Last fall we took a couple more orders for custom docks. A reliable dock on this section of the Ottawa River can be a challenge, the store-bought docks more often than not just don't fit the bill. These docks are large steel structures with quality pressure treated decking. The floating sections are manufactured for us in Carp at Custom Welding. Building the ramps is all done right here at the marina keeping our year-round staff busy for the winter.
After delivery from Custom Welding, the floating section is sand blasted and coated with epoxy. This is a big job and timing is crucial. Once the structure is sand blasted, the epoxy needs to be applied as quickly as possible.
After sand blasting the floating section, it is brought inside the shop and a long lasting black epoxy finish is applied.
Pressure treated decking is ready to fastened to the floating section.
Ramps are all built inside our shop. Our crew has this down to a science and can build these large structures from start to finsh quite quickly. This is a 72-foot ramp going out the door!
This is a 48-food section, soon to be 72. These dock-ramps are longer than the shop so they are built going out the door.
Large, heavy-duty wheels are placed under the ramps. The wheels are adjustable using a marine winch with a heavy stainless steel cable making it easy to adjust in our fluctuating water levels.
Sloan is testing out the new ramp. Side strakes are bolted onto the ramp superstructure using carriage bolts and the decking is screwed in place.
With the ramp structure all built, the decking is screwed in place and soon to be ready for delivery.
The floating dock now ready for water. We had an ice storm a few days ago forcing us to move that entire unit inside our shop were we had the whole working on it.
Those of you who are familiar with the facilities here at Port of Call may not recognize the bright-blue building behind the ramp in this photo. In the fall, we embarked on restoration project and resurected our old shop that was damaged in the flood. This summer, we will move our office and showroom over to this repaired facility and expand our service shop.
