How Ice Damages Your Dock

Ice can damage your dock in a number of ways. It can cause the dock to sink, it can cause the dock to break, and it can cause the dock to be unstable.

The first way ice damages docks is by causing them to sink. When ice builds up on a pier or wharf, it causes the structure to become top heavy and unstable. This instability causes the pier or wharf to sink into the water below. The weight of this ice will also cause cracks in the structure which will lead to more sinking and eventual collapse of that section of the pier or wharf.

The second way ice damages docks is by causing them to break. When ice builds up on a pier or wharf, it puts pressure on that section of the structure which will eventually lead to cracking and breaking of that section of the pier or wharf. This pressure from ice will also cause cracks in other sections which will lead to more cracking and breaking until eventually there is no more.

How Does A Dock Ice Eater Work?

Dock ice eaters use a motor and propeller to pull warmer water from the bottom of your lake or pond up towards the surface. This creates an area of warm water around your dock that keeps circulating and prevents the water around your dock from freezing.

By keeping the water from freezing around your dock in the winter months, not only will you ensure the integrity of your dock but you will also provide a place where fish can thrive.

Choosing A Dock Ice Eater

There are many different types of dock ice eaters on the market, so it can be hard to choose which one is best for you. There are some things that you should consider when choosing a dock ice eater.

The first thing that you should think about is how much power the dock ice eater has. The more power it has, the faster it will melt ice and snow around your boat dock. You should also think about how long the cord is and if there is an extension cord available for purchase separately.

At Weeders Digest, we carry Kasco Marine De Icers that can be customized to prevent ice from forming around all sizes of boat docks and marinas.

½ HorsePower Dock Ice Eater

Our ½ horsepower dock ice eater is capable of keeping ice away from your dock up to 65 feet with air temperature as low as 20 degrees and 30 feet with air temperatures below negative 20 degrees in a vertical orientation.

¾ HorsePower Dock Ice Eater

Our ¾ horsepower dock ice eater is capable of keeping ice away from your dock up to 85 feet with air temperature as low as 20 degrees and 45 feet with air temperatures below negative 20 degrees in a vertical orientation.

1 HorsePower Dock Ice Eater

Our 1 horsepower dock ice eater is capable of keeping ice away from your dock up to 90 feet with air temperature as low as 20 degrees and 55 feet with air temperatures below negative 20 degrees in a vertical orientation.

Mounting Your Dock Ice Eater

When it comes to mounting your dock ice eater, we have a few different solutions.

The first solution is a sling mount. With a sling mount you tie two pieces or rope to your ice eater and then choose 2 different points on your dock to tie them to.

The 2nd solution is a bottom stand. With this option you mount your ice eater to the stand and then place it wherever you want to keep ice from forming in your pond or lake.

The last, and best solution is a dock mount. Our universal dock mount fits on any dock and can easily be moved from one location to another by tightening and loosening a few bolts.

Additionally, with our dock mount you can add a 360 degree oscillator. Simply program the oscillator to rotate back and forth where you want open water and keep up to 4 times the amount of open water compared to other mounting options.

Want To Keep Ice Formation Away From Your Dock This Winter?

Contact our customer service department today to discuss your needs and our experts can help you get the right dock ice eater to protect your dock this winter.