Modular docks: one piece at a time When the old all-wood dock dies, consider replacing it with a more flexible solution. The two common types of modular kit docks, floating and pipe, solve a big closing-up challenge: making sure the dock is safe for winter. If you've ever cajoled all your peeps into helping you drag a gargantuan wood floater ashore, a knock-down design that one or two people can handle is very appealing. As your boat-parking requirements change, it's easy to rearrange or expand a modular system -- heck, you could even create a new dock every year. I want a modular dock. What type should I choose? Floater Jetfloat's floating polyethylene cubes, each the size of a laundry basket, hook together with interlocking corner pins. Image courtesy of Jetfloat Is it what I need? On lakes with fluctuating water levels, a floating dock maintains a constant distance from water to dock surface (freeboard). The lower the freeboard, the easier it is to launch canoes, kayaks, and sculls, but the more likely it is that a wave will splash over your feet. What are the options? There's a trade-off: Small Lego-like modules in systems such as Jetfloat and VersaDock are light enough that one person can install and remove them, but they also undulate more when waves roll in, making dinner parties on the dock a challenge. Choose systems with larger modules (Connect-A-Dock and EZ Dock, for example) and you get more stability, but more weight; you'll probably need