LAKE OF THE OZARKS, Mo. — Last winter’s arctic chill at Lake of the Ozarks had a dangerous effect on many docks, but many dock owners may not even realize it.
The problem: many dock builders use J-hooks to attach the dock frame to its flotation, and the massive force from the 6+ inches of ice that locked-in docks last February was enough to twist and bend those J-hooks, breaking them away from the frame. That means many docks may now be perched loosely, unfastened, atop their flotation, and dock owners won’t realize it until it’s too late.
David and Maureen Grey say they discovered this alarming phenomenon after reading a LakeExpo article about the deep freeze in February, which led them to travel from their Kansas City home to their Lake home, to check things out.
"I go out and look at our dock and see these j-hooks all around our dock. Then I saw some of these straight ones. The forces bent them and popped them off," said David.
David says when he arrived, the ice around their dock had already begun thawing and re-freezing, but he was startled to find a J-hook embedded in the ice next to his dock. "I chipped it out of the ice," he recalled. Then he looked around, and saw more.
"I had a whole bag of them here that are mostly straight. I thought, 'Holy heck, this is a time bomb waiting to happen,'" he told LakeExpo.
Some of the J-hooks were in fine shape, and had somehow been just dislodged from the dock frame; others were contorted beyond belief. David says he tried bending them himself, using a vice and a cheater-bar. No luck. The torque exerted by the ice combined with the rapid drawdown of the Lake level had been absolutely massive.
David showed the J-hooks to a local electrician as well as the Missouri State Highway Patrol; they were alarmed. Worse: David was able to identify the ice’s effect on his dock because he got there while the ice was still present. For many other dock owners, their J-hooks have been damaged and dislodged, and are now resting at the bottom of the Lake. And some homeowners don’t even know that their dock is damaged.
"A lot of people will just be getting down here for the first time and seeing what’s going on with their dock. Memorial Day is the big day when everybody starts coming down here, homeowners and everybody, and I think we’re still going to see a little bit [more damage] even into July," said Nina Gennetten, owner of Ozark Barge and Dock.
David and Maureen worry that those dock owners won’t find out about that damage until the first big boat comes by: the waves could begin pushing the dock flotation toward the shore, essentially sliding them underneath the dock frame, if they’re no longer attached. And it’s not just J-hooks that dock-owners have to contend with after this winter's historic freeze.
"It did unbelievable damage to docks on this lake. We’re still not caught up from trying to fix it. A lot of it was ramp damage and stiff arms. When the ramps and stiff arms get torn off the sea wall, now you have seawall damage. It can literally, practically, rip a dock apart," Gennetten said.
Dock Damage On Lake Of The Ozarks From The February Freeze
photos courtesy of David Grey
And damage to the dock itself isn’t the only thing that dock owners need to look for: the ice and Lake level drop also tore out electrical connections and conduits from underneath docks, which can cause electricity to leak into the water.
"Most of what I’ve seen is self-contained but a few I’ve seen that are bad enough that it’s been exposed and been an issue," said Jon Bussey, co-owner of Catalyst Electric.
David and Maureen hope that spreading the word on this dock damage will help keep the Lake a safe place for families.
"We have grandkids," David said. "When I saw these J-hooks, I thought this was a time-bomb ticking that might affect kids. And maybe this story will spur somebody to call a company to get things fixed."
DOCK OWNERS: Before you dive in on Memorial Day, check out these tips below!
Dock Damage: What To Look For
• Bolts missing in seawall or stiff arm
• Dock roof isn’t sitting straight
• Dock isn’t sitting straight
• The ramp has pulled away from the dock or seawall
• The float has come out from under the dock
Electrical Dock Damage: What To Look For
• Check if the breaker has tripped
• If conduit has separated and wires are exposed
• Straps are broken and conduit is hanging
If you see any of these signs of damage, contact Catalyst Electric for a free inspection and repairs: https://catalystelectric.com
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