Tips for putting in a wooden dock without getting wet?

[nhcatrider]

A tip for a wet suit: Flood it with warm water before you get in, this makes it much more bearable. We do that with dives when the water is a bit chilly, makes for a much more pleasant experience.

[LIforrelaxin]

Originally Posted by nhcatrider

A tip for a wet suit: Flood it with warm water before you get in, this makes it much more bearable. We do that with dives when the water is a bit chilly, makes for a much more pleasant experience.

I tried that once, it didn't think it helped all that much. The best help I found was to just get in and keep moving. The water heats up quick enough. I think more note worthy for colder water, is to get a thicker wet suit....

[fatlazyless]

www.heatedwetsuitreviews.com/

For about $200 you can purchase a Quiksilver Cypher heated wet suit vest that's powered by a lithium re-charging battery .... not too shabby for cold water and extending actual time in and on the water?

www.swimoutlet.com has 'em.

Almost as good as a 104-degree hot tub and a cup of hot coffee ..... well, make that just a 102-degree hot tub?

Or, for about $8.50, you can buy a two quart, old fashioned, leak proof, red rubber, hot water "bottle" from ebay .....w/ free shipping .... and put that to work inside your waders or wet suit! This should hit the spot ..... and at $8.50 w/ free shipping ..... is more in my price range .... should be a winner item, as long as it don't leak.


.....the $8.50 hot water bottle inside your wet suit trick ..... how to stretch out the Lake Winnipesaukee, in-the-water, shoulder seasons of April-May-June-Sept-Oct & Nov ..... that's like six extra, get wet, in-the-water, months for the year ... !

But, does it really work any good???

[Bear Guy]

A good set of chest waders gets our dock installed. That, and a strong magnet on a string to retrieve dropped items.
We also use a third temporary support pole when adding another section. This is fixed in the 'center' of the end of the section (it's put in place using waders). This allows one to then work from above on the left and right poles, driving and adjusting.

[RyanDe]

Wow, great responses!

I think we're going to try to put the poles in first but not drop them down fully so they are ready to drop when we get it in place. Part of the difficulty last year was trying to put a 10' pole in place while sitting in a boat or in the water not wanting to get wet; if they are already in place and we just have to loosen the set screw that should make that job easier.

Order two sets of wadders, just in case and I'll go to the wetsuit as a last resort.

[Garcia]

A wet suit is great - but for cold water a dry suit is even better. I was a winter paddler when i was younger so had a dry suit. On cold spring days, warm clothes under the dry suit allowed me to be in water up to my neck more comfortably than my helper who had a wet suit.

I use my Goretex waders to put in the waterline; they are much more comfortable that neoprene waders. More expensive, but as I am an avid river fisherman, they get more than enough use to justify the expense. The problem with waders when putting in the dock (now my son's problem!) is that where we are, the high water in the spring means waders aren't enough.

[RyanDe]

I was really thinking about a drysuit but they are so expensive. I guess it comes down to either me paying someone to do it or get the drysuit it might pay for itself in 3-4 years

[Garcia]

Originally Posted by RyanDe

I was really thinking about a drysuit but they are so expensive. I guess it comes down to either me paying someone to do it or get the drysuit it might pay for itself in 3-4 years

I just looked at how much they cost - wow!. It was a worthwhile purchase 30+ years ago, but had I not been a paddler I would not have bought it. I don't remember it being an expensive purchase, but then again, I had different priorities back then.

[iw8surf]

I have never liked drysuits, most of my friends swear by them but I have always had them leak etc. I purchased a 7mm wetsuit and you can do 4 docks easy before you even think about being cold. Heck I even ocean surf with it all winter!

[fatlazyless]

www.mythicdrysuits.com, located in Maine, has excellent dry suits which are probably made in China(?), starting at $329 ..... I have one .... need to go get into it and get my dock done .... and stop with the yard work .... already. Is a myth that they are made in Maine, but so what .... they are made in China ..... and sold from Maine .... or something.


Walmart in Plymouth has these large air mattresses, made for camping or something, made by Intex, in their mark down aisle close to the greeting cards .... selling for $9.00 .... and they look like it could easily float a dock section .... you can probably stand up on the floating dock and paddle it all the way to Weirs Beach to go visit The Dive .... which apparently has left the dock area ..... but I digress here .... oops? Hellooooo out there ...... calling The Dive ...... where r u? ...... I need a drink ..... real bad! ..... in order to properly install the dock ..... a good drink always helps with this antique dock installation .... for correct alignment!

Oh well ..... before the Chinese tariffs took effect, you could buy one for $229 .... what I paid ..... but is now $329 ..... so sorry and too bad.