Waterfront Projects Done Right
Trent Hollis · July 8, 2026
I was about three miles offshore on a flat-bottomed bay boat when my anchor chain pulled free from the rope — clean as a whistle, right at the shackle. The chain dropped. The anchor held. The boat swung hard into a sandbar before I even knew what happened. That day cost me a scratched hull, … Read more
Trent Hollis · July 7, 2026
I’ve tied knots on docks from Pensacola to Port Aransas for over twenty years, and the one question I get more than any other is: “What’s the best adjustable knot for docking a boat?” For most of that career, I pointed people toward the taut-line hitch. It’s reliable, it’s taught in every sailing course, and … Read more
Trent Hollis · July 7, 2026
Pier Protector – Pile Wrap for Docks & Piers (48 inch, 20 I wrap new pilings in an afternoon, seal them tight, and skip the return calls for five extra years. Check Price on Amazon →
Trent Hollis · July 6, 2026
Three years into my career as a marine contractor, I pulled a brand-new aluminum dock frame out of the water after just eighteen months. It looked like someone had taken a belt sander to it. Pitting everywhere. Structural integrity already compromised. The culprit was galvanic corrosion — and the owner had no idea it was … Read more
Trent Hollis · July 6, 2026
I was about thirty miles offshore out of Pensacola when I watched a buddy lose a 40-pound yellowfin tuna because his line snapped at the knot. The fish hit hard, the drag screamed, and then — nothing. He’d used a simple clinch knot straight to his double-line leader, and the connection failed under load. That … Read more
Trent Hollis · July 5, 2026
The first time I seriously compared coir logs vs riprap erosion control side by side, I was standing knee-deep in Gulf Coast mud watching a client’s bank crumble after a storm surge. He’d had riprap installed two years prior. Half of it had shifted. The underlayment was exposed. And the bank behind it had slumped … Read more
Trent Hollis · July 5, 2026
I’ve watched grown adults do the barefoot hot-coal shuffle across a dock more times than I can count. They step out of the cabin, coffee in hand, ready to enjoy a Gulf Coast morning — and within three steps they’re hopping like the deck is on fire. Because honestly? It kind of is. If your … Read more
Trent Hollis · July 4, 2026
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
Trent Hollis · July 4, 2026
I’ve been tying knots on the Gulf Coast for twenty years, and if there’s one I trust above almost every other for securing an anchor line, it’s the anchor bend fisherman’s bend knot. It’s simple, reliable, and time-tested — the kind of knot that holds when a squall rolls in at 2 a.m. and you’re … Read more
Trent Hollis · July 3, 2026
If someone asked me to name the single knot I’ve tied more than any other in twenty years of marine work, I wouldn’t hesitate. The answer is the uni knot — and if you’re serious about learning how to tie a uni knot fishing line to terminal tackle, you’re in the right place. I’ve tied … Read more