Dock & Pier Inspection Logger
Waterfront structure walkdown — decking, piles, hardware, fenders, utilities and waterline zone; offline GPS log for marinas and parks.
New dock/pier section inspection
Walkdown annually plus post-storm; underwater/pile inspections by divers on 3–6 year cycles per exposure.
Field guide: Dock & Pier Inspection Logger
Waterfront structures fail in the zone you can't see from the deck — the splash zone and waterline, where marine borers hollow timber piles behind a sound-looking shell and steel loses section fastest. A walkdown can still catch most of it: sounding piles with a mallet at low tide, spotting the necking at the waterline, reading float freeboard like a gauge. This logger structures that walk from deck to waterline, with electrical findings flagged hardest of all.
Electric shock drowning is the marina hazard that changed the codes: leakage current from a pedestal or a boat energizes the water, and a swimmer's muscles fail before anyone knows why. Failed GFCI/ELCI tests, submerged wiring, and damaged pedestals are close-the-area findings, not work orders. Life-safety hardware (ladders someone can actually climb, stocked life rings) gets logged with the same seriousness — falls happen at docks; retrieval is the plan.
Field tips
- Sound timber piles at low tide with a mallet — a crisp knock is wood, a drum note is a borer apartment complex.
- Read float freeboard from a distance first: a listing finger or low corner names its waterlogged drum before you step on it.
- Test a sample of GFCIs/ELCIs monthly with the button AND a tester; pedestal internals corrode in ways the button alone misses.
Records are stored only in this browser (localStorage) — export regularly. This tool aids field documentation; it does not replace your agency's official inspection procedures or engineering judgment.
Dock & Pier Inspection Logger — Waterfront structure walkdown — decking, piles, hardware, fenders, utilities and waterline zone; offline GPS log for marinas and parks. Free, offline-first and GPS-aware: open it on any phone, log in seconds, and hand your GIS team clean GeoJSON.
About Dock & Pier Inspection Logger
Waterfront structures fail in the zone you can't see from the deck — the splash zone and waterline, where marine borers hollow timber piles behind a sound-looking shell and steel loses section fastest. A walkdown can still catch most of it: sounding piles with a mallet at low tide, spotting the necking at the waterline, reading float freeboard like a gauge. This logger structures that walk from deck to waterline, with electrical findings flagged hardest of all.
How to use Dock & Pier Inspection Logger
- 1Enter the structure & section and tap 📍 GPS to pin the dock/pier section's exact location (or type coordinates).
- 2Work through the dock/pier section checklist — every field matches what a real inspection program records.
- 3Pick a condition on the Sound / Maintenance / Load-limit/restrict / Close section ⚠ scale; actionable findings are tallied automatically.
- 4Add notes and log the inspection — it saves instantly to your device, even with zero signal.
- 5Export the round as CSV for your asset system, GeoJSON for the GIS, or print a clean report.
Why use Dock & Pier Inspection Logger?
- ✓100% free, no sign-up — built for crews, not per-seat licences
- ✓Offline-first: records save to your device instantly and survive dead zones
- ✓One-tap GPS tagging with accuracy capture on every record
- ✓Exports CSV for asset systems, GeoJSON for GIS, and print-ready reports
- ✓Checklist and guidance aligned with ASCE
Frequently asked questions
What is electric shock drowning and what prevents it?+
ESD is incapacitation from AC leakage in fresh water around docks — often a boat's faulty wiring energizing the water via shore power. Prevention layers: ELCI/GFCI protection at pedestals (NEC 555 requirements), no-swimming policies near powered docks, and inspection findings exactly like 'pedestal damaged' and 'GFCI fails test' acted on as closures, not deferred maintenance.
How do marine borers destroy piles?+
Teredo worms and Limnoria enter through tiny breaks in treatment or wraps and consume timber from inside — a pile keeps its shape while losing structure. Sounding (mallet) and waterline necking are the surface clues; barnacle-stripped inspection windows and diver cycles confirm. Borer findings at multiple piles are a load-restriction conversation immediately.
Why do float drums matter so much?+
Floating docks are rafts: each waterlogged drum shifts load to neighbors and changes freeboard, straining connections designed for level support. A listing section in your log today is connection hardware failing next season. Drum replacement is routine; hinge-casting replacement after neglect is not.
What should the post-storm check prioritize?+
Connections and anchorage on floating systems (chains, cables, hinge pins), new pile rake or movement, fender damage, and utilities — storm surge submerges pedestals that then 'work fine' while corroding internally. Log everything with photos the same day; insurance and FEMA documentation reward immediacy.
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