Lake News                                                                 

THIS PAGE HAS TIDBITS OF INFORMATION THAT COULD SAVE YOU A LOT OF MONEY DOWN THE ROAD...

1.  WOOD VS. PIPE FOR DOCK SECUREMENT?  If your dock is on "big water" (lots of wind and wave and boat traffic action), then you should consider using round treated pilings for floating dock securement.  Quiet, shallower backwater coves that don't take a pounding can generally get away with pipe for securement.  Here is an easy way to visualize this in a hypothetical situation:  Consider your family vehicle suspended 10 to 12 feet above the ground in the lake resting on four poles, then add the elements of high winds and wave action.  Now add the element of another vehicle tied to the side of your vehicle.  This will approximate the amount of mass that is at the top of your dock pilings when the lake is full with your boat tied to your dock in a blowing wind.  When wind and wave action moves that mass, without the right kind of support something has to give.  A wooden pole will bend under pressure like a tree in the wind and come back upright, a steel pipe may not.  Once a pipe bends, it stays bent, and if it is in your dock when it bends, the dock may sustain structural damage.  Another point to consider is cost - a wooden piling 20' long costs about $60.00, a galvanized 2 1/2" pipe that long could cost $125.00 due to the recent price increases in steel and galvanizing.  Just because all your neighbors have pipes in their docks, or you see pipes in docks out on big water doesn't mean those docks won't sustain major damage at any given time - there are some dock builders on the lake who use pipe exclusively so they can finish the job and get their money from you.  They don't have to wait on a barge to drive the poles if they can just beat the pipe into the ground with a sledge hammer or pipe slammer!  

The use of telescoping pipes in your dock purported to work the pipes into the ground without pile driving is a feature to run away from!  These pipe arrangements add several hundred pounds of weight to your dock, they rust, they hang up in big waves and they can literally tear the dock apart over time.  Additionally, the very principle behind their use of letting the wave action and the dock motion set your pipes for you can backfire if strong waves move your dock out of position before the poles can set properly.  Once set, your dock is there for the duration - crooked or not.  And don't ever let one of the pipes bend on you, not even slightly, or you could be in for some major repairs!

2.  OPEN ON THE DOCKSIDE, OR OVERHEAD BEAMS?  YOU WANT TO PURCHASE A BOAT LIFT FOR YOUR BOAT, AND YOU SEE ALL KINDS OF BOAT LIFTS ON THE LAKE, ESPECIALLY THOSE THAT HAVE NO BEAMS ON TOP ALONGSIDE THE FLOATING DOCK.  IS IT BETTER TO HAVE A LIFT WITHOUT AN OVERHEAD BEAM IN THE WAY OF BOARDING YOUR BOAT?  IF THE ANSWER TO THIS QUESTION IS EITHER A "YES" OR "NO" ANSWER, THEN OUR ANSWER WOULD BE "YES", DEFINITELY.  "AFTER ALL, WHO IN THEIR RIGHT MIND WOULD EVER WANT A STEEL BEAM GETTING IN THE WAY OF BOARDING THEIR BOAT?", SAYS THE "SALESMAN" FOR THE LIFT COMPANY TRYING TO PUSH HIS LIFT OVER ON YOU.  BUT IF THIS STYLE LIFT IS BETTER, WE HAVE TO ASK THE QUESTION, "WHY AREN'T ALL LIFTS ON THE LAKE OPEN ON THE DOCKSIDE LIKE HIS LIFT?" 

TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION, LET'S LOOK AT THE MECHANICS OF A LIFT WITH NO OVERHEAD BEAM BY THE DOCK (THEIR LIFT).  FIRST OF ALL, WE REFER TO THESE LIFTS AS "UNDERSLUNG" LIFTS, MEANING THE LIFTING CABLES ARE ROUTED THRU A SYSTEM OF PULLEYS IN THE LIFTING BEAMS UNDER THE BOAT AND DIRECTED UNDER YOUR BOAT TO THE OUTER PILINGS, WHERE THEY ARE ROUTED UP THRU ANOTHER SET OF PULLEYS.  BY ROUTING THE CABLES THIS WAY, IT ELIMINATES THE NEED FOR THE OVERHEAD BEAM BESIDE THE DOCK.  SOME MANUFACTURERS OF THIS STYLE LIFT HAVE A SINGLE MOTOR AND DRIVESHAFT ON THE TWO PILINGS AWAY FROM THE DOCK AND TWO PULLEYS ON THE PILINGS NEXT TO THE DOCK, LEAVING THE DOCKSIDE UNOBSTRUCTED.  ANOTHER VERSION IS TO MOUNT TWO MOTORS ON THE TWO PILINGS NEXT TO THE DOCK AND RUN THE CABLES DOWN THE POLES TO PULLEYS IN THE BEAM AND OVER TO THE OUTER TWO PILINGS, WHERE THEY GO BACK UP THE POLES THRU PULLEYS.  SAME CONCEPT, DIFFERENT STYLE... SAME BUILT IN HEADACHES!

BUT, IN ACTUALITY, WHAT YOU HAVE WITH EACH OF THESE STYLE LIFTS ARE HEAVY, SUSPENDED STEEL LIFTING BEAMS WITH PULLEYS ON EACH END RIDING UP AND DOWN ON A HORIZONTAL STEEL CABLE.  PUSH DOWN ON ONE END OF THE BEAM AND THE OTHER END WILL RISE UP THE OPPOSITE PULLEY THE SAME DISTANCE AS THE DOWNWARD PRESSURE EXERTS!  THAT IS WHY BALANCE AND CENTER OF GRAVITY ARE SO CRITICAL ON THIS STYLE LIFT.  THE BOAT MUST BE CENTERED ON THE LIFT EXACTLY EACH TIME, OR WEIGHT DISTRIBUTION CHANGES AND THE LIFT GOES CROOKED.  SOMETHING AS SIMPLE AS A FULL TANK OF GAS ON ONE SIDE OF THE BOAT CAN SHIFT THE CENTER OF GRAVITY.  THE END RESULT - HOMEOWNERS SPEND MORE TIME TRYING TO KEEP THEIR CROOKED BOAT LIFTS STRAIGHT THAN THEY BARGAINED FOR WHEN THEY BOUGHT THE "OPEN DOCK" SALES PITCH!   THEY WERE NEVER TOLD OF THE BUILT IN PROBLEMS INHERENT WITH THIS STYLE LIFT, OR THE FACT THAT THE LIFTS ARE ALMOST TWICE AS SLOW AS A STANDARD TWIN BEAM LIFT OR THE FACT THAT THEY COULD JUST RAISE A TWIN BEAM LIFT TO A HEIGHT THAT ALLOWS HEADROOM CLEARANCE AT FULL POOL!  SO WHY IS THEIR LIFT ANY BETTER?  ACTUALLY, IT ISN'T.  IN FACT, IT'S WORSE WHEN IT COMES TO MAINTENANCE AND UPKEEP! 

