Floating Docks for Perth’s Rivers and Canals
Perth boat owners with a river frontage, a canal home or a private jetty face the same first question: keep the boat on the water at home, or keep towing it to a ramp. This guide is for owners comparing floating docks for a Perth river or canal berth. It sets out what WS Docks builds, in the words and prices on their own website, and the questions to ask any supplier before you commit.
Who builds floating docks in Perth?
WS Docks is a Mandurah business that builds floating docks for boats and jet skis, and their About page says they bring the product to boat owners across Western Australia and Queensland, including the Gold Coast. Their workshop is at Unit 1, 44 Panton Road, Greenfields.
Damian and the team grew up around Mandurah, owned dinghies and got tired of launching and retrieving. In their own words, they looked for alternatives and found floating docks were the most cost effective option. Their home page lists 200+ custom dock installations and names local marinas among their customers. If you are comparing floating docks in Perth, that page also lists every dock type they build with its price.
Which dock suits which boat?
WS Docks sorts its docks by the boat they carry, each with a listed price on the services page:
- Jetski dock: $3,000.
- Small boat, up to 1.5 tonne: $5,000, custom designed to the specific boat and described as cost effective and simple to use.
- Medium boat, 1.5 to 2.5 tonne: $11,000, using what they call their premium sinking system.
- Large boat, 2.5 to 5 tonne: $16,000. They describe the sinking system as a first of its kind, and say it lets them custom make docks up to 5 tonne.
- Pontoon boats: $13,000, using their premium rollers, “with specific attention taken to ensure the dock suits the exact hull shape of your boat”.
- Catamarans: $18,000, combining the custom rollers and the sinking system for twin hull boats of all sizes.
Each figure is listed with no period beside it, so treat it as the price for that dock type and confirm what it includes for your berth.
River berth or canal berth: what should you ask?
A river frontage and a canal block are different places to put a dock, and nothing on the WS Docks website treats them differently, so the differences are questions for whoever quotes. Ask:
- Does this dock suit my berth, and is anything extra needed for it?
- How will it be mounted? The quote form on each WS Docks dock page offers roping, fixed jetty brackets or floating jetty brackets.
- What is included in the price, and what is extra?
- What warranty comes with it, and what does it cover?
- Who carries out repairs later?
Some answers are already on record for WS Docks: their home page carries a 2 year warranty guarantee, and dock repairs are one of their listed services.
What goes into a WS Docks floating dock?
In their own words: HDPE blocks engineered to withstand Australia’s harsh elements, custom brackets designed to withstand the toughest conditions, and bracing capable of supporting excess weight. They say they have partnered with some of the finest fabricators and rope splicing experts in Australia, and they describe themselves as offering mounting solutions for docks.
Their home page also claims “$1000s saved in antifoul per year”. That is their own claim, not a figure worked out for your boat, so ask how it applies to a vessel like yours.
A swim platform or walkway as well?
Many owners want somewhere to swim or launch a kayak as well as a place for the boat. WS Docks lists jetty and swim platforms, custom built to suit the space available, and work platforms and walkways for reaching hard to reach spaces on the water, each at $1,000. If you want more than a boat dock, say so when you first ask.
What do customers say?
The reviews on the WS Docks home page come from Google. One customer wrote that “the wait time was shorter than quoted and the dock was installed efficiently and professionally”. Another wrote that they “got back to me within a few hours of receiving my email and were able to quote my dock the next day”. These are customers’ own words about their own jobs.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a floating dock cost in Perth?
WS Docks lists the jet ski dock at $3,000, boat docks at $5,000, $11,000 and $16,000 by weight class, the pontoon boat dock at $13,000 and the catamaran dock at $18,000. Ask what the listed price includes for your berth.
Does WS Docks work in Perth?
They are based in Mandurah, and their About page says they bring the product to boat owners across Western Australia and Queensland, so a Perth berth is within the area they name.
What details do I need for a quote?
The quote form on their dock pages asks for the location of the dock, your boat’s length, beam, make and model, and a mounting option. You can also phone +61 431 149 231 (Monday to Friday, 8:00am to 5:00pm) or email wsdocks@outlook.com; their site says “We reply within 24 hrs”.
Does WS Docks repair floating docks?
Yes, dock repairs are one of their listed services. Ask them about your dock and what has happened to it.
Sources
This article draws on the following pages.
