Docks Committee

Back from his away time, your Docks Chairman feels a little less overwhelmed by his return after seeing the grand success of the October 8 work party. Several people are responsible for the planning and advance work that made it possible to complete the downspout project and several smaller tasks. Twenty persons participated that day and your club gained a lot from their efforts. Many many thanks to all, and especially to John Alving, Mike Cochran, and Ron Stevenson, who made this success possible.

Dock inspection should be underway or complete by the time you read this article. It will be more comprehensive on Dock 3 than at times before, and I expect it will generate some task items for the committee. Please refer to the bulletin board in the main part of Cummings Hall to find cards listing tasks that need to be done. We’re working now to use a photograph to show the current tasks on that board in email to our committee members. Please start using the clipboards on the docks to report problems here again. We’re trying to get them read at each committee meeting now. I am well aware that we need to be more careful in responding to those reports.

We expect to see Waterfront Construction here during November and into the new year. Anticipate vessel displacements as always. There are caps and stringers and the normal things on the list, but there is also the task of reconstructing at least one section of the dock at the most easterly fire break on Dock 2. There might be more. This dock inspection is going to give those slab structures a much more careful look.

We’re now authorized to replace Work Float #1. The bidding is not yet complete, and we remain open to material and design alternatives in hopes of gaining a very useful long life structure at the lowest price. Well designed, pre-fab structures have some real advantages over attempts to reinvent the wheel. Stability is designed in and the weak points have all been defined and reinforced. We’re counting on this structure to be an important part of our permanent moorage system and it’s got to survive and safely moor large vessels exposed to some nasty weather for a lot of years. Getting it right the very first time around saves so much headache and green stuff later on.

With winter weather on the way, it’s important to give you several reminders if you moor your vessel here at the club. Our dock water is on year around. In the winter season (That began at least two weeks ago!) hoses must not be left connected to hose bibs when not in use. Please don’t leave them all for me to disconnect. Decoupling dozens of hoses when it’s cold is a really nasty job. Your power usage affects the quality of power for all other members here at the club. Circumstances are such that we could see power outages from which recovery is a very difficult and labor intensive project. Let’s all be aware and conservative.

Please make certain your moorings are secure and adequate for the worst of weather conditions. Give your boat allowance to move up and down with lake level and wave motion. These are NOT floating docks. Lines that reach more vertically than they do horizontally are a threat to boats, piers, and persons. Longer, more horizontal lines are naturally full of spring that can hold a boat in close to a pier without fixing it so tight in position that a wave or water level change can break something. Tight and short lines reach the end of their stretch with almost no movement at all and the forces get so great that something is likely to break. Quality rubber snubbers can be a useful way to achieve these goals in difficult circumstances. Boats can even be heeled over enough to be at risk. Please have your boats checked at regular intervals for your own good and for all of ours.

Next committee meetings scheduled: 6:00 PM Tuesdays: November 22, and December 27. Any changes will be announced by broadcast email.

Next scheduled docks work parties: 8:30 AM Saturdays: November 12, December 10, and January 14. Lunch is on the house. Breakfast is our time to discuss the day and to discuss it over food as the Dutch do food. ☺

Arthur Mauldin
Docks Chairman