THE UNDERSLUNG LIFTS ALSO USE FOUR CABLES AND SMOOTH CABLE DRUMS TO WIND THEM.  THE DRUMS ARE TWO COMPARTMENT DRUMS THAT WRAP THE LONG CABLE ON ONE SIDE OF THE DRUM AND THE SHORT CABLE ON THE OTHER SIDE.  (THE LONG CABLE GOES FROM THE MOTOR TO THE OTHER SIDE OF THE LIFT, THE SHORT CABLE GOES FROM THE MOTOR TO THE LIFTING BEAM AND BACK UP TO THE MOTOR.)  THE LONG CABLE CARRIES THE LION'S SHARE OF THE BOAT WEIGHT ON IT, AND THE SHORT CABLE IS VIRTUALLY LIKE HAVING TWO THUMBS.  THE SHORT CABLES ARE GENERALLY THE ONES THAT ALWAYS WRAPS ON TOP OF THEMSELVES (DUE TO LESS WEIGHT ON THEM) THEREBY INCREASING THE DIAMETER OF THE DRUM IT IS WINDING ON AND CAUSING THAT SIDE OF THE LIFT TO COME UP FASTER THAN THE OTHER SIDE.  SOMETHING AS SLIGHT AS THE WAVES CAUSING THE BOAT TO BUMP THE LIFT CRADLES AS THE LIFT COMES UP SLOWLY CAN MAKE THESE CABLES GO FROM TAUT TO SLACK THREE OR FOUR TIMES BEFORE THE BOAT WEIGHT KEEPS THEM TIGHT.  BY THEN THEY HAVE ALREADY JUMPED TRACK.  THE REMEDY?  RUN THE BOAT BACK DOWN TO WHERE THE CABLES STARTED THE BAD WRAPS AND DO IT ALL OVER AGAIN, HOPEFULLY GETTING THE WRAPS RIGHT THIS TIME.  IT ISN'T UNUSUAL TO SEE A HOMEOWNER AGONIZE TWO OR THREE TIMES TRYING TO WORK THE LIFT AND KEEP CABLES TAUT AT THE SAME TIME.  AND, IF A CABLE IS EVER ALLOWED TO JUMP OVER THE SIDE OR CENTER DIVIDING PLATE OF THE CABLE DRUM A CUT OR DAMAGED CABLE IS USUALLY THE END RESULT. 

SOLUTION?  PURCHASE A LIFT THAT HAS TWO BEAMS.  THAT'S RIGHT, BUY A LIFT WITH A BEAM ON THE DOCKSIDE!  LIFTS WITH TWO OVERHEAD BEAMS PULL STRAIGHT UP FROM EACH END OF THE LIFTING BEAMS ON GROOVED CABLE WINDERS AND ALL THE CABLES TRACK NICE AND SMOOTH.  BUT WHAT ABOUT THE SALES PITCH YOU WERE GIVEN ABOUT THE BEAMS BEING IN THE WAY?  THE ANSWER IS SIMPLE - JUST MAKE THE BEAM HIGH ENOUGH WHEN THE LIFT IS INSTALLED TO GIVE YOU THE HEADROOM CLEARANCE YOU REQUIRE AT FULL POOL!  AND THE TWIN BEAM LIFTS ARE TWICE AS FAST IN LIFTING SPEED, A PLUS FEATURE WHEN YOU HAVE TO STAND AT THE DOCK HOLDING A SWITCH ON WHILE YOU OPERATE THE LIFT. 

THE FOLLOWING PICTURE SHOWS HOW THE LEFT (SHORT CABLE) CABLE ON THE CABLE DRUM OF A MAGNUM "S" MODEL 8,000 LB. LIFT HAS WRAPPED OVER ITSELF BY TWO ROWS HIGHER THAN THE CABLE WRAPS ON THE RIGHT (LONG CABLE) SIDE OF THE DRUM.  THIS LIFT WAS 8" HIGH ON ONE SIDE AS A RESULT OF THAT SIDE COMING UP FASTER AS THE DRUM DIAMETER WAS INCREASED.  YOU CAN ALSO SEE THE OTHER CABLE COMING OUT OF THE SPOOL BEHIND THE REMOTE CONTROL BOX.  IT HAD JUMPED TRACK OUT OF A PULLEY AND WAS PINCHED BETWEEN THE DRUM CYLINDER HOUSING AND THE SIDE OF THE DRUM BEARING BRACKET.  THIS CABLE WAS CUT AND HAD FOUR SECTIONS OF SPLINTERED STAINLESS WIRING STRANDS.  IT TOOK AWHILE TO GET THE CABLE OUT, WHICH , AFTER INSPECTION, HAD TO BE REPLACED.  

