WHICH DESIGN and MATERIAL IS RIGHT FOR YOUR COTTAGE DOCK?

The design and material for a dock is a combination of personal preference, budget and shoreline features.  You’ll need to consider if your water level fluctuates throughout the season, whether you need the ability to customize the size  and shape of the dock and your preference for material.

Anstruther Marina  is an Aplsey dock builder and using pressure treated lumber though offers cedar as an option when it is available, as well as aluminum. Floating docks are the most common style in this area though we have also done a number of leg docks as well. Whether the dock is made from aluminum or wood, we often recommend an aluminum ramp that will connect the dock to shore for convenience and greater ease because it is lighter than a wood ramp.

Below is a list of all dock styles. If you need a new dock but are not sure which is the best choice, give us a call to discuss further at 705-656-4783

FLOATING DOCKS

FLOATING DOCKS are just as the name implies, they are docks that float on the water’s surface, held up by floats. While older docks may have styrofoam or barrels, docks built by Anstruther Marina have foam filled, roto molded floats, the most effective float available. Clients choose a floating dock typically if they are on a water body with a water level that fluctuates throughout the season, allowing the dock to rise and fall with the water level and is attached to shore by a ramp. Floating docks are very common in the Apsley area.

PILING DOCKS

PILING DOCKS are more something what would be found in the southern US

LEG DOCKS

LEG DOCKS or PIPE DOCKS are poles that sit on the bottom of the waterbed that hold up the decking of the dock. Pipe docks are leg docks using round metal pipes. At Anstruther Marina, our leg docks are made by ShoreMaster the oldest dockbuilding brand in North America. Anstruther Marina has installed leg docks in the Apsley area but this style of dock is used on water bodies with a water level that does not fluctuate.

CRIB DOCKS

CRIB DOCKS are permanent docks made of wood frames often made of hemlock timber and filled with rocks with either cedar or pressure treated decking. This style of dock is used on water bodies with a constant water level that does not fluctuate, permission for this style of dock is often difficult.

SUSPENSION DOCKS

SUSPENSION DOCKS are docks that are lifted with a winch mounted further back on the shore. These docks are convenient as they do not have to be fully removed for the winter but they are VERY expensive. Anstruther Marina does not offer this style of dock.

PLASTIC DOCKS

PLASTIC DOCKS as their name implies are docks made from plastic. Anstruther Marina does not offer docks made from plastic as we do not feel they are a good product choice, there are far superior options available.

ALUMINUM DOCKS

ALUMINUM DOCKS are dock frames made from aluminum with deckboards made from cedar or pressure treated lumber or composite decking. These docks can be either in a leg dock style or floating dock style. Aluminum docks are an excellent choice and are a far lighter alternative to a solid wood dock. Anstruther Marina offers aluminum docks by ShoreMaster.

WOOD DOCKS

WOOD DOCKS are primarily floating docks though crib docks are also made form wood. Anstruther Marina’s hand crafted wood docks are custom built to the client’s specifications. These docks offer the greatest flexibility in terns of design.

DOCK DESIGN

THE DESIGN OF DOCKS and other added features can vary depending on the client’s interests and the environmental allowances. Some clients require only a utilitarian dock while others are looking for a living space at the water. Features such as a slip for a boat or a swim area can be included and accessories such as a dock ladder or a ShorePort for your Jet Ski can also be part of the design. Common shapes can be a straight line, they can be the shape of a ‘T’, an ‘L’ or a ‘U’.