7 Ways to Prepare Your Dock for Winter

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Lake of the Ozarks lovers hates to hear when summer is officially over but that time is upon us. Even though there are several great days of boating ahead of us this fall, it’s time to start thinking about preparing your dock for the winter months.  Learn more in this week’s blog from Firstmate Controls, the finest wireless electronic equipment for the recreational marine industry.


The fall is the perfect time to have your dock inspected especially for second homeowners to ensure the dock is ready to endure the cold months ahead of us. Many Lake of the Ozarks locals know that Ameren prepares for the winter drawdown usually around the first of the year. The drawdown prepares the lake for flooding possibilities with spring rains. The drawdown can be a problem for homeowners who haven’t prepared their dock for winter.   

  1. Pull all the water toys out of the water and the boat, remove all the air, dry them out, and store them in your dock locker.  If you have furniture on the dock, make sure you secure the furniture or remove it from the dock.   Remove the dock ladder from the water and make sure it is secure. 
  2. Check to make sure your dock is repelling water.  You can do this by scrubbing the surface of the dock with a deck cleaner to remove debris, algae, and fungus.  Then spray the dock with water to see if the water beads on the wood.  If the water does not bead, you may want to reseal the wood on your dock. 
  3. Visually inspect your dock.  Make sure no bolts or fasteners are missing.  Take a look at the welds on your docks to ensure you have no cracks.  Check your dock cables, if they are frayed or rusted you may want to have a new cable installed.  Look around the dock to make sure there are no limbs or stumps that will not allow your dock to move up and down. 
  4. Lengthen your dock cables to prepare for the drawdown at the beginning of the year. 
  5. Raise your boat lift to make sure it is holding air.  Check your lift for any missing bolts or breaks in the structure. 
  6. If you are in shallow water or if the weather is calling for a very cold winter, you will want to install dock de-icers.  The size of your dock and the depth of the water will determine the number of de-icers you will want to place around your dock. 
  7. If you have water lines or pumps on your dock, you must make sure all the water is  drained from the lines.  

If you are a second homeowner and have a full-time neighbor near you, ask them to keep an eye on your dock through the winter and call you if they see any issues. You can also hire a dock company to walk the dock periodically to make sure everything is in good shape. 



As boaters ourselves, we want to make sure your dock is prepared for the winter, so once spring comes around you can hit that button on your FirstmateRemote Control and go out for the first boat ride of the year.  To learn more about our state-of-the-art remote controlboat lift visit our website www.FirstmateControls.com.  

Boat Lift Controls You Can Count On!

Firstmate Controls 
130 Century Commerce Loop
Labadie, MO 63055

Phone: (866) 570-9707


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Location: Labadie, MO 63055, USA

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