 ANOTHER THOUGHT TO CONSIDER - NEWER BOATS ARE GETTING WIDER AND LIFTS ARE SOLD ACCORDING TO THEIR LIFTING CAPACITY.  GENERALLY SPEAKING, THE SMALLER THE LIFT IS, THE NARROWER IT IS, ALSO.  YOU MAY HAVE A 4,000 LB PONTOON BOAT THAT IS 8 1/2' WIDE.  A 5,600 LB LIFT WOULD BE SUFFICIENT TO PICK IT UP, BUT THE CLEARANCE INSIDE THE PILINGS AS YOU COME INTO THE LIFT MIGHT ONLY BE 10', A LITTLE TRICKY IF THE WIND IS UP!  TO GET A 12' WIDE LIFT YOU MIGHT HAVE TO BUY A LARGER LIFT, SAY AN 8,000 LB MODEL THAT COSTS $1000 MORE.  NOW YOU SOLVED THE WIDTH PROBLEM, BUT IT DRAINED YOUR RESERVES!  A SIMPLER SOLUTION IS TO BUY THE SMALLER LIFT, BUT ORDER WIDER LIFTING BEAMS WITH IT!  MOST MANUFACTURERS WILL SIMPLY SHIP THE WIDER BEAMS FROM A LARGER IN STOCK LIFT WITH YOUR SMALLER LIFT ORDER AND THE UPCHARGE IS LESS OF A BITE ON YOUR FINANCES.

3.  DOCK WIRING AND ELECTRICAL ISSUES ?  WHEN IT COMES TO WIRING YOUR DOCK OR BOAT LIFT, THE BEST RULE OF THUMB IS TO HIRE AN ELECTRICIAN!  BUT IF YOU HAPPEN TO BE FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO HAVE A FRIEND OR BROTHER IN LAW WHO HAS AN A LITTLE ELECTRICAL KNOWLEDGE AND OWES YOU A FAVOR, THE FOLLOWING LINK MAY BE OF SOME HELP TO YOU.  MOST ELECTRICAL ISSUES WITH DOCKS ARISE FROM THREE THINGS - 1) THE LINE IS NOT GROUND FAULTED.  A BARE WIRE ON TOP OF THE GROUND, ON A NON-GROUND FAULTED LINE, THAT IS DAMAGED OR DEFECTIVE, IS A FORMULA FOR SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH.  THE BEST GROUND FAULT IS THE KIND THAT IS INSTALLED IN YOUR HOUSE ELECTRICAL PANEL BOX, NOT THE DUPLEX RECEPTACLE WITH THE PUSH TO TEST BUTTON.  A PANEL BOX GROUND FAULT BREAKER COSTS ANYWHERE FROM $50 TO $125 DEPENDING ON THE TYPE OF PANEL BOX YOU HAVE, BUT IT WILL PROTECT EVERYTHING BELOW IT FROM THE PANEL BOX ALL THE WAY TO THE DOCK AND/OR BOAT LIFT.  JUST ADDING A GROUND FAULT AT THE BEGINNING OF YOUR PIER PROTECTS EVERYTHING OUT OVER THE WATER, BUT IT DOESN'T PROTECT THE WIRE IN THE GROUND FROM THE HOUSE TO THE DOCK!   2)  THE WIRE GAUGE IS TOO SMALL.  MORE MOTORS ON LIFTS AND SPRINKLER PUMPS HAVE SUCCUMBED TO AN EARLY DEATH SIMPLY BECAUSE THEY WERE STARVED FOR JUICE!  MAKE SURE THAT THE WIRE TO YOUR DOCK IS OF SUFFICIENT WIRE GAUGE TO HANDLE EVERYTHING YOU RUN OFF OF IT, INCLUDING WHATEVER YOU MAY WANT TO ADD TO IT IN THE FUTURE.  NO ONE WANTS TO HAVE TO CUT A NEW TRENCH THRU THEIR IMMACULATELY MANICURED YARD JUST TO GET A WIRE BIG ENOUGH TO HANDLE THEIR NEW BOAT LIFT - A LITTLE FORETHOUGHT YEARS EARLIER WHEN THE ORIGINAL LINE WENT IN WOULD HAVE SOLVED A BIG PROBLEM LATER!  AND IF YOU DO HAVE TO BURY A LINE TO YOUR DOCK, GO BUY SOME EXTRA PLASTIC PIPE AND PUT IT ALONGSIDE THE WIRE.  YOU CAN CAP OFF BOTH ENDS FOR NOW, BUT AFTER YOU HAVE CLOSED UP THE TRENCH AND PLANTED GRASS AND SHRUBS YOU CAN SNAKE A NEW LINE LATER THRU THE EMPTY PIPE WITHOUT TEARING UP YOUR YARD AGAIN.  SAVE YOURSELF HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS LATER WITH $20 OR $30 WORTH OF EXTRA PVC PIPE TODAY!  3) THE WIRING IS INCORRECT.  THERE ARE ALL SORTS OF "RUBE GOLDBERG" SOLUTIONS TO PROBLEMS, BUT THEY MAY NOT BE THE SAFEST OR BEST SOLUTION.  ELECTRICITY CAN KILL YOU, DON'T TAKE SHORTCUTS TO SAVE A NICKEL - A FUNERAL COSTS SEVERAL THOUSANDS!  

