Boat Maintenance Tips for the Off-Season

Getting ready to pull your boat out of the water? It’s always a bummer to be getting ready for fall, but when summer ends, you can take steps to make sure next boating season is as much fun as this one.
 

Fall and winter in the Midwest are great times to take care of boat care tasks you might have put off while on the water.
 

To prepare your boat for the longer period of inactivity the winter months bring, visit our website for a few tips to keep your dock and boat in great shape until spring.
 

Discover Why Alumi-Span are the Experts in Aluminum Boat Docks!

“From the first call, anyone with whom I spoke was professional and friendly. Sketches were sent to me, and I placed my order in November 2017. Per my request, the dock was delivered at the end of March 2018. I was not required to have anyone on site to help unload it and, also per my request, they carried it to the lake side of my home. I cannot say enough positive things about my experience with this company.”
 

Discover the Alumi-Span difference today!

Good Boat and Dock Maintenance Happens Year Round

Taking care of your boat and boat dock ensures you’ll have a great boating experience when you get back on the water next.
 

If you need tips for how to store your boat, how to maintain it, or how to remove your dock when the time comes, we can help!
 

Our experts have been helping Michigan and other Midwest state residents with boat docks for over 50 years. We use only the highest quality materials for all our boat docks and boat dock parts, and take pride in the dependability with our docks and dock parts.
 

Read the full list of maintenance tips on our website!
 

Discover the Alumi-Span difference today!

Dreading Dock Installation? Our Tips Make it Easy

Dock installation can be easy if done correctly, with the right type of lightweight dock sections. We talk to dozens of customers each year who, in frustration, decide they’ll do or pay almost anything to get out of the back-breaking work of dock installation. 

Rolling docks and other options are available but expensive, and often don’t work as well as advertised. 

Did you know that a conventional dock can be installed in about 3 minutes per section without any heavy lifting? 

Follow these basic steps for easy installation on our website.

Installing a Basic Dock is Easy with Alumi-Span!

When you receive a dock from us, you’ll also get a kit. Our basic kit includes dock sections, crossarms, an upright post, bottom plates, stringer brackets, and caps for the post. The first step is pre-assembling as much as possible. In the next few years, you won’t have to repeat these steps.

To read our full assembly process, read more here!

Our Tips for Easy Dock Installation

Do you dread dock installation every year?

What if we told you it could be easier with three simple tips?

We talk to dozens of customers each year who, in frustration, decide they’ll do or pay almost anything to get out of the back-breaking work of dock installation. Rolling docks and other options are available but expensive, and often don’t work as well as advertised. 

Did you know that a conventional dock can be installed in about 3 minutes per section without any heavy lifting? 

Visit our website to learn more!

Why Choose Alumi-Span for Aluminum Docks?

The answer is in the name! Since 1956, Alumi-Span has been a name that people trust. Whether it's a complete boat dock system or the individual components, we manufacture our products using quality methods and materials. With the high quality and dependability of Alumi-Span, it's no wonder so many property owners in Michigan have selected our aluminum docks over the years. In Detroit and the surrounding area we have built a reputation you can depend on. 

Interested in a new dock or replacement parts that will last? Fill out our contact form or give us a call at 855-523-2444 to find out more.

Boat Maintenance: Paint Touch-Ups Can Be Easy

For many of us Michiganders, summer means getting out on our boats and hitting the lake. With all the good times our boats provide for us and our families, it’s only fair we take good care of them so they can continue to be part of our memories for years to come. Maintaining a boat is a lot of work, but one of the simplest steps is often the most neglected: applying paint to touch up your boat. 

Application is easy, and there are paints for wood, metal and fiberglass boats. All you need to do is clean the desired surface and allow it to dry, then apply the paint with a brush or sponge. Above water paint only needs 2 hours to dry, and below water takes about 4. 

To learn more about the difference between painting above and below the waterline, as well as general tips and tricks to brighten your vessel, click here! 

Are You Using the Right Paint for Boat Touch-Ups?

A boat is a big investment, so the idea of messing up a paint job is enough to make people skip this step. What if I get the wrong type of paint? What if I don’t allow it to dry in time? What if it’s not waterproof? These are all valid concerns but touching up your boat is a lot easier than you realize. 

There are two types of paints, above water and below. Paint for above the waterline is oil-based and helps protect the boat against UV rays as well as give strength and flexibility to your vessel. Below water paint, particularly for the bottom of boats, has anti-fouling properties. This means that they are designed to slowly release copper, which prevents the growth of organisms like barnacles. Left unchecked, these organisms can cause drag to your boat, meaning it will take more fuel to move your boat through the water. 

For more information about how to paint your boat, as well as a few tips to keep in mind, click here.

Don’t Skip a Step when Planning Your Dock Design!

Building a new boat dock?

There’s a lot of planning involved in designing a dock. Luckily, we’ve got the information you need to consider before you buy materials. We’ve also got a custom dock design tool on our website to make the planning easier!

Before shopping, make sure you take the type to plan your design. Consider materials like wood, composite, or aluminum dock sections.

Other factors to keep in mind are:

• Location of your dock (will it be in the full sun, or shade?)
• Depth of water around the dock (do you need a railing?)
• Any local town or municipal coding requirements or permits needed
• Average number of boats that will be anchored to the dock
• What size is your dock?

Getting the size of your dock can be frustrating if you get it incorrect and have to measure several times, but you’re in luck! We’ve got our own dock design tool that you can use to get a quote!

Read the full article on our website!