How Does Winter Affect Your Boat Dock?

Michigan winters are notoriously unpredictable. We might have a good freeze and inches of snow and then a warm front could move in, melting the snow and thawing the ground. That cycle might repeat a few times throughout the winter. 

When a wooden dock is left in the water all winter, that freeze/thaw cycle takes a toll on the integrity of its boards. Wood is like a sponge, absorbing water from its surface and even from the air. That means a wooden dock always has some water in it, even in clear weather.

How does that affect your wooden dock? Read more about ice and your wooden dock on our website!

If you have a wooden dock that’s been damaged by winter weather, or you’re looking to replace an older dock with a durable aluminum boat dock, call our experts at 855-523-2444 or use the contact form on the website.

Are You Thinking About Leaving Your Dock in the Water this Winter?

Removing your dock in the fall can be a long, cold, labor-intensive process. It’s no fun when all you really want to do is relax on your boat under a warm, sunny sky. 

There’s probably a moment every fall where you wonder “what’s the worst that could happen if I leave my dock in the water just this once?”
 

The worst that could happen is coming back in the spring and finding it severely damaged! Even if it’s not visibly damaged, ice, snow, and fluctuating temperatures have almost certainly weakened the wood.

Read more about how ice affects your wooden dock on our website!

An aluminum boat dock is sturdy and durable in any Michigan weather, but we still recommend taking your dock out for the winter. Leaving an aluminum or vinyl dock in the water all winter won’t cause it the kind of freeze/thaw damage that a wooden dock sustains, but it does leave it in the path of ice flows in the spring.

If you have a dock that’s been damaged by winter weather, or you’re looking to replace an older dock with a durable aluminum boat dock, call our experts at 855-523-2444 or use the contact form.