CLICK ON THE LIGHTNING BOLT LINK TO GEM REMOTES FOR A WIRING CHART THAT GIVES APPROXIMATE WIRE GAUGES FOR DIFFERENT DISTANCES AND DIFFERENT HORSEPOWER MOTORS.  ALWAYS HAVE YOUR ELECTRICIAN VERIFY THE WIRING SPECIFICATIONS APPLICABLE TO YOUR JOB! 

4.  ENCAPSULATED DOCK FLOATS - THESE ARE NOW REQUIRED ON EVERY DOCK ON LAKE MURRAY.  THE DEADLINE FOR HAVING YOUR DOCK BROUGHT INTO COMPLIANCE WAS JANUARY 1, 2007! 

SEVERAL ISSUES CONCERNING THE NEW ENCAPSULATED DOCK FLOATS HAVE SURFACED SINCE SCE&G MANDATED THE NEW DOCK BILLETS TO REPLACE THE OLD WHITE, ORANGE AND BLUE STYROFOAM, ALONG WITH OTHER HOMEMADE FLOTATION INVENTIONS:

FIRST, THE NEW BILLETS AREN'T MUSKRAT OR BEAVER PROOF - DON'T LET ANYONE TELL YOU THEY ARE - WE'RE ALREADY REPLACING FLOATS THAT HAVE BEEN CHEWED INTO!  THE NEW FLOATS HAVE THE SAME WHITE STYROFOAM INSIDE THEM THAT IS NO LONGER PERMITTED ON THE LAKE, BUT BECAUSE THE FOAM IS ENCAPSULATED IT MEETS COMPLIANCE.  IT'S A SHAME THAT MR. BEAVER AND MR. MUSKRAT WEREN'T INVITED TO SCE&G'S BOARD MEETING WHEN THE NEW RULING WAS VOTED ON!  THEY JUST DO WHAT MUSKRATS AND BEAVERS DO BEST - CHEW! 

