Waterfront Projects Done Right
I’ve been building and repairing docks along the Gulf Coast for over twenty years. In that time, I’ve seen beautiful setups — custom decking, built-in seating, underwater lighting — and almost none of them had a proper dock safety equipment list posted anywhere near the water. That gap almost cost someone their life on a … Read more
If you’ve ever walked a marina after a storm and seen the gelcoat smeared across a dock piling, you already understand why the mooring whips vs fenders boat protection debate matters so much. I’ve spent twenty years on the Gulf Coast building and repairing docks, and I can tell you — most hull damage I’ve … Read more
The first time I watched a 24-foot center console snap its dock lines and drift into a neighbor’s boat, I learned something that changed how I approach every docking setup. The owner had used the wrong material and the wrong diameter. Two mistakes. One expensive morning. If you’re searching for the best dock line material … Read more
A few years back, I got a call from a marina owner down in Pensacola. He’d had a DIYer wire up a set of outlets on a floating dock — no GFCI, no weatherproof enclosures, just standard indoor receptacles stapled to the decking. Nobody got hurt, but it was one bad rainstorm away from a … Read more
Last January, a cold front rolled through the Gulf Coast and dropped temps into the low twenties for four straight nights. I walked my dock the morning after the freeze lifted, coffee in hand, fully expecting to spend the day replacing lights. I had both solar and wired dock lights running on the same structure … Read more
The first time I found out a dock repair permit required official approval, I was standing in front of a county inspector holding a citation. I had just replaced twelve rotted deck boards and three corroded support brackets on a client’s dock in Escambia County, Florida. Total repair time: two days. Total fine for unpermitted … Read more
The day I met Gary, he was standing at the end of a freshly built dock — one he’d paid $18,000 for — looking like someone had just punched him in the stomach. His neighbor had called the county. Turns out, Gary had built that dock without understanding his riparian rights waterfront property boundaries. Half … Read more
The summer I lost three cleats and two bumpers to a single tropical storm, I made myself a promise. Never again would I cheap out on dock hardware. I’d spent twenty years as a marine contractor along the Gulf Coast, and I still made the rookie mistake of treating my own dock like an afterthought. … Read more
I once pulled apart a three-year-old dock section that a homeowner swore was “marine grade.” Every single fastener had turned into a rusty, crumbling stub. The wood around each screw head was stained orange and starting to rot outward from the penetration point. The culprit? Hardware store screws labeled “stainless” that were actually Type 304 … Read more
I’ve watched a lot of boat owners make the same expensive mistake. They pick a lift based on price or looks, skip the weight math, and end up with a system that either struggles every single time or — worse — fails mid-cycle with a $60,000 boat hanging in the slings. The cantilever vs vertical … Read more