Bernie Posted March 4, 2008 Report Posted March 4, 2008 4 years ago I acquired My Grandparents cottage. It was almost beyond repair but I couldn't afford to build new. Kind of glad anyway because it teaches you much along the way. Fortunately I have access to lots of tools and equipment and a family with a vast array of skills. First thing I needed to do was rebuild the dock. It was in poor condition and I needed a place to tie the boat. So off to get the necessary permits. It was relatively easy because of the way I built it. Drive the pipes down through the sand and mud to bedrock in the winter and weld them together to make a crib in four points. It was a little cold on the fingers but man did it turn out great. The cottage had virtually no insulation and had to bundle up with lots of blankets overnight on the weekends. So after this job was complete I now had a really nice solid dock. The plan was to build a boathouse in a few years after the cottage was getting overhauled. Well fortune came my way when visiting a cottage on a nearby island. He was telling me he was going to build a larger boathouse. I looked at his old one and thought to myself "geez this one looks like it may just fit good on my dock". So I asked the good fellow "what are your plans for the old one?" His reply was "do you want it? He didn't have to ask me twice. I went and grabbed a tape measure and low and behold it would fit perfect. I couldn't believe my luck. Well to some folks this may be a task too large but I felt that it could be done. The dock top surrounding the old boathouse was redone in recent years and would be great for bracing up the building for the move. It turned out that it wasn't quite enough material but the extra required would be put to use again somewhere. I worked every weekend at it in October before the freeze up and continued again late December. Finally the ice thickness had developed enough to give it the mighty pull. I was worried the ice may not get thick enough. We had a abnormally mild winter. Once we got it over to my location it took my father and I two days to get it up on the dock as my dock was substantially higher than the one we removed it from. A couple of come alongs, a bunch of chain, a few more chunks of lumber and maybe a few choice words muttered under my breath and it was there, This past summer I found a local sawmill that could match the old wood siding to replace the ones that were rotted at the bottom. The roof structure didn't look strong enough for me so that was also braced over the summer. Changed the old two door boat entry into one and moved the man door over to the other side. A few coats of paint and wow, it looks like it always was there. More to do on it yet but it is functional. Boy is it nice to have no more wet seats and fogged up windshields. There were a few other trials and tribulations along the way but thats the basic story.Hope you enjoyed this. Take care all.....Bernie G
Mike the Pike Posted March 4, 2008 Report Posted March 4, 2008 Really did enjoy that Bernie was the last shot from this winter and is that where you keep your boat .Mike
Bernie Posted March 4, 2008 Author Report Posted March 4, 2008 (edited) I took that last shot in January Mike. Another added bonus of having the boathouse is storing it there. Edited March 4, 2008 by Bernie
solopaddler Posted March 4, 2008 Report Posted March 4, 2008 Nice job Bernie! I'm very envious, I'd love to build a boathouse at my cottage but they won't let me. Must be a lot easier to get permits in your neck of the woods...
Bernie Posted March 4, 2008 Author Report Posted March 4, 2008 What made it easier Solo is the fact it was an existing structure. A permit to move was required. $25 bucks. The first time I approched the building inspector he told me "no problem, all you need is the permit to move". Ya, right. Should have got it right then and there. Two months later when I went to get it he says "you need to get an engineers report on your dock before you move it" Damn! So later that same day one of my customers walks in. He's an engineer. I showed him the pictures I took of the construction process. He says "you made that from drill rod? That would hold a freight train!". Wow, another stroke of luck! He says make me up a drawing of your construction and I will help you out. Thanks very much Bill!
Big Cliff Posted March 4, 2008 Report Posted March 4, 2008 Very nice! I really liked the way you made your dock! I built my boat house a couple of years ago and was surprised at how easy it was to get the permit, this year I am going to redesign my dock but that will wait until warmer weather.
bowshep Posted March 4, 2008 Report Posted March 4, 2008 Great work Bernie... And putting that boat house on the dock must have been cool, frustrating but when you were done and with a beer in your hand looking at it you must have felt proud. Ken
HTHM Posted March 4, 2008 Report Posted March 4, 2008 As a contractor......I'm impressed! That was a great bit of ingenuity that you demonstrated. Congratulations on the project. Well done!
Spiel Posted March 4, 2008 Report Posted March 4, 2008 That is quite an undertaking and equally, something to be very proud of. It looks fantastic Bernie, my hats off to you.
ccmtcanada Posted March 4, 2008 Report Posted March 4, 2008 Wow....VERY cool work Bernie! Just goes to show that when you want to do something bad enough, you just find a way to do it. Cant wait to see the finished project...cottage and all.....
Bernie Posted March 4, 2008 Author Report Posted March 4, 2008 Thank you all. Cliff you may have a long wait. You will have to come before its complete as I wont live long enough to finish all the plans I have.
TJQ Posted March 4, 2008 Report Posted March 4, 2008 Nice job Bernie, I know what you mean about the permit... we built in 2000 and theres no way they would allow me to reproduce what I did now.
Casey123 Posted March 4, 2008 Report Posted March 4, 2008 Very Nice Work. Thanks for sharing the pics. Nothing Nicier then a boat house, A heck of a lot nicier then the dog house.
Bernie Posted March 4, 2008 Author Report Posted March 4, 2008 Very Nice Work. Thanks for sharing the pics. Nothing Nicier then a boat house, A heck of a lot nicier then the dog house. LOL. I was in the doghouse a few times too after spending all the time on it.
kennyman Posted March 4, 2008 Report Posted March 4, 2008 WOW, first of all it looks like a great place to have a cottage. This is probably the place responsible for your love of fishing etc. or at least part of it , so it must be a fantastic feeling to own it. Just curious Bernie,did you spend summers here as a kid? Secondly,nice job! You must be pretty handy. That looks like alot of work to get it right. I'm very envious .
Bernie Posted March 4, 2008 Author Report Posted March 4, 2008 WOW, first of all it looks like a great place to have a cottage. This is probably the place responsible for your love of fishing etc. or at least part of it , so it must be a fantastic feeling to own it. Just curious Bernie,did you spend summers here as a kid? Secondly,nice job! You must be pretty handy. That looks like alot of work to get it right. I'm very envious . First of all Kennyman I have my Grandfather to thank for his foresight. I never met the man but from what I have heard about him he was very talented. He gave each one of his children a piece of the island. So in that I was fortunate enough to have the lake as a playground growing up. All my life I could never get enough of being there. The original cottage was built in the 1920's so lots of work to do yet.
bbog Posted March 4, 2008 Report Posted March 4, 2008 Great work on the boathouse, another example of being in the right place at the right time. Can't wait to see the restoration on the cottage.
Gerritt Posted March 4, 2008 Report Posted March 4, 2008 Having had the pleasure of spending some time @ Bernies place that Boat House looks even better in person! Thanks for showing us the pics Bernie. G
irishfield Posted March 4, 2008 Report Posted March 4, 2008 Purdy fancy Mr. Giesler... now how are you with a chain saw and can I pick you up, say, around 1 pm Thursday! LOL
Bernie Posted March 4, 2008 Author Report Posted March 4, 2008 Purdy fancy Mr. Giesler... now how are you with a chain saw and can I pick you up, say, around 1 pm Thursday! LOL If you say I have to take Friday off I can be the most awesome guy with a chainsaw you ever seen.
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