SECOND, A LOT OF THE NEW FLOATS STARTED FILLING UP WITH WATER.  CERTAIN FLOATS TAKE ON WATER FOR A NUMBER OF REASONS - SOME TUBS HAVE PLASTIC THREADED PLUGS THAT HAVE TO BE INSERTED IN THE TOP OF THE TUB BEFORE THE FLOATS GO UNDER YOUR DOCK.  THESE PLUGS SOMETIMES ARE FORGOTTEN AT THE TIME OF INSTALLATION AND THE FIRST WAVE ACTION WASHES OVER THE TUBS AND THEY FILL UP.  SOME TUBS HAVE "WEEP HOLES" FROM THE FACTORY IN THE BOLT SLOTS AROUND THE TUB'S PERIMETER TO HELP VENT OFF INTERNAL PRESSURE CAUSED FROM HEAT BUILDUP IN HOT WEATHER.  THESE WEEP HOLES CAN "SWEAT" FROM THE DRASTIC SWINGS IN TEMPERATURE OVER THE WATER FROM MORNING TILL NIGHT.  OVER THE COURSE OF A YEAR THE TUBS FILL UP WITH WATER.  ONCE THE WHITE STYROFOAM INSIDE THE TUB ABSORBS THE WATER, IT WON'T EVER RELEASE IT, AND THE TUB TAKES ON EXCESSIVE WEIGHT.  IF ONLY A FEW OF THE TUBS IN THE DOCK ARE AFFECTED, THE DOCK WILL LIST TO THE HEAVIEST SIDE, A SITUATION THAT CANNOT BE CORRECTED WITHOUT MAJOR SHIFTING OR REPLACEMENT OF THE AFFECTED TUBS IN THE DOCK.  THE EXTRA WEIGHT IN THE TUBS ALSO ADDS ADDITIONAL WEIGHT TO THE DOCK THAT CAN HAVE ADVERSE AFFECTS ON THE STRUCTURE IN HIGH WIND AND WAVE ACTIVITY. 

THIRD, SOME DOCKS HAVE NO LEG SUPPORTS TO KEEP THE NEW DOCK FLOATS OFF THE BOTTOM OF THE LAKE DURING PERIODS OF LOW LAKE LEVELS.  ALTHOUGH THE TUBS ARE TOUGH, THEY CANNOT WITHSTAND THE PUNCTURE FROM A ROCK OR ROOT WHEN THE WEIGHT OF THE DOCK SETTLES DOWN ON DRY GROUND.  THE DAMAGE IS NOT REALIZED UNTIL MONTHS LATER WHEN THE LAKE GOES DOWN AND THE DOCK TUBS REST ON THE LAKE BOTTOM - SOMETIMES THE DAMAGE IS NEVER NOTICED AS IT IS UNDER THE DOCK OUT OF SIGHT.  A PERPLEXED HOMEOWNER CAN ONLY SCRATCH THEIR HEAD AS THEY LOOK AT THEIR CROOKED DOCK FLOATING IN THE LAKE NEXT YEAR!  LEGS IN THE DOCK SERVE A GREAT PURPOSE - MAKE SURE YOUR DOCK HAS THEM.  SOME DOCK BUILDERS ON THE LAKE DON'T INSTALL THEM IN THEIR DOCKS.  THEY ARE THE ONES THAT GIVE YOU THE BEST PRICE FOR YOUR DOCK.  THESE ARE ALSO THE SAME DOCK BUILDERS THAT DON'T COME BACK AFTER THE DOCK HAS BEEN PAID FOR ---> INSIST ON LEGS DURING CONSTRUCTION THAT ARE LONG ENOUGH TO KEEP THE TUBS A FEW INCHES OFF THE BOTTOM WHEN THE LAKE IS OUT AND THAT ARE CUT TO THE CONTOUR OF YOUR LAKE BOTTOM UNDER YOUR DOCK SO THE ENTIRE DOCK RESTS FAIRLY LEVEL FOR EXTENDED PERIODS OF TIME OUT OF THE WATER.  WOOD DOCKS ARE ESPECIALLY PRONE TO WARPING AND TWISTING IF THEY ARE ALLOWED TO RACK OVER TIME....

WHAT A DILEMMA - THE NEW FLOATS ARE 3 - 5 TIMES MORE COSTLY THAN THE OLD FOAM AND THERE IS NO GUARANTEE IT WILL KEEP OUT THE CRITTERS OR NOT BE DAMAGED FROM WITHIN OR WITHOUT!  WHAT TO DO?

THE BEST THING IS TO FIND YOU A DOCK BUILDER THAT KNOWS HOW TO INSTALL THE TUBS PROPERLY, AND NOT JUST ANY TUBS, BUT THE KIND THAT ARE SEALED AT THE FACTORY, HAVE ROUNDED CORNERS INSTEAD OF SQUARE EDGES AND ARE PROTECTED FROM THE BOTTOM WITH LEGS INSTALLED IN THE DOCK.  WE KNOW JUST SUCH A DOCK BUILDER!

