Excessively Running Dock Circulators

[Lakegeezer]

After years of frustration about my neighbor's bubbler, I started using a tarp curtain to contain the warm water to their property. The top of the tarp is wrapped around swim noodles, using tie-wraps to hold them in place. Along the bottom, a chain is wrapped with the tarp and again, tie-wraps are used to keep it there. Some years, I deploy the tarp before the ice sets in, but other years, I've use a chain saw to cut a slot in the ice. That helps install with precision. It works best if the tarp is curved, to direct the moving water back towards their dock. It gives me a week or more longer access to the lake on both sides of the season.

[Mink Islander]

Originally Posted by Lakegeezer

After years of frustration about my neighbor's bubbler, I started using a tarp curtain to contain the warm water to their property. The top of the tarp is wrapped around swim noodles, using tie-wraps to hold them in place. Along the bottom, a chain is wrapped with the tarp and again, tie-wraps are used to keep it there. Some years, I deploy the tarp before the ice sets in, but other years, I've use a chain saw to cut a slot in the ice. That helps install with precision. It works best if the tarp is curved, to direct the moving water back towards their dock. It gives me a week or more longer access to the lake on both sides of the season.

very clever!

I have timer AND thermostats on my ice eaters. And I direct the flow so my dock cribs have water flowing across them, but the direction of flow is on shore. Keeps from creating massive open water in front of my dock.