The Dock Manual: Designing/Building/Maintaining

By Max Burns

Book Overview

Add value and enjoyment to your waterfront property by building your own dock. From analyzing your shoreline and choosing an appropriate design to accessorizing with decorative trims, Max Burns covers every aspect of dock construction. Providing illustrated step-by-step instructions with complete materials and tools lists for 10 distinct docks, Burns also offers expert advice on different types of ramps and winterizing techniques. Encouraging you to get out on the water, this guide will inspire you create the dock of your dreams.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1580170986
• ISBN13: 9781580170987
• Release Date: January 1999
• Publisher: Storey Publishing
• Length: 208 Pages
• Weight: 1.35 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 8.5" x 10.9"

Customer Reviews

Excellent DIY dock reference

I gave up trying to find any useful information on dock building and then happened across this book not long ago. Max Burns has written a very comprehensive reference book that covers almost any imaginable dock/shore situation including the one I was looking for . If you're thinking of building your own, add this book to your library!

an excellent book on the basics of dock design/construction

This is for sure a very good "do it yourself" book. There is no doubt that it is a "must have" for those building their own dock/jetty. The author, Max Burns, has written an excellent book on the basics of dock design and construction that is surprisingly comprehensive but still practical. It is one of the two "only" books I have ever seen on recreational/residential dock construction. I think the way the book was able to streamline and summarize the various technical bits and pieces, although being targeted at the beginner to intermediate designer/builder, does not stop it from being a very useful and informative book to most people. Each chapter is short and readable; the subject matter is directly applicable to real life situations and is not written in a typical textbook manner. I think Sections 2 and 3 on dock types and building provide a hard-to-find and up-to-date overview on various related issues. The graphs and drawings are easy to interpret, and I believe are essential to understanding the key points. Coming from a construction/environmental background I found the inserts/information boxes on the environmental impacts and construction considerations to be written in a way that is very easy to understand and quick to pick-up. Yes, this for sure a very good book to have on the subject of dock design and construction. It is also a model for writers to follow on how to simplify a technical subject, which in many instances can be gruesomely complex, to an easily "digestible" read so people from different walks of life can enjoy it in a practical way and put it to use.

The one, the only.

So it's not 2" thick with color photographs. Considering it's the *only* book I have ever seen regarding residential dock construction, I think it's excellent. The book describes different types of docks, how they are constructed,and under what circumstances each should be used. It also warns of pit-falls, which many Do-it-Yourself books lack. I was actively searching for info when I bought this book at list price. Worth every penny.