The effects of mud, clay, sand bottoms on various boat lifts and dock systems

Great Lakes Water Levels To Hit High Water Mark In 2019

Each year our Great Lakes change their water levels either up or down marginally due to rain and snowfall throughout the year.  The forecast looks to be a record year for high water in at least two different Great Lakes.  Lake superior's previous high water mark occurred in the mid-'80s but this could be the year the water crests above that mark.  The lake was only 2 inches away from the record in February so any month now could break the [...]

By |2019-04-18T18:00:51+00:00April 18th, 2019|Environment, News|Comments Off on Great Lakes Water Levels To Hit High Water Mark In 2019

Sweep Away The Muck & Mess From Your Lake Bottom

Muck is by far the toughest obstacle to overcome in any lakefront situation.  It can prevent you from ever leveling your boatlift, creating a stable walking surface on your dock and is very unpleasant to swim around or step into.  Muck can force people to resort to floating dock options, floating lift options, or forgo and dock or lift all together.  There are so few options of how to beat back muck and work around it but there are a couple [...]

By |2019-04-02T18:35:30+00:00April 2nd, 2019|Boat Lifts, Docks, Environment, Installs & Removals, Maintenance, New Products, News|Comments Off on Sweep Away The Muck & Mess From Your Lake Bottom

Leveling Cantilever Lifts

Leveling cantilever lifts is done a little differently than leveling a traditional vertical freestanding lift.  Using aftermarket "Lift Leveling Legs" which attach to your lift at various points, you can set your lift in a position where it remains level regardless of the slope that is underneath the lift.  Declining slopes of lake bottoms are a difficult challenge for cantilever lifts to get around as they are designed more for very flat, hard bottoms with little change in water depth.  Cantilevers, [...]

By |2019-02-07T15:26:41+00:00February 7th, 2019|Boat Lifts, Installs & Removals, Lift Repair, Maintenance, New Products, News|Comments Off on Leveling Cantilever Lifts

Ice Fishing Tips, Tricks & Safety

Ice fishing is a tradition in many northern states of the United States.  With the robust amount of natural inland lakes and cold weather during the winters we often get many inches of ice on lakes allowing for all kinds of fisherman to enjoy the sport all year long.  People build little ice towns out on the ice, shanties with heaters and places to escape the wind while you fish through a small hole in the ice at your feet.  [...]

By |2019-03-12T19:46:18+00:00January 22nd, 2019|Environment, Laws, Safety and Regulations, New Products, News|Comments Off on Ice Fishing Tips, Tricks & Safety

Don’t Fight The Tide: Life In A Tidal Basin

Tidal fluctuations are a part of life for anyone that lives near the ocean.  Whether you are directly on the beach or far inland along an inlet or basin, tidal fluctuations are something you will deal with every day.  With changes in sea level come changes to what type of lakefront equipment you can use in specific situations.  Each day the tide will hit a high point during the night and a low point during the day.  If your boat or [...]

By |2019-03-12T19:46:30+00:00January 7th, 2019|Boat Lift Motors, Boat Lifts, Canopies and Covers, Dock Repair, Docks, Drive On Dock, Environment, Installs & Removals, Maintenance, New Products, News|Comments Off on Don’t Fight The Tide: Life In A Tidal Basin

AlumiStair: Fight Back Against Coastal Erosion

With water levels near all time highs in the Great Lakes, the southern coasts of Lake Michigan have seen sever erosion to the dunes that line the shores of west Michigan due to a 17 inch increase over historic averages.  The water has pushed up against the dunes themselves, undercutting the support of the sand and causing small landslides.  The trees that grow on top of the dunes begin to have their roots exposed and eventually the tree falls to the [...]

By |2019-03-12T19:46:43+00:00December 28th, 2018|Environment, New Products, News|Comments Off on AlumiStair: Fight Back Against Coastal Erosion

PFAS: Chemicals In Our Water

If you live in Michigan and have listened to the news lately, it is likely that you have heard about the various instances of PFAS contamination in our water.  With PFAS showing up in at 30 different sites at affecting 15 different communities.  PFAS is an extremely dangerous chemical to humans and wild life that lingers in the environment for so long they are referred to as "forever chemicals."  It has the ability to build up at the surface of the [...]

By |2019-03-12T19:46:50+00:00December 18th, 2018|Environment, Laws, Safety and Regulations, News|Comments Off on PFAS: Chemicals In Our Water

An Itchy Situation: Swimmers Itch

If you have spent a lot of time in the water throughout your life then you have probably encountered swimmers itch.  Swimmers itch is a common problem that can affect anybody that enters the water where the flatworm's desired hosts reside in high numbers.  Flatworms are small creatures that mistakenly burrow into your skin and then die, causing the itchy red bumps that appear on our skin.  Flatworms are a natural part of the marine environment however can be a nuisance [...]

By |2019-03-12T19:47:10+00:00December 13th, 2018|Environment, News|Comments Off on An Itchy Situation: Swimmers Itch

Fishing Requirements In Michigan

Fishing has long been a cherished pastime in Michigan and all of the surrounding Great Lakes states. With over 11,000 different lakes in Michigan alone.  Fishing is a great source of fun and adventure for the experienced or junior sportsman; with that in mind here are some rules, procedures and laws that everyone looking to fish michigan's waters should be aware of.  The first thing the sportsman must do is purchase a valid fishing license from a local license retailer or [...]

By |2019-03-12T19:47:43+00:00December 12th, 2018|Environment, Laws, Safety and Regulations, News|Comments Off on Fishing Requirements In Michigan

Muddy Waters: Using a freestanding lift with a soft muddy bottom.

Mud is a tricky problem to deal with when installing a boat lift.  It really depends on how soft the mud is and the skill and equipment the installer brings to the situation.  I have installed these lifts into areas where the mud was 4' deep with no evidence of a bottom and at this point extra steps must be taken to ensure a safe and stable lift.  We take 2' x 12' treated lumber and cut it into four separate [...]

By |2019-03-12T19:47:30+00:00November 15th, 2018|Boat Lifts, Environment, Installs & Removals, News|Comments Off on Muddy Waters: Using a freestanding lift with a soft muddy bottom.
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