Dock Length Question
 

I will be renting a private home with a 20' dock. Can I legally park a boat on the dock that maybe 22' or 24' long?

Thanks

Yes...

Dan

You can legally tie up the Mount to your dock, if you think it can hold it. :laugh:

The answer already given is YES

But -- considering you have a 24" boat it's going to be QUITE tricky to tie off and feel comfortable about it.

Remember, you have to allow distance from shore and consider that the dock (no doubt) doesn't start literally at the waters edge. Sounds to me your attempting to tie a 24 footer on (realistically) 12-15 feet of dock. Also consider waves !!

Good luck

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Assuming your are going with the owner or agents write up that the place has a 20' dock.... As other have stated there is a lot to consider....

And here is something else... what does the owner / agent mean by 20' dock.... is the dock only 20' long, or do they mean docking for a 20' boat... What is the water depth at the dock, it may be 20' long, but if the first 10' of the dock is only in 1' of water, Huston you have a problem...

Lots of variables

So yes you can tie the mount up to your 20' dock if your comfortable with it but can you get the mount to it is the question...

When are you renting? Now? The low water may make the 20 ft. far less.

If not renting until spring/summer it shouldn't be as bad.

You can use additional lines and anchors to hold yourself off from the dock and shore. Just remember that when the boat leaves the dock, that gear has to come out of the water. One of our members found this out the hard way a few years ago. (KaChing)

As stated above: Legally, as in NH laws, no problem. If this is a condo or other place where there is an association in charge, there may be internal rules limiting boat length.

Especially at public docks, I routinely back my boat in and leave the bow extending beyond the end of the dock, so a 25-35 foot boat might use only 18-22 feet of dock. Where the manufacturer didn't provide one, I have added an extra cleat amidships to allow this. Water depth at a private dock may be a limiting factor unless you can raise your engine.

Your 24' boat may be a little heavy if the dock is only a temporary seasonal dock, and there is any wind/wave exposure.

I have friends in a cove where there is frequent wake surfing. The wakes lift the boat, which lifts and moves the dock. The cove is otherwise very protected and calm.

Guess my joke went down the drink. But another option if you really want to rent this place is, perhaps they have a mooring ball that you could use if the water depth at the dock is a limiting factor.

Dock Expands to 24'
 

Yes.

But I would use a lot of padding. ;)


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Thanks everyone!

Speaking of dock length......anyone know what is the max allowed.
I have 30' but would like to extend another 16 to get into deeper water.
Existing dock does not touch the water. It is built on a narrow peninsular and the addition would be the same which makes me wonder if I would need a permit for a dock or a deck.

Anything that has a permanent "structure" on the shore requires a permit. This would include a concrete pad where the dock attaches so it can be winched up in the winter. If we all ask a bunch of questions, you can get a lot of speculative answers. Try DES at 271-4067.

waterfront frontage determines dock length
 

As I recall from when we got our permit a few years back, length of waterfront frontage determines dock length. 100' frontage allows a 40' dock. You can petition for more, but as I recall, you have to submit documentation, etc. The website where you go for the dock permit, (DES, I think?), details all of the rules.

The requirements may have changed, but when I applied to DES for a dock permit for a 100' frontage lot in 1994, I was only allowed to install a 30' dock.

It has changed. Our kids were allowed a 40' dock. It is shallow

Don't forget, it's a rental. The owner will have a say in it.

Even seasonal structures without permanent anchors need approval. This would include season boatlifts and seasonal personal watercraft lifts despite what that local dealer may tell you.

Swim rafts are not DES but rather Marine Patrol.

Installing a floating structure 1 ft. off shore, calling it a swim raft and tying a boat to it thinking that one is amazingly clever... no, sorry, been thought of dozens of times already. Eligible to be fined as both an illegal mooring and an illegal dock.

100' of frontage dictates the number of boat slips you can have, not the allowable length of your dock.

The following rules apply to larger NH lakes:

At 75 feet or greater you can have 1 finger/ 2 boat slips, and every 75' after allows an additional slip. If you use a seasonal/lift out dock you can have 40', if you go with a permanent dock you can get 30' unless you can prove shallow depths. The legal definition of a slip is 25' of dock length extending out, starting at 3' of lake depth at full lake, and 8' width.

See attached link for all the details:

http://des.nh.gov/organization/commi...ents/wb-19.pdf

These rules were the same 12 years ago when I went through permitting.

Parking a Boat
 

It is only possible to park a boat if it is on a trailer.

This is true you slip a boat.

But you drive on a Parkway

And Park on a Driveway

I don't know about "slipping" your boat but you def DOCK your boat:

http://www.boatingmag.com/how-to-dock-boat

That said, you DO NOT "park" a boat.

:D Clearly a slow day on the Forum :laugh::laugh:

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Jeez.....why are men always measuring their docks?