It’s a beautiful day on the dock. The sunlight is sparkling on the water, the deck boards are in great shape, and everything feels just about perfect.
But beneath the surface, it could be a very different matter: rust is eating your steel piles and threatening the integrity of the entire structure.
All steel docks will eventually begin to suffer from corrosion. Without proper protection, they will require extensive – and expensive – repairs, or even a full replacement.
However, more and more Muskoka cottagers are finding that a solution is available. Sacrificial anodes from Dock Shield will take the hit from rust-causing chemicals and organisms in the water, helping your steel dock remain in good shape for decades.
“You’ve invested tens of thousands, or even hundreds of thousands of dollars, in your steel dock,” explains Adam Metz, who co-owns Dock Shield with Mike and Dylan Welsh. “It’s imperative to protect that investment with an anode system that has been designed and tested in Muskoka – and is already working for many of your neighbours.”
The system is based on cathodic protection. Sacrificial anodes are placed next to the steel dock piles, allowing the steel to function as a cathode. Anodes are a more active metal, and so they “sacrifice” their electrons to the dissolved oxygen in the water, slowly corroding; the cathodes – your expensive steel dock piles – are left strong and rust-free.
The relatively inexpensive anodes will need to be replaced every four or five years, and the system will give your dock decades of additional life.
Regular inspections
All steel dock owners should have their docks inspected every year or two, as recommended by most municipalities. This ensures that maintenance issues can be addressed as they arise.
Dock Shield’s team can expertly navigate underwater inspections using a high-quality drone built specifically for taking 4K images and video below the water line. It helps them determine what shape a steel dock is in, as well as plan for the number of anodes needed to protect it.
“This allows us to show our clients exactly what their dock’s foundation looks like,” says Dylan. “No matter how much you have invested, you want your waterfront to last for generations. And with a steel dock, that starts by protecting the foundation that underlies everything else.”
TEXT CHRIS OCCHIUZZI
PHOTOS ANDREW FEARMAN
