Boat Dock Rebuilding Project
This page is about rebuilding a boat dock that was in need of
repair and was originally built too low so that it was underwater
during storms and very high tides.

You can see why it needed to raised up some, even though it seemed
pretty high at a very low tide below.

First step was to strip off all the surface decking wood.

Next, we removed the stringers that surface decking boards were
nailed on to and laid them down flat across the joists that were
bolted to the pilings so there was something to walk on.

In the above photo you can see that a second joist was bolted on to
the pilings above the original ones, and the stringers placed on top
of the new one so the level of the deck was raised up. The stringers
were screwed or hurricane strapped on to the joists to secure them
until the decking could be replaced. We used the little raft to help
reach the pilings when the decking was off.

Another view showing the new joists bolted on above the old ones.

After securing the stringers on to of the new joists, the top
decking was installed and screwed down with stainless steel screws.
The above shows the end part of the dock completed. Next was to do
the same for the long runway part of the dock.

The top decking was removed one section at a time, and the new set
of joists was bolted across the pilings, some shims were needed to
get them all the same height.

It got a little dicey walking out on the planks while everything was
under construction, but no one fell in the water.
A couple of wrenches dropped in the water but were fished out with a
big magnet.
The old lights used regular house current and were removed and
replaced with a low voltage system.

The lighting system was installed using UV resistant outdoor direct
burial electrical cable with the transformer power supply mounted up
in an outdoor circuit box.
The lights are 18 watt LED floodlights mounted up on posts and are
switched on from inside the house.
Now the dock is finished with nice new wood, new lights, and is
straight and level and feels very solid when you walk on it, as
well as being nearly a foot higher than it used to be.