floating vs. fixed docks?

[Sailor]

I would like to get feedback from those that live in areas with both floating and fixed docks and which type do you prefer and why? If you kept your boat at a marina or you were visiting one, would you rather prefer floating docks? Assume that tidal fluctuations are not a factor (sorry NE guys).

[redneck joe]

Are you in a high traffic channel or back water?

I would go fixed - no wind issues, no cables to worry about.

[mlaco]

I would like to get feedback from those that live in areas with both floating and fixed docks and which type do you prefer and why? If you kept your boat at a marina or you were visiting one, would you rather prefer floating docks? Assume that tidal fluctuations are not a factor (sorry NE guys).

If tide is not an issue, I'd go with a fixed dock.

[mvining]

I would like to get feedback from those that live in areas with both floating and fixed docks and which type do you prefer and why? If you kept your boat at a marina or you were visiting one, would you rather prefer floating docks? Assume that tidal fluctuations are not a factor (sorry NE guys).

I live in the Great Lakes. The water level goes up and down everywhere over time. Even here where there are no tides. In general, I believe floating are best, but not the cheap ones. The most expensive solution unfortunately.

Fixed must be used where there is a lot of wave action. Floating can always be used in backwaters. The ones with concrete pads on the top are the nicest I've seen. A great $$ saver is to use fixed center docks and floating fingers.

[sgawiser]

Kind of depends upon the boat, the dock, and your use. I remember living aboard a sailboat in North Palm Beach where there was not much tide. But let me tell you, the fixed docks were a real pain when you had to get groceries and other stuff aboard at low tide.

In CT, where we lived aboard the same boat, it would not have been possible to have a fixed dock with 7 foot plus tides.

I guess the key question is what is the tidal range, what do you have to put on and take off of the boat, how easy is the boat to board, etc.

[Sailor]

Tide range is about 1', maybe 2' on rare occasion, and the area is relatively protected, even from half throttled cruisers. I am just curious on the opinions of real users as this would be for a total dock replacement for a marina. There seems to be a trend of going to floating docks, and I've been on some that were real nice, and we are seeing them used more and more around our area, but fixed docks have always been the go to solution, so I'm interested if our little area is behind the dock technology curve or the increase in floating docks is nothing more then a trend. My main concern is 1) cost and 2) hurricanes.

[seahawg]

Sailor, I think the majority of people would prefer to use a marina with floating docks (at least finger piers). It makes it easier to get on the vessel in my opinion. I did a full floating dock with 5 slips 20x60, for some condos I did in Beaufort NC. Shoot me a PM and I can send any info or pics, if that would help. I don't know where you are located, but I used T.D. Eure in Beaufort, to do the work. Chuck Bissette that owns the place, is a great guy and does work up and down the Mid-Atlantic. They do top-notch work.

[Siggi Churchill]

What's the boating season like. Us NE types often take the floating docks out for the winter and put them back in in the summer. It probably takes about two weeks to get about 20-25 floats all in the water, towed to the proper location, repaired and swept off (they're stacked so they're covered in shells), placed properly (don't daaaaare alter the footprint one little bit....we'd have the army breathing down our necks), and linked together (which is a fun job if you enjoy red, black, and blue hands for a few days) Add a few days of floating around in a skiff replacing rusted chain and cable, trying to figure out where the the heck that GODDARN ANCHOR WENT THIS YEAR and what knucklehead (couldn't have been me) tied this freaking wasp nest of a "knot" , etc. The trade off is good for us - with a 8-10 foot tide, the floating docks are much preferred over fixed, even with the labor of putting them in and pulling them out every year. Based on your concern for hurricanes I'm going to guess that you're down south, where the haul out and put in may not occur, but you will still need to repair the docks and their anchoring systems on occasion...especially after a storm.

Speaking of hurricanes - we dodge most of those, but even nor-easters can do some damage. Of course the mouth of the harbor faces due-northeast, so we get more swell than some places, but its still a concern. We tie all the docks together with a "spider web" of heavy line. Docks have broken free from their metal pipe connections before...the hope is that the spider web will keep them (and any vessels attached to them) from bashing into other docks and into shore. Hurricanes if severe enough may be enough of a worry that you would want to totally remove the dock. I'd Imagine that they could damage fixed docks too...but not sure. Don't forget that the fun isn't over when the sky clears...after that you get to inspect the docks, fix any broken connections, and if it was real bad pull a float or two out of the water to do some repair. I don't really mind the maintainance, it's a nice change of pace, but with a lot of floats or a lot of other responsibilities, it may not be so fun.

If your tide is truly only 2 feet you might be OK going fixed. IF you have any older people or kiddos trying to board boats even a 2 foot drop may be a problem. even with only 2 feet caution also needs to be exerted with lines....at high tide there will be some slack in lines, can't tie the boat very tighly (as we do when storms are a-comming...try to reduce the bashing around of the boats) I'd bet that everyone would enjoy the convenience of a floating dock more than a fixed dock, but there is a cost to floating them in labor and loss of strength.

If I were staying at a marina I think besides the above concerns my biggest would be noise at night. I had a (possibly a tiny bit tipsy) visiting boater ask what time at night the noise from the floats and ramp stop I think I managed to keep my smart comment to myself...but it was an effort. At any rate, floating docks bang around a good amount, but the float with the boat, so there may be less noise from the boat bouncing against the immovable dock. Not sure which is quieter for sleeping...but I think the sound of the docks is at least less disconcerting than hearing my boat hit the wall, even with fenders.

[AdamT]

I'll take floating any time. You can set your lines and fenders and not have to worry about leaving extra slack for tides.

[RI Builder]

No brainer - Floating