Older Dock Wobbles

LIforrelaxin · 05-01-2017, 01:26 PM

As others have stated, cross bracing is very effective... You will wonder why you spent so many years driving the steal posts into the bottom of the lake bed for the stability.

I am however not sure you would need the X brace on all legs.... I would just add it to the deepest 3 sections to start.... The shallower sections may not warrent the need.... or as some on said, may just need a single brace and not the full X.....

MAXUM · 05-01-2017, 02:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LIforrelaxin

may just need a single brace and not the full X.....

That only stiffens one leg in relation to the other so you only get 50% of the desired result. Better than none but not as good as two. It's a geometry thing....

LIforrelaxin · 05-02-2017, 09:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MAXUM

That only stiffens one leg in relation to the other so you only get 50% of the desired result. Better than none but not as good as two. It's a geometry thing....

Correct..... I don't brace all my legs, as I find the shallower ones don't need it... however if I wanted to firm the dock up a bit more, I would only brace the shallow legs in one direction.

Dad sold the C * C · 05-01-2017, 02:04 PM

The answer is yes, the cross bracing will help. It's amazing the difference.

We have a similar setup, 4'x8' sections, wooden with metal post. The former owner didn't pound the post in far and had cross bracing only on the last section. We have a 23' tri-toon and I was a bit concerned about the dock. Last year I pounded the post in and put on a second set of cross braces and then added whips, these additions really helped.

ITD · 05-02-2017, 10:46 AM

Definitely cross brace. Also keep in mind those steel pipes do corrode, I had to replace pretty much all of them on a dock before. Take a hammer ( claw hammer or ball peen, not too heavy) to them, underwater. You should hear a metallic ting when you hit them and they should not give. If you hear a thud or the hammer deforms it easily you need new pipes. They should be able to withstand a pretty good whack.

05-01-2017, 01:26 PM	#1
LIforrelaxin Senior Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Texas, Lake Ray Hubbard and NH, Long Island Winnipesaukee Posts: 2,971 Thanks: 1,064 Thanked 912 Times in 539 Posts	As others have stated, cross bracing is very effective... You will wonder why you spent so many years driving the steal posts into the bottom of the lake bed for the stability. I am however not sure you would need the X brace on all legs.... I would just add it to the deepest 3 sections to start.... The shallower sections may not warrent the need.... or as some on said, may just need a single brace and not the full X..... __________________ Life is about how much time you can spend relaxing... I do it on an island that isn't really an island.....

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05-01-2017, 02:04 PM	#4
Dad sold the C * C Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2014 Posts: 273 Thanks: 119 Thanked 62 Times in 40 Posts	The answer is yes, the cross bracing will help. It's amazing the difference. We have a similar setup, 4'x8' sections, wooden with metal post. The former owner didn't pound the post in far and had cross bracing only on the last section. We have a 23' tri-toon and I was a bit concerned about the dock. Last year I pounded the post in and put on a second set of cross braces and then added whips, these additions really helped.

05-02-2017, 10:46 AM	#5
ITD Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Moultonboro, NH Posts: 2,954 Thanks: 484 Thanked 704 Times in 394 Posts	Definitely cross brace. Also keep in mind those steel pipes do corrode, I had to replace pretty much all of them on a dock before. Take a hammer ( claw hammer or ball peen, not too heavy) to them, underwater. You should hear a metallic ting when you hit them and they should not give. If you hear a thud or the hammer deforms it easily you need new pipes. They should be able to withstand a pretty good whack.