Bubblers

[Lakegeezer]

It is time for another thread on bubblers. Those that use the frozen lakes for winter activities are increasingly challenged by new docks with bubblers and existing bubblers that are run too hard. Snowmobile water access points, both club and private trails are late to freeze and early to thaw when near aggressive bubblers.

What's required to keep a dock from damage? Can you bubble just a few hours a day to keep the ice weak or is a daily view of open water required.

One bubbler near me keeps about 70 yards of shoreline open. Then, when the big wind storm happened a few days ago, there were whitecaps in the fetch and the hole opened up another 30 yards downwind.

Do tarp curtains, trying to contain the moving water, work?

If you bubble your dock, how do you keep the melted area on your property and what are the strategies early, mid and late season? Are the fans the only way to go or is there an alternative?