Docks and lifts

[Marcsargis]

Just bought a home on a lake in Winter Haven Florida to ski on. All the docks and lifts on the lake are made from wood. Any reason why aluminum docks and lifts aren't used. Up here in the Illinois/Wisconsin chain of lakes, that's all we use.

[BraceMaker]

Up north usually you have to pull everything out of the water so lifts are aluminum and light and portable. In areas w/ tidal water those get moved around so its usually Piers, driven pilings and bolted in hoists.

[dvskier]

Winter Haven doesn't have "tidal water". Docks there are made of wood since it's less expensive and fits the area, many styles to choose from.

[Marcsargis]

Thanks. Are there actually dedicated dock builders in the area or just your local carpenter. Mine needs some major work.

[TEL]

Creative Deck and Dock Inc. built all the docks on my Lake

[oldjeep]

Wood is cheap - aluminum is expensive, so if you don't need to be able to easily pull a dock then you buy cheap. Same reason that some folks have all aluminum docks and some folks have aluminum framed with wood treads. The full aluminum are better and last longer, but they cost 2x as much

[JackQ]

I have a floating dock with wood over a aluminum frame, because in the Fla sun aluminum will burn your feet.

[oldjeep]

@JackQ - an aluminum dock burns your feet in MN. Put on some shoes hippie ;) It keeps you from tracking all that dirt into the boat.

[dvskier]

I have a footing aluminum dock, 24' x 28', with a 24' x 10 ' slip with 4800 lb HydroHoist boat lift. Very secure. Also decking is Brazilian IPE, you need titanium drill bits to drill into it. Very hard wood and it looks like mahogany after staining it. Takes a bit of maintenance every 3 years to stain but it's worth if. Also covered so the boat stays out of the sun.

[Zman]

FWIW, if you get your aluminum dock sections with anodized walking surfaces they are not hot on your feet. Cost a little more, but worth it.