With winter on its way, there are a lot of things to consider in terms of owning property on the water. When it comes to your dock, in particular, there are some must-know winter dock maintenance tips to make seasonal tasks related to your dock easier to accomplish.
Remember: just because winter is here and you’re not heading out on the water doesn’t mean you can ignore your dock until spring. There are some necessary upkeep and maintenance considerations to make whether you head out of town for the season or simply spend less time outdoors.
Here are a few of the best accessories to make winter dock maintenance easier for the upcoming 2022 season.
Solar Lights
Winter means cold weather but it also means shorter days. With less sunlight this time of year than any other period on the calendar, you’ll want to ensure you have lights installed to help you get around your dock area when the sunsets.
Solar lights are a great option for ensuring that you have the light turned on automatically. Plus, the solar aspect means you don’t have to plug and unplug these lights on for them to work. Simply install before the first freeze and you’ll be seeing clearly at night all winter long.
Dock Line
If you’re planning on leaving equipment out in the winter, make sure to buy a cover for everything. Furthermore, you’ll want to make sure you have plenty of dock lines to ensure nothing moves over the winter when freezing temps can change water depth and bring in variables like snow and ice.
A heavy-duty dock line with over 4,000lb break strength is best for the winter when it comes to securing your dock and equipment. While rope might not always be the most fun thing to shop for, it’s helpful and much more preferable than losing equipment to the elements.
Dock Safety Caps
Another thing to consider is the idea of preserving your dock during the winter. While waterproofing your dock is important, you’ll also want to consider other parts of the docking framework that can be damaged during the winter weather.
Rubber safety caps are crucial to ensuring the safety of your exposed ends of dock piping. These are also year-round benefits to your dock safety because these caps help to avoid injury from the sharp edges and offer a clean finished look.
Is Your Dock In Desperate Need of a Re-Do After the Winter?
If you’re noticing during your winter prep checklist that your dock needs more than just a few accessories, start planning to build your own boat dock once the winter is over.
Now is a great time to check and see what sort of dock works best for you if it’s time for a replacement. Contact Tommy Docks and check out what your options are for the future!
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