Probably a dumb question - but I'll ask it anyhow

[homerj]

We have a place on a small lake (120 acres). We are off the main lake, in a bay. Could I get away with leaving the dock in all winter? The dock is made of wooden sections supported by poles. I'm thinking that maybe the ice won't shift because I'm in the bay.

[Deitz Dittrich]

Thats a tough one.. it really depends on which way the wind blows when the ice goes off the lake. Its a gamble, it does help that you are on a small lake to begin with, and that you are in a small bay on that lake.. However, its still a gamble.

[blakjack23]

I have the same style dock on a 90 acre lake. Dock never comes out and always makes it through the winter.

[subzero]

The question seems to be how much do you want to fix it if the ice gets it compared to how much work is saved by not taking it out.

[Surface Tension]

Most of your damage is going to happen at ice out time when the shifting ice piles up on the shoreline. Having said that I leave my dock in because of what section of the lake I'm on.

[homerj]

Thanks for the opinions. For those of you that leave the dock in, do you put a snow fence or something around it to make it more visible to snowmobiles etc.?

[stubby1]

I am not sure of the price of snow fence but here is another option.I've seen this and it works good too.Go to the l;ocal hardware store(probably the same place you find snow fence)and look for some reflectors.Nail them down the length of you dock and especially the end.Then you can leave them there all year.No set up or take down of the fence or finding a place in the garage for the rolled up fence.Just my 2 cents