Build Boat Dock

Boat manufacturer eyes expansion on Port Angeles waterfront

PORT ANGELES — Armstrong Marine Inc., which has increased sales eightfold in the past six years, plans an expansion on the waterfront.

The aluminum-boat manufacturing firm is ready to take the next step, Cory Armstrong, vice president and production manager of Armstrong Marine, told about 30 members of the Port Angeles Regional Chamber of Commerce on Monday.

“We’re looking to expand to a presence on the waterfront,” Armstrong said.

Having added two buildings on its landlocked 151 Octane Lane site, the company needs better access to the water.

The company has been trucking boats to the Port Angeles Harbor for testing and to show its boats to customers before they take delivery, Armstrong said.

Now Armstrong Marine is looking for a place to build its own dock on the harbor with an area for final assembly, as well as an improved seaplane facility, he said.

The company is seeking a space through both the Port of Port Angeles and private owners, Armstrong said.

There has been some past discussion between Armstrong Marine and the Port of Port Angeles regarding a waterfront location, but no specific property has been identified, Port Executive Director Jeff Robb said Tuesday.

The port is eager to work with Armstrong Marine to find a location, Robb said.

The expansion is all part of a success story for the Canadian-American brothers who began designing and building aluminum-hulled catamaran boats in Victoria in 1990.

Armstrong and his brother, Josh, moved their business from British Columbia to Port Angeles in 2001 to take advantage of the harbor’s winter weather protection and for its proximity to the Seattle area.

Sales, jobs

In 2004, the business did $1 million in boat sales, Armstrong said.

By 2010, international, military and law enforcement sales had boosted boat sales to $8 million.

Most sales are to customers in the United States, but there has been an increase in sales to Central and South America, especially for law enforcement and pilot boats, he said.

From 2004 to 2010, the company doubled its work force from 25 to 50 workers, most of whom are local hires.

“We’re able to choose from a good labor pool,” Armstrong said.

There are a lot of good workers in the area who are eager to stay in Port Angeles rather than move their families elsewhere, he said.

Steps to Building a Boat Dock - Sailboat Plans « Sailboat Plans

If a person owns a boat then it needs to be docked somewhere. A dock is not just ideal for boats but it is also ideal for get-together and fishing. It must be strong and stable to bear the elements. It assures a gathering place if one knows how to build it. There is no need to worry as the instructions mentioned below will explain the ways to build a boat dock.

Before building a dock, it has to be decided how big it should be. The available depth of water depth will determine how long the landing area is. A shorter deck will be needed for deeper waters and vice versa, to guarantee safe docking.

Many docks have a width of 4 feet and extend 12-16 feet out over the water. A second section that is attached to the first and located in the open water is generally larger usually the size of 12 feet square. This section is larger that helps in enabling and facilitating the movement of more groups of people preparing to board or disembark a boat or those hanging around the dock.

A section has to be constructed that has width of 4 feet and up to 12 feet long. For knowing how to build a boat dock, the frame for the first section has to be constructed from pressure treated lumber of 2?x6? measuring 12 feet long. Three of these pieces have to be screwed down at one end to a fourth piece that has a width of 4 feet. This process is repeated at the midsection and the remaining end of the longer boards before the completing the frame. The floor boards for hosting the visitors can be screwed to this frame vertically to the longer boards below.

The construction of frame for the second section is similar like the first but it has to be stranger for sustaining more loads over a larger area. The framing lumber is supposed to lie parallel to one another at a distance of about 16 inches apart. These will serve as a guide for the floor boards to be attached vertically in the same manner like those on the first section. Eye-bolts and steel rods are used for attaching the two sections together. This will allow easy separation of the sections and free pivoting motion if the current in the water is rough. One must always remember to securely attach the posts to the side of the dock as it will help the boats be tied to them; buoys have to be also fastened on the side for preventing the boat to scrap against the dock.

Building a floating or a free-standing dock is also an essential feature of knowing how to build a boat dock. Muddy water around the planned docking site is an indication of soft soil, therefore a floating dock will be required held up with things Styrofoam. On the other hand, rocky or sandy soil indicated by clear water means that it is safe build a free-standing dock attached with wooden or metal posts.

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