[thinkxingu]

Originally Posted by LIforrelaxin

Here is the thing, you are damned if you do, damned if you don't....

Bubbler's and Thermal Ice prevention, save your dock from getting ice in and around it. Lets call this Problem A, thus when the ice breaks up and starts moving around, your dock is not going to try and go with it...

However Problem B at ice-out is far more damaging. Once the ice is broken up and moving around with the wind. Ice burgs start moving, and don't stop moving until something prevents them from doing so... In a strong wind they pick up great momentum... Notice not speed momentum which in this case is not friendly. If your dock is in the way, it is either going to stop the momentum, or not..(most times not).... Sometimes the damage is minor, because the dock is able to help stop the ice to a greater degree. Other times there is to much momentum in the moving ice, and it justs mows over the dock, like a lawn mower over grass!!!!!!

Things like Cribs under docks, pylons driven into the lake bed, etc. can help... however over time, they fail as well, and need maintance. Also if the wind and ice come from an unexpected direction, pylons can be absolutely ineffective...

Ahhhhh the fun of ice... even articulating docks, can have issues with the ice. We have a few on our road... I have seen problems including ineffective blocks to hold them in place, to ice piling up against the blocks, and forced up into the frame bending it and causing damage.

Bottom line, the ice is no ones friend when it is breaking up... I have learned to fix things from her damage... but every spring... I go up to the lake after iceout, with an open mind... hoping for the best, but being ready for the worst.....

Gotcha. So it sounds like the only real *reliable* solution is to have a removable dock? When considering installation, how much more money does a removable/liftable dock cost over a standard wood/permanent one? Or is it less about money and more about setup/access?