"THAT'S ALRIGHT, I'LL JUST INSTALL GALVANIZED CHAIN LINK FENCE WIRE UNDER MY ENTIRE FLOATING DOCK - THAT'LL KEEP 'EM OUT!"  SOUNDS GOOD, BUT A HOMEOWNER ON SHULL ISLAND ACTUALLY DID THAT AND THE CRITTERS ATE A SIX INCH HOLE THRU THE WOODEN SIDE PANEL OF HIS FLOATING DOCK AND WENT RIGHT ON IN!

WE RECENTLY REPLACED A FLOATING DOCK THAT HAD WOODEN SLATS NAILED ALL ALONG THE BOTTOM.  THERE WAS A CORNER SIDE BOARD THAT HAD WORKED ITSELF LOOSE JUST ENOUGH TO ALLOW A MUSKRAT TO SQUEEZE THRU.  HE (OK, MAYBE SHE!) GOT INTO THE DOCK THRU THE SIDE BOARD AND WAS STILL IN THE DOCK WHEN WE PULLED IT OUT OF THE LAKE.  WE DIDN'T DISCOVER HIM/HER TILL THE NEXT MORNING WHILE (S)HE WAS TRYING TO GET OUT!

ONE RULE OF THUMB IS TO NEVER CLOSE UP YOUR DOCK'S SIDES DOWN TO THE WATER.    (SEE THE DOCK TO THE RIGHT)  ALWAYS LET AS MUCH DAYLIGHT IN UNDER THE DOCK AND THRU THE SIDES OF YOUR DOCK AS YOU CAN.  THE DARKER AND MORE ENCLOSED THE DOCK, THE MORE ATTRACTIVE IT IS TO THE CRITTERS.  TWO SIDE BOARDS WITH AN INCH AND A HALF CRACK BETWEEN THEM ALLOWS LIGHT ALL AROUND THE PERIMETER OF THE DOCK AT THE SAME HEIGHT AS THE TOP OF THE DOCK FLOATS INSIDE THE DOCK.  A MUSKRAT OR BEAVER THAT GETS ON TOP OF A FLOAT CAN SEE THAT HE (OK, AND SHE) CAN BE SEEN AND WILL BE LESS LIKELY TO INHABIT THIS DOCK COMPARED TO THE CLOSEST DOCK TO YOU THAT IS COMPLETELY SEALED ON THE SIDES ALL THE WAY TO THE WATER.  CRITTERS ARE JUST CREATURES OF HABIT, DON'T ACCOMODATE THEM! 

ANY TIME YOU HEAR A LOUD REPORT OVER THE WATER AND IT'S NOT THE FOURTH OF JULY, YOU SHOULD REMIND YOURSELF THAT THERE IS PROBABLY ONE LESS CRITTER SWIMMING IN THE LAKE!  ALTHOUGH WE DON'T RECOMMEND IT, A 12 GAUGE HAS DISPATCHED MORE CRITTERS ON THE LAKE THAN ANY OTHER METHOD TO DATE!                

Lake Level As Of Today: 

http://weather.noaa.gov/pub/data/raw/sr/srus42.kcae.rva.cae.txt

Normal Summertime high level is 358' - 359'

Normal Winter low level is 350' - 352'

Full Pool lake level is 360'

SCE&G IS EXPECTED TO LEAVE THE LAKE LEVEL BETWEEN THE 354' AND 356' ELEVATION FOR THE DURATION OF THE WINTER MONTHS.

A window of opportunity to dredge around the lake NORMALLY exists from October to January - dredging requires a permit from SCE&G.  This may be the last year we will see water at present levels in the winter for some time to come.  If you planned to dredge, call SCE&G at 217-9007 for a permit application and their anticipated future drawdown date for this type of construction.

More to come...