When Should You Take Your Dock and Boat Lift Out of the Water in Michigan?
Summer in Michigan never seems long enough. Before you know it, the boats are getting winterized, temperatures are dropping, and it’s time to start thinking about docks and boat lifts.
One of the questions we hear every fall at Beach Bumz Marine is:
When should I take my dock and boat lift out of the water?
There isn’t one perfect date for every lake or every waterfront. Your dock, water depth, weather, and exposure to ice can all change the answer.
However, there are a few good rules to follow.
Dock stacked and boat lift on shore for the winter
When Is the Best Time to Remove Your Dock and Boat Lift?
For most seasonal docks and boat lifts in Southwest Michigan, we recommend planning removal after you are finished boating for the season but well before freezing temperatures and ice become a concern.
For many lakefront homeowners, that means September through October.
Waiting until the last possible weekend can create unnecessary problems. Michigan weather can change quickly, and cold water makes dock and lift removal considerably less enjoyable — and potentially more dangerous.
Getting your equipment out a little early also gives you time to inspect it, make repairs, and plan for anything that may need to be replaced before spring.
Don't Wait for the First Freeze
The first hard freeze shouldn't be your reminder to remove the dock.
Once temperatures begin consistently dropping, conditions around the lake can change quickly. Water levels may also change during the fall, making equipment harder to access or remove.
If you know your dock or lift needs to come out every year, it's better to have a plan before fall weather arrives.
Professional removal services can also become very busy during this time of year. Scheduling early gives you a much better chance of getting the date you want. However, a lot of professional services like us here at Beach Bumz, tend to work in certain areas at particular times and so you'll need to be in that timeframe.
Remove the Canopy Before the Boat Leaves
If your boat lift has a canopy, remove the canopy vinyl before the boat leaves the property for the season. This is one of the most important steps when preparing your waterfront for winter.
Once the boat is gone, reaching the canopy can become much more difficult. Removing it while the boat is still on the lift gives you a much easier and safer way to access the canopy frame and vinyl.
You also don't want to leave an empty boat lift in the water with the canopy still attached. A canopy can catch a tremendous amount of wind, essentially turning your lift into a large sail. Strong fall winds can move, tip, or damage an unsecured lift and potentially cause damage to other waterfront equipment.
Our recommended order is simple:
Remove the canopy vinyl while the boat is still accessible.
Completely dry and properly store the canopy vinyl.
Remove the boat and prepare it for winter storage.
Inspect the empty lift for worn cables, pulleys, bunks, loose hardware, or other damage.
Remove and properly store the boat lift.
Taking a little extra time to do things in the right order can make fall removal easier and help protect your equipment until spring.
Clean Your Equipment Before Storage
Fall is a great time to clean your dock and lift.
Remove weeds, zebra mussels, mud, algae, and other buildup before storing equipment for the winter. It's much easier to clean everything while you're already working with it than to deal with dried-on buildup in the spring.
This is also a good opportunity to check decking, wheels, legs, fasteners, cables, bunks, and other components.
Where You Store It Matters
Getting equipment out of the lake is only half the job.
Docks, lifts, canopy frames, and accessories should be stored somewhere they won't be damaged by snowplows, falling branches, vehicles, or shifting ice along the shoreline.
Small accessories should be removed whenever possible. Ladders, chairs, dock boxes, bumpers, and other removable pieces can be stored somewhere protected until spring.
Keeping hardware organized can also save a lot of frustration when installation season comes back around, and it’s never a bad idea to soak your nuts and bolts in something like vinegar overnight to help clean any rust if applicable.
Does Every Dock Have to Come Out?
No — and this is where the type of dock you own makes a huge difference.
Traditional sectional and roll-in docks are commonly removed from Michigan lakes every fall.
Some waterfront systems, however, are designed differently.
For example, CanDock modular floating docks can often remain in the water year-round when they are properly configured for the location. That can eliminate the annual process of removing and reinstalling a traditional dock.
Whether a dock can safely remain in place depends on the lake, shoreline, anchoring system, water movement, and ice conditions. There is no one-size-fits-all answer.
At Beach Bumz, we look at the actual waterfront before recommending a setup.
CanDock setup with a dock-mounted ShoreStation canopy and JetRoll PWC Port
Be Careful With Ice
Ice is one of the biggest reasons Michigan waterfront equipment requires some extra planning.
Ice doesn't simply freeze in place. It can expand, shift, pile up, and move with changing temperatures, wind, and water conditions.
That movement can put significant pressure on docks, poles, lifts, and other equipment.
A protected shoreline on a small inland lake can behave very differently from an exposed property that receives significant wind and moving ice.
If you're unsure whether something should stay in or come out, don't guess based on what your neighbor does. Your shoreline may have completely different conditions.
Fall Is Also the Best Time to Plan for Spring
One of the best things you can do in the fall is think ahead.
If your current dock is getting difficult to install and remove every year, your boat no longer fits your lift, or you simply want a better waterfront setup, you don't have to wait until spring to start shopping.
Fall and winter are great times to:
Measure your shoreline
Compare dock systems
Determine the correct boat lift capacity
Plan a new dock layout
Discuss PWC ports
Get quotes
Order equipment before the spring rush
Planning during the offseason means you're much more likely to have everything ready when warm weather returns.
Need Help With Your Dock or Boat Lift?
At Beach Bumz Marine in Paw Paw, Michigan, we work with waterfront owners throughout Southwest Michigan to find the right dock, boat lift, and floating dock solutions for their property.
We carry options including CanDock modular floating docks, FLOE docks and boat lifts, ShoreStation docks and lifts, Twin Bay docks, and more.
Whether you're trying to figure out the best way to handle your current equipment this fall or you're ready to build a setup that makes next season easier, we'd be happy to help.
Stop by Beach Bumz Marine, contact us for a quote, or send us a few photos of your shoreline and current setup.
The best time to prepare for next boating season is before the snow starts flying.