Docks and boat lifts
Boat Dock Maintenance: What to Check Each Season
Updated October 19, 2026
Good boat dock maintenance on a Minnesota lake follows the lake year: quick checks from you while the dock is in, and the heavy service while it is out.
Boat dock maintenance by season
Pick your season to see what you check and what BigWave handles.
What to do now
Spring install
You check
- Walk it end to end. A crooked or wobbly section needs leveling.
BigWave handles
- Putting in and leveling your dock and lift.
Summer
You check
- The dock, after storms and lake level changes.
- The lift: it should raise the boat evenly.
BigWave handles
- Lift grease and inspections.
- Re-leveling a dock or lift that settled.
Fall removal
You check
- Tell the crew what creaked, sagged or rubbed this summer.
BigWave handles
- Pulling the dock and lift. Fall is when screw jack legs get serviced.
Winter
You check
- Nothing on the lake. Plan any changes for next summer.
BigWave handles
- Servicing it out of the water. With standing seasonal service, you get automatically reminded at the perfect time by BigWave.
02 / Your checks
Check your dock after storms and water level changes
Storms and moving water knock a dock out of shape. That is when to walk it.
After a big storm
Look for loose bolts and brackets, bent legs, and sections that shifted or pulled apart.
When the lake rises or drops
A dock that sat level in early summer can tilt later. Check that sections line up and the boat sits right on the lift.
When something feels off
A new wobble, a creak or a gap between sections usually means a leg settled or a bracket worked loose.
Tighten what you can reach. For a crooked section, read why docks and boat lifts become unlevel. After real storm damage, see what to do after storm damage to a dock or lift.
03 / Boat lifts
Boat lift maintenance: grease and screw jack legs
A lift sits in the water all summer with moving parts. Here are Blake’s rates for its service.
Inspection
$25
A good first step when you are not sure what the lift needs.
Lubrication
$50per lift
Grease on all the major moving parts. Plan on it at least twice a year.
Screw jack legs service
$150 to $200per lift
The threaded legs that raise and level the lift come off, get cleaned and greased, and go back on every year or two, depending on your lake’s water and zebra mussels.
Some things can’t be seen up front, so the price lands right on or very close. Photos of your lift help. The full list is on the dock and boat lift repair and leveling page.
04 / Cleaning
How to clean a dock without damaging it
Most docks need only a brush, water and mild soap.
Use
- A soft-bristle brush and mild soap
- A rinse with the hose
- A sweep for leaves and bird droppings before they stain
Skip
- Harsh or acid-based cleaners on aluminum
- A pressure washer on high, close to wood or composite decking
- Cleaner running off into the lake
For a deeper job on the dock and the beach, BigWave does dock and beach cleaning.
05 / Off season
Off-season service: what to leave to a crew
Some jobs are easier and safer out of the water.
- Anything below the waterline
- Leveling a dock or lift
- Bent legs and frames
Booking it while everything is out means it is ready to go back in before spring parts and crew time get scarce. If a part is too far gone, see repair or replace a dock or boat lift. Removal and spring setup are on the seasonal dock and lift setup and removal page.
Talk with a BigWave specialist about your dock
The owner is on every job. 952-687-1349 gets a BigWave specialist, not a call center.