Floating on Dock 9

Con-ve-nience (n): fitness or suitability for performing an action or fulfilling a requirement ~Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary

Imagine spending a glorious day at sea or on the lake.  Now imagine this…the sun is setting, your ride is nearing its end.  But this time, instead of turning toward the boat ramp, you venture off in another direction.  You approach the entrance to a canal or other narrow quiet waterway.  There, in front of you, is the best of all (water) worlds…your floating drive-on dock.  Your own jet ski parking space, conveniently elevated just inches about the water.  A few moments later, your keel makes gentle contact with the sloping back of the floating dock.  A quick blip of the throttle and 2.5 seconds later, you are now safely dry docked, mere steps from your back door.  Does it get any better than this??  No, it really doesn’t!

Jet Dock modular floating dock.



What could be better than the ultimate convenience of having your beloved ski in-the-ready 24/7?  Waiting quietly behind your domicile, prepared to launch on a last minute, unplanned  journey with you at a fleeting moment’s notice?  It’s hard to beat it.  I moved onto the waterfront several years ago.  After I began riding skis, it became rapidly evident to me that riding wasn’t just something I did once in a while…it was becoming a lifestyle.  My whole focus started molding around the idea of finding a way to be on the water as much as possible.  In order to do that, I needed two things…a residence of some sort on the water, and a floating dock for my PWC.  With these two things, I could maximize my water time and minimize transit time and boat ramp crowds and aggravation.  I could start doing things like going for rides on week nights after work.  I could more readily and frequently watch sunrises on the ocean, and linger a little later at dusk.  It was an irresistible scenario that I simply had to have a piece of.



PWC mechanical lift.



That time finally came, and I purchased 2 floating docks.  There are several different manufacturers that make products for PWC on-water docking.  The most popular one is Jetdock.  These systems are comprised of modular blocks that can be arranged in any pattern you want.  The advantage is that you can customize the dock to whatever shape you need and to hold as many skis as you want.  You can also purchase additional blocks and add onto it…so you can have a nice open surface area next to your boat for ease of staging and washing.  They are made of a type of sturdy rubberized plastic that is resistant to algal and barnacle growth.  Then there are a number of manufacturers that make uni-mold docks…meaning that they are a single molded piece of sturdy plastic, with the shape of the hull formed into its body.  These types typically have several rollers on their surface to aide in the launching and loading process (a huge help with today’s jumbo, overweight PWC models).  Some also may include a winch on the front to crank the boat up onto the dock.  I chose a Hydroport 2.  It had the aforementioned bow rollers, and the appropriate weight capacity for my 850+ lb. 4-stroke.

PWC sling with davit hoist.



Aside from occasionally squirting a little oil onto the rollers and scraping the undergrowth from the back and sides of the dock, there really wasn’t any other kind of maintenance.  A word of caution about scraping undergrowth: I recommend using a large spackle knife or a metal floor scraper (like the kind you would use to scrape old tile grout and thin-set off a floor).  You want to make sure you do not use anything too sharp, or you might accidentally cut the plastic and introduce a source of water intrusion, which can compromise your dock’s ability to stay afloat.  Be extremely careful when doing any kind of barnacle removal…those little suckers are razor sharp.  I have a nasty scar on my left foot to prove it.  It is best to wear some type of gloves when scraping the dock.  If possible, it is a good idea to try and get in the water and scrape the bottom once a year (best done with scuba tanks, or hire a company to come in and do it for you).  You might be surprised just how much weight undergrowth adds to your dock.  It can certainly impact the effectiveness of your dock’s ability to keep your ski up and out of the water.

There are also other types of PWC lifts.  There are mechanized lifts that physically haul your ski up out of the water on bunk boards.  There are also PWC slings that can be used with a single davit to hoist your boat and store it on a cradle sitting on the seawall.  The disadvantage there is the requirement of a power source, and maintenance on moving metal parts near water can be troublesome.  Plus there are permitting considerations.  These vary widely by city or county, and here in South Florida, strict environmental ordinances can make getting one lengthy and expensive.  And these docks ain’t cheap…you can easily spend $1500 apiece for a single unit floating dock, and the price goes up from there.  You will also have installation hardware, and if you go with a powered lift, you will have the expense of electrical hookup.  I used schedule 80 PVC pipes and fittings on my Hydroports, and you may be surprised how quickly costs add up.



Con-ve-nience!



However the good news is, the return on fun investment is immense!  Once your setup is complete, your life will change.  The ease of coming and going was so great that I began racking up hours faster than a speeding bullet.  Pulling up on the dock and not having to trailer load and then drive for 45 minutes was heavenly!  I could just fall into the pool or hit the shower.  And if I was going out again the next day, there was no need to worry about washing the ski.  Getting gas is as easy as grabbing a few 5 gallon gas cans and driving over to the nearest petrol station, and then filling up on the dock.  Gone are the days of waiting in long boat ramp lines, and having to stop consuming tasty tropical cocktails 2 hours sooner because of the need to drive afterward!  A sort of urban utopia was found!

Years later, I am still fully spoiled living on the waterfront.  The joy is has brought me is immeasurable.  I encourage anyone who has been thinking about setting up their water toys on the water’s edge to take the plunge (pun intended) and get some PWC docks.  If you ever move or need to sell them, the good news is you will have a captive customer base looking to buy second-hand due to the somewhat absurd cost of buying new.  I promise you won’t regret it.  When you wake in the morning and peek out your living room window and see your trusty ski calling to you from the dock, daring you to call in sick from work and go play on the water, you can only manage a devious smile.  Ah, to hell with it, “the flu” is going around anyway.  Enjoy!



You don't look well...you'd better "stay home" today!