say, “You can’t beat the smell of fresh wood!”
Q: I presume you assemble the dock on land and then push it into the water. Do you apply the cedar deck to it on land, or can you apply the deck once the dock is in the water?
A: The dock is easiest to assemble on land but can easily be assembled on the water. The deck can be attached on either land or water. It is always easier to build on a solid, flat surface rather than on a wet one!
Q: How do you fasten the dock to shore?
A: We offer a variety of ramp hardware, pipe hinging, piling post and anchoring kits to suit your needs. (See the Hardware section for our full line of accessories)
Q: Some docks are filled with foam… Why are these not filled with foam?
A: If EPS foam is part of a floats design it is destined for landfill at the end of its lifespan. This is due to the difficulty in separating the foam from the plastic. Our float is thicker and designed to eliminate the need for foam. In the unlikely event of a puncture it can be easily repaired with a Soldering-gun or hot iron. A foam filled float becomes waterlogged and cannot be easily salvaged.
Q: Why don’t you provide the wood, and sell the docks as a complete kit?
A: With the majority of most cottages being up North, you will get a better deal by going to your local retail supplier than we can offer. You will save on shipping, and may even have better pricing in your local area.
Q: What type of wood is required?
A: 5/4 x 6 (1 x 6) deck boards, are ideal in either spruce or cedar. The actual size of this is 1″ x 5 ½ “.
Q: Can I use 2X6 lumber.
A: Yes any lumber can be used for the deck and header boards but the minimum we recommend is 1” thick.
Q: I want to put a slide off of my dock or my swim platform. Can one be attached? Can the dock support this weight?
A: Yes one can easily be mounted directly onto the decking. Each float supports a weight of 430lbs (195kgs) so a Dewdock® would be ideal to mount a slide on and will easily support the slide’s weight.
Q: Do I need any special tools to assemble these docks?
A: No, no special tools: Just a 1/2″ socket & ratchet to tighten the bolts and a drill with a bit to screw on your wood!
Q: How do the connectors and bumpers attach?
A: The float is designed with 4 dove-tail slots. Bow ties (connectors), half ties (finishing ties) and bumpers are simply slid up from the bottom of the slot and held into place by a stainless steel, 5/16″ bolt (provided). Parts are interchangeable, making it easy to make almost any dock design you can think of. You could build a dock this year and change or add to it next! It is as easy as kid’s building blocks…only for big kids!
Q: How do I attach the wood to the dock?
A: The header blocks have several purposes in the dock design. Not only do they hold the connectors and bumpers in place, but they are positioned on the float to attach your header boards to make the framework for your deck! Simply screw your header boards into the header blocks to further connect the units together, allowing the floats to work as a single unit. Then screw your decking to your header boards. Note, you never screw into your floats and the header blocks require no pre-drilling.
Q: How tough are these floats, could I accidentally puncture them by pulling them up on shore?
A: These floats are made of polyethylene resin; one of the toughest on the market. They are designed to be dragged up on shore if needed. Sharp rocks may scratch the bottom of the floats, but this will not affect them.
Q: How can I attach a Dewdock® to my existing dock?
A: You can attach a Dewdock® to an existing dock using a ramp. Use a Dock End Ramp Kit and a Seawall End Ramp Kit (see diagrams on the Ramp Hinge page in the accessories section of this book).
Q: I cannot find boards longer than 10’. How do I span a header board 18 feet across an open space?
A: Use two boards to make up the length you require. Butt the ends of the two boards together and secure by splicing a 2’ long piece of wood on the underside and screwed thought the top. This may seem to be flimsy, but once the deck boards are attached on top the structure becomes very stable and does not sag.
Q: Why the name “DEWdocks”
A: My name is Duane; my nickname is DEW!