Life is a river, and having a cottage or a house on a river can make life even better.
But, is having a floating dock on a river possible?
In short, yes, it is definitely possible to install a floating dock on a river, and we at NyDock have installed many of them. However, the process is arguably trickier than lake installations.
If you have a house or a cottage on a river, and you’re in the market for a floating dock, you may have some questions about the logistics. Let’s get into some of the details.
River Water Levels
Rivers tend to have more drastic water level fluctuations than lakes.
For example, the water level of a river can be substantially affected by severe thunderstorms with heavy rainfall. Because of this, a floating dock can in fact be more efficient than a fixed or crib dock, seeing as a floating dock will remain at a relative height to the water level.
When it comes to river installation, special care will need to be taken to ensure that the water level variations are taken into account. This is normally done through a site inspection and consulting with the owner or neighbours that have extensive knowledge of the area. Even if you make all the necessary provisions to keep your dock in place there is always the possibility that your dock could both be damaged or run away in a flood.
River Currents
Rivers also tend to have stronger continuous currents than lakes. Your floating dock will need to be built to account for these currents by having appropriate anchoring and shoreline connection. In most cases, the installation will simply require turning the dock so that the current can run between the pontoons and reducing drag on the dock will suffice.
Also, adding the appropriate number of weights to the dock will help to reduce the risk of the dock running away. More extreme cases may require the addition of steel dock arms pinned into the bank and then hinged to the dock, this would be combined with the ramp that would roll on the surface of the dock and allow the steel arms to both hold the dock in place and provide the hinging motion.
Riverbeds
Riverbeds also tend to consist of looser material than lake beds, seeing as rivers are normally perpetually flowing and moving debris around. Because of this, keeping your floating dock in place can be tricky and from time to time you may need to move or replace weights if they become lost. In addition, sometimes a secondary chain to the weight from shore needs to be added to ensure that the weights do not slide out into the river pulling on your dock.
Narrow Waterways
Because rivers tend to be much narrower than lakes, waterfront space is usually at a premium.
As such, docks built on river waterfronts need to extend far enough to accommodate a boat draft, while still allowing enough space for vessels to travel along the river.
Floating Dock Permits
It always helps to get in touch with your municipality to determine any regulations that should be followed or appropriate permits to acquire prior to installation. Typically a municipality would reduce the length you can extend from shore to ensure that your dock does not impede the flow of boat traffic. For example, the regulations in Muskoka would reduce the distance from the shore which is typically 15 to 20 meters to 10 meters or less.
Every municipality handles dock installation differently, and generally, anything that is beyond the waterline and navigable is considered “Crown land’.
Specifics about whether a body of water is navigable are covered under the Ownership Determination – Beds of Navigable Waters Act – policy.
Ready To Explore Your Dock Options?
If the installation of your dock is done right, and if all the necessary considerations are followed to ensure the safety and longevity of the product, a river dock will likely bring you and your family much joy for years to come.
Have questions about installing a floating dock on a river?
Contact us today to discuss your options!