De-Icer Advice
 

Attached is a picture of our dock.

Any advice on the best configuration for de-icer(s)? Our property is on the east side of Alton Bay so primary water flow direction is right to left if you're looking at the picture. The water is between 2-4' at end of dock this time of year

Appreciate the group's help in advance

I assume that the de-icer you have sits on the bottom, not the type that attaches to the dock. The deeper water at the end of the dock is better since the deeper you go the warmer the water will be.

I have used them in the past about 5 feet off the end of the dock and they will open up a pretty large area. However, in the spring when the icebergs begin to move around if the wind is blowing the wrong way it could take out your dock anyway. It is a chance you take but the de-icer won't help with that. Your pilings should go a long way toward protecting the dock from moving ice.

DeIcer Type
 

Actually we "inherited" two de-icers that attach to the dock and one that sits on the bottom. Current thought is to attach one on each side of the dock and mount so it is "pulling" deeper, warmer water towards the dock

De-Icers
 

I am only familiar with the type of unit that sits on the lake bottom, and placed it in front of the dock to the right. I have a right to left movement of water, and the De-Icer will open more water in that direction. A second De-Icer is placed to the right of a second dock.

I control each unit individually, and allows me to adjust run times depending on conditions. This will aid in protecting your dock, and minimize opening the shoreline. I use a camera to monitor the docks, and remotely control the De-Icers.

I hope this helps.

Cobalt

Two lines are used to support the ice-eater, and they always gets tweaked or re-adjusted for best position by shortening, lengthening, or moving one or both lines after initial set-up and trial run. So, just start out with best guess knowing it will get tweaked.

The $150 electric control box with both timer and temperature sensor is the way to go, as opposed to one with just a timer.

de-icer
 

Can you put some sort of boon up to prevent the ice from crashing into the dock when it starts to flow at the end of the winter as well?

Sadly, there really isn't anything that can stop large sections of ice from damaging or destroying a dock when the wind gets them moving. Depending on the size of an ice mass, how thick it is, how solid it is, and how fast it is moving, it can weigh many tons and have tremendous crushing power.

Island Girl's video from last winter shows what you are up against. Luckily these docks were protected by breakwaters:

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/5kEHFS1I18Q?start=61" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

That is just a fabulous video. Really drives home how much that ice moves.

Knowing how much this ice moves, and how much it can't be controlled in a strong wind... I often wonder what drives people towards permanent docks. While certainly I know there are cases where their really isn't a choice. Articulating docks in most cases will work just fine, and then you get the structure out of the way....

While ice eaters, and the such do a good job keeping the ice away will it is forming... the real damage generally happens as the ice breaks apart and moves...

In short the Tripods the OP has will be there best defense against damage... Postioning the ice eaters, is really a set up that they need to do some trail and error work to figure out the best position. As for controlling their usage via temp or timer that as well is a trial and error process.

If you are not around and present to keep an eye on your dock, to increase the frequency of ice eater operation ....something like a two day cold snap can do damage to your dock.

For example, after four weeks from Dec 10-Jan 10 of trial and error you think you got the timer just right ...... when on January 11-12 ..... a cold snap brings much colder local temps...... say, with temps dropping into the deep freeze .... the ice eater is no longer running enough to adequately maintain the open water and the ice build up wins the race verses the ice eater propeller keeping the water liquid.....with the deep freeze building enough ice to expand your dock from the legs in the water ..... maybe damaging the dock.

A two or three day deep freeze can do damage without any wind related ice movement ..... just the deep freeze. One can hear the damage happening as the dock structure gets expanded and broken by the new ice .....arrgghh .... bless this here broken dock! ...... ouch! www.laceyirrigation.com in Moultonborough will do weekly dock checks in the cold winter months, plus there's probably others.

When liquid water freezes into ice, it expands by about ten percent, and ice is much sturdier, stronger, tougher, and more elastic, at 5-degrees, than at 30-degrees. At 5-degrees, the ice is much more difficult to chop up with an ice chopper, than at 30-degrees.

That dock is small. One on the bottom right in front of it will do the job.

Just a friendly reminder to be kind to your next door neighbors. Try hard not to create unsafe access to the lake ice for those that like to get out onto the ice. Our neighbor used a bubbler one year (performing dock repairs)... no (easy access) ice fishing for us that year.

Rock-Solid...
 

A breakwater can definitely keep a dock stationary! :D

.