Rock Out With Your Dock Out

After a long day of walking the Glebe, hubby going fishing, swimming in the river with my dog and our new Austrian friend Georg, and partaking of a very loud disco/funk show at the local music hall, Sunday was finally the time to unwrap the bundle of wood that's been sitting in our driveway for a month and get down to business on the dock.

Our plan all along has been to mock-build the dock in our driveway at home, where it's flat and we have electricity, so that once we get it hauled up to the land all we have to do is transport it to the beach and knock it together. I say that so casually. We have a careful plan, which is like the 14^th version of the plan, and have thought out most of the bugs that we could encounter along the way. It's to be two docks actually, two 8 x 12' sections hinged together for two reasons: to provide greater flex in ice breakup and waves, and because finding, handling and transporting 24' boards would be next to impossible.

We set out a bit late on Sunday, so I was cranky as all hell. Seriously, I have adopted the persona of 'cranky pregnant lady' lately. I can't help it. I am pissed off at everyone, it would seem. People who call me on the phone, people who walk in front of me on the sidewalk, people on the elevators. No surprise then that I should be cranky when confronted with a stressful project like this dock. We had visions of getting both sections pre-cut, pre-drilled, hardware pre-installed in one day, but only got one half done, which rankled me. Last night we nearly completed the other half, so I'm doing a bit better.

But holy mackerel is a dock a money pit! I thought we were mostly done with the really expensive stuff, until I added up how many bolts of various types we will need to actually put it together. 64 carriage bolts, 64 lag bolts, miscellaneous other hardware and a whole lotta rope or chain is going to add another $200 to the bill, I'm sure. And then I remembered that we want a ladder too. Not a wooden one , 'cause they always get slimy, but a basic metal dock ladder. Add on another $150.

Anyway, the plan is to finish the bits in the laneway this week, load up the truck (precariously I'm sure) Friday night, and set out early Saturday morning for the lake, stopping for breakfast along the way. We will drive the truck to the lot first, where hubby will collect the tin boat and hook up the motor, then drive it to the boat launch, where I will be waiting with the truck. We will load the wood onto the boat, probably in three loads, strap it down, and drive it (slowly, carefully) to the beach. This will be much simpler than walking everything down the hill, especially considering that I am not so good at walking things down hills anymore.

Once there, we will attempt to 'knock it together'. There are other factors that have to be dealt with (factors like anchors, which I will be making out of two old tires, bent rebar, and cement) and I'm sure other horrible things will pop up, mistakes will be made, swearing will happen, we will fight like cats and dogs (or a cat and a dog, though my cat and dog actually get along very well) and one of us (probably me) will give up at some point and go sit by herself for awhile to blow off steam. Hopefully we will be able to swim. I suspect this could take us up to two full weekends to 'knock together' but we'll see – depends on how much help we've got, and where the energy level's at.

I'll be sure to take pictures. I promise this time.

Oh and as for the Great Glebe Garage Sale? Hubby bought a mannequin leg. He was the talk of the town.