THE DOCK PRIMER - LWCB

1 A COTTAGER S GUIDE TOWATERFRONT FRIENDLY DOCKSTHE dock PRIMERONTARIO EDITIONP roduced byFisheries and Oceans Canadain association withCottage LifeFISHERIES AND OCEANS CANADAFish Habitat Management Program - Ontario-Great Lakes Area867 Lakeshore Rd., Burlington, ON L7R 4A6 Web Site: LIFE54 St. Patrick Street, Toronto, ON M5T 1V1 Web Site: Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada 2008 Cat No. Fs23-506/1-2008E-PDFISBN 978-0-662-48006-8 Cette publication est galement disponible en fran on recycled dock PRIMERPAGE 3 TABLE OF CONTENTSPAGE 4 GETTING STARTED What Are Your Shoreline Needs?

2 PAGE 7 THE SHAPE OF THINGS TO COME The limits to thin Between a dock and a hard place dock materialismPAGE 12 dock TYPES Removable Docks Permanent Docks Specialty DocksPAGE 20 BUILDING YOUR dock :HOW TO DO IT RIGHT Getting approvals, making amends Tips for easing the processPAGE 22 FURTHER READINGPAGE 23 CONTACTSIt is part of the on your dockwatching the sun set and having aplace to tie up your canoe or motorboat. Perhaps your shoreline already has a dock but it is badly in need of repair,or perhaps you do not have a dock andwould like to add one to your whatever reason, you may be thinkingof building or replacing a dock along a residential dock is not adifficult process.

3 In fact, constructing adock can be easy when you know whatfactors to consider and you are preparedwith some basic information. Fortunately,building a safe and stable dock is only alittle more difficult than building a badone, and with the right design, you canhave a dock that meets your waterfrontneeds while minimizing impacts to fishhabitat. This PRIMER points both theconfirmed do-it-yourselfer and the equallyconfirmed purchase-it-yourselfer in thedirection of good docks and good dock -building practices. It also explains how to avoid some potentially damaging andcostly errors.

4 For the full scoop on docks -including plans and full constructiontechniques - check out additionalreferences or consult experts toget you most important thing to know about dockconstruction is that no dock is astand-alone structure. A dock has to workin harmony with that sometimes uneasymarriage of land and water known as yourshoreline, and with the various uses youand your family envision for that two sites are alike so your dock shouldbe designed to fit the characteristics ofyour shoreline. Is your site on a windypoint with a lot of wave action? Or is it tucked away in a quiet bay?

5 Is theshoreline mainly bedrock or do you have a sandy or mucky shoreline? The answersto these kinds of questions will help todetermine the structural requirements foryour dock . The best way to start is bytaking note of your shoreline s prominentfeatures and then making a detailed mapof it all. Graph paper is the preferredmedia for map-making novices, as a scalecan easily be assigned to the squares, suchas one (1) centimetre square equals five (5)meters, or whatever is needed to fit yourcottage shoreline onto detailed map of your shoreline isyour most valuable tool in building a one thing, you probably do not want to build your neighbours a dock , which can happen when your carefullyconstructed masterpiece ends up onthe wrong side of a property line (it happens).

6 Also, no matter whereyour waterfront is located, chancesare you will need to get approvalfrom at least one governmentdepartment - probably 4 THE dock PRIMERGETTING STARTEDH aving a map of your site with theproposed project neatly drawn out cutsdown on the red tape (see Building YourDock: How To Do It Right, p. 20). Yetthe best reason to map your shoreline isthat it greatly eases the task of choosing thelocation, type, and size of dock best suitedto your needs and budget, whether you arebuilding it yourself or hiring a the mapping process by locatinglot lines and measuring any structures, suchas the cottage or pumphouse.

7 Mark yourfindings on the map. Do the same for theshape of the shoreline, the direction ofprevailing winds and currents, the bestviews of the lake and shoreline, thetopography and vegetation on the landrising from the water, and the water depthmoving away from the land, noting theshoreline s makeup (rock, sand, mud) at 5,10, and 15 metre intervals. Also mark thelocation of submerged navigational hazards such as rocks and sandbars. Note frequently used areas such ashorseshoe pits or swimming areas, alongwith water-intake lines, power lines andtelephone you are aware of shoreline nestingsites for waterfowl (remember the ducklingsthat swam by in the spring?)

8 And fishspawning areas or wetlands, mark theseareas on the map but do not include anyas-yet-to-be-constructed docks , however, take pictures of the shorelinearea throughout the various seasons of theyear. While your cottage may only be asummertime retreat, the shoreline is thereall year and spring ice can tear apartanything that you might decide to add even reinforced concrete bunkers. If you arenew to the area, ask the neighbours aboutthe ice; they will be able to tell you what to expect, which could save you time StartedBefore you pick up a hammer, pickup a pencil and make a detailedsite plan of your 5 WHAT ARE YOUR SHORELINENEEDS?

9 At this stage, what you have is the before plan; the shoreline as it exists prior to any dock additions. Now, look into the future - not at structures, but at that the dock only facilitatesyour needs. Make a wish list of shorelineneeds. Perhaps you need a place to moorthe boat (how big is it?), or perhaps a place to swim, fish, launch a canoe,and sunbathe; maybe just a spot to sit and watch the world drift by, or anycombination of the above and needs and what you have in the wayof waterfront property should dictate theshape, size, and type of dock , not what thelocal lumberyard happens to have in , finances also play a role, but as we will see, docks are usually modulardevices, allowing you to add and rearrangedock sections over time.

10 So rather thancompromise your dreams with asubstandard design that the kids love to use as a floating roller coaster and oldermembers of the family refuse to board,complete your dream in stages as yourfinances successful shoreline structure alsopays homage to its surroundings. The bodyof water fronting your property existsbecause of a delicate balance in nature that has evolved over many narrow band of earth known as theshoreline an interdependent strip thatincludes the water and both exposed andsubmerged lands is the most ecologicallysensitive piece of the planet that many ofus are ever likely to encounter.