What are the principles of a floating dry dock?
Formerly the domain of much larger vessels, recent advancements in affordability, portability, and ease of use has seen dry docking become the go-to method for keeping your personal marine craft in ship-shape year-round.
While many seafarers have already hopped on board the concept of dry-docking for their pleasure-craft, the principles of floating docks are beneficial for any Sea Captain, as they can help save thousands while helping owners avoid the hassles associated with marine upkeep.
For the uninitiated, dry docking is a method by which boats can be raised from the water to perform repairs and preventative maintenance, as well as deep cleaning of the hull.
Traditionally a costly exercise, floating docks of old were often enormous steel structures, whereby ships would float in, then the water would be drained to allow the load to come to rest of a dry platform. Historically, dry docks were mechanically elevated and lowered, and required countless manhours and moving parts to function successfully.
Thankfully for the modern boat owner, more practical methods for keeping your vessel high and dry have emerged. Modern dry docking solutions mean that not only can your boat be lifted from the water with ease, but it can also stay there indefinitely when not in use. This is due to transportable and customisable inflatables, which fit under the craft and gently hoist it until you want to sail it again.
While your boat may be designed to handle the worst elements of the ocean, it certainly pays to allow it a rest from the harsh saltwater environment every now and then. Floating docks have been shown to not only reduce wear and tear on constantly submerged components such as legs, shafts, and propellers, they also protect vital inlet pipes from succumbing to sea growth and barnacle build-up.
Effective floating docks also eliminate the need to apply a yearly recoat of the costly and environmentally harmful antifoul treatments, a highly toxic chemical paint that inhibits the formation of barnacle larvae on the hull.
Taking advantage of the time and money-saving benefits of dry-docking has never been easier, with industry experts FAB Dock creating a simple-to-use system that doesn’t require any heavy lifting yourself.
Providing a soft inflatable target, FAB Dock ensures novice navigators can ‘bump’ their boat into position with ease, which eliminating stress over the nicks and scratches that may occur during the typical berthing process. The dock is then raised using their vessel’s onboard battery, or even solar power.
For floating docks that are cost-effective, time-saving and easy-to-use, call the team at FAB Dock on 1800 254 088 to discuss better protection for your boat today!