I'm rebuilding a 15-year-old rough-water floating dock held off from the
shore with 2 hinged stiff arms and cross-chains.

This time around, I'd like to avoid the corrosion and wear in steel hinges,
and I'd like to add some sort of shock absorber against the percussive
forces of waves.

Anyone know of a rubber hinge or something else that would do this job?

We're talking heavy duty here. A 7,000 lb 10x50' float, with 500 lb
6x6"x20' steel tube stiff arms, 1" diameter stainless hinge pins. Waves up
to 4', winds to 70 mph, a 15' tidal range, and 3 kt currents.

"Pete" wrote in message news:136o6kigvds41.kjxvixl4rhd9

....... A 7,000 lb 10x50' float, with 500 lb
6x6"x20' steel tube stiff arms, 1" diameter stainless hinge pins. Waves up
to 4', winds to 70 mph, a 15' tidal range, and 3 kt currents.

Damn!! I guess that's where you tie up the pontoon party boat.

Seems a little Ego-Centric to conclude that any idea you come up with will
defeat Mother Nature. She will have the last say, no matter what you
build......
"Pete" wrote in message
...

I'm rebuilding a 15-year-old rough-water floating dock held off from the
shore with 2 hinged stiff arms and cross-chains.

This time around, I'd like to avoid the corrosion and wear in steel
hinges,
and I'd like to add some sort of shock absorber against the percussive
forces of waves.

Anyone know of a rubber hinge or something else that would do this job?

We're talking heavy duty here. A 7,000 lb 10x50' float, with 500 lb
6x6"x20' steel tube stiff arms, 1" diameter stainless hinge pins. Waves up
to 4', winds to 70 mph, a 15' tidal range, and 3 kt currents.

Thanks for your comments, all.

Noah, eye bolts would solve the problem of hinge wear being hidden. I
hadn't thought of that. I will be using an engineer. Just wanted to get a
head start with some NG research.

John, you are a funny guy. Would be a perfect place for a party if you're
into rockin' and rollin'! Actually, the worst of the weather only happens
occasionally in winter storms, but it is a year-round dock.

Carolyn, yes, I have been called egocentric before! However, the dock did
beat nature for 15 years, and I'm aiming for 25 years this time. Check back
with me in 2028, OK?

One other idea that came up is to use heavy duty (Class 4) trailer hitches
at the float end of the stiff arms. These have a little give-and-take, but
I think you can get them with built in shock absorbers. Anybody actually
done something like this?

Pete

On Tue, 3 Feb 2004 21:03:52 -0800, Pete wrote:


I'm rebuilding a 15-year-old rough-water floating dock held off from the
shore with 2 hinged stiff arms and cross-chains.

This time around, I'd like to avoid the corrosion and wear in steel hinges,
and I'd like to add some sort of shock absorber against the percussive
forces of waves.

Anyone know of a rubber hinge or something else that would do this job?

We're talking heavy duty here. A 7,000 lb 10x50' float, with 500 lb
6x6"x20' steel tube stiff arms, 1" diameter stainless hinge pins. Waves up
to 4', winds to 70 mph, a 15' tidal range, and 3 kt currents.

Is this the Bay of Fundy by any chance? Damn....

As to shock absorbtion, you might want to consider rubber truck tire
chocks. Believe it or not, they have a big time compression
coefficient and would be perfect for something this big.

Just out of curiosity, what are you tying up to this monster?

Later,

Tom
S. Woodstock, CT
----------

"I thought I'd just go fishin', but the fish
were not amused. And I caught myself just
wishin' that I was in the fishes shoes. Just
swimmin' in some deep blue water not a care
in my head, watchin' some fool with a line
and a pole hidin' by the riverbed."

Joe Ely, "Back To My Old Molehill" - "Flatlanders,
Wheels of Fortune - 2004"

On Wed, 04 Feb 2004 21:28:27 GMT, Short Wave Sportfishing wrote:

Thanks for your comments Tom...

Is this the Bay of Fundy by any chance? Damn....

Nope, San Juan Islands, WA. The 40 ft tidal range in parts of Fundy is a
challenge I'd rather leave to others!

As to shock absorbtion, you might want to consider rubber truck tire
chocks. Believe it or not, they have a big time compression
coefficient and would be perfect for something this big.

Great idea, thanks. I'll do some research on those.

Just out of curiosity, what are you tying up to this monster?

It's a shared dock. Worst case load is a 32' sailboat plus a 20' I/O
powerboat.

Cheers,

Pete

As to shock absorbtion, you might want to consider rubber truck tire
chocks.
Thinking along the tire line, you might be able to find some small used
airplane tires. The ones with the thick walls that have some body to them.
Bolt them in between your float and the ends of the stiff-arms, using
back-up plates to keep them in place. Might not look great, but they
wouldn't rust, and are replaceable, and would be quiet, self-centering, and
would stretch in any direction. Drill a couple of drain holes in them to
keep mosquitoes from breeding in them.

On Thu, 05 Feb 2004 14:53:19 GMT, Floyd in Tampa wrote:

Thinking along the tire line, you might be able to find some small used
airplane tires.

Great idea, Floyd, thanks.