Doors in floating jetty access walkways can cause major problems – because their inclination changes with fluctuating water levels
At the boathouse Haupt, the gate of the access jetty hits the railing without control when the water level is low
The boathouse Haupt with attached marina is idyllically located ” on the river Rhein near Ginsheim, Germany. The boathouse and the marina float in the water. Of course, the water level changes again and again during the year. When the water level is low, the jetty leading to the boathouse goes down relatively steeply. When the access door opens, it slams against the railing hard, resulting in damage – not to mention the risk of accident that this door poses to passers-by.
At normal water level the jetty leads almost horizontally to the floating boathouse.
When the water level drops, the slope of the landing stage changes. It is now quite steep – and the door slams against the railing when it is opened.
Wanted: a product that dampens the door movement while allowing to close the door by hand without any additional effort – at any water level
This required some creative thinking – but for us at DICTATOR, this is precisely the appeal of such requests, to find a good and affordable solution for our customers.
A back check takes “the wind out of the sails” of the opening door
A DICTATOR back check now ensures that the door to the Boathouse Haupt does not open uncontrollably even at low water levels. The back check is actually intended for doors that are thrown open by a gust of wind, for example. In such a case, the speed increases considerably and this is where the effect of the back check kicks in. Without wind, the door can be moved as usual. Even though gusts of wind only play a minor role in this application on the jetty, since the door hardly provides any contact surface, the downward slope can be compared to the effect of a gust of wind, because the door suddenly opens much faster than intended.
Even with a low water level and relatively steep access jetty, the door can no longer slam open and against the railing without control. And what makes the solution with the back check particularly clever is that no great effort is required to close the door, even at low water levels.
The back check ensures that the door no longer slams against the railing of the jetty. And this is regardless of how even the water level is. Of course, DICTATOR also supplied the calculation of the exact fixing points with the back check for optimal function. And the back checks also available in stainless steel.
But what to do when the door opens towards the shore? With a low water level there is the problem that the door slams shut at high speed.
This is no problem for DICTATOR either. Just read our reference When water level is low, the jetty door slams shut at full force.
Products used
Back checks
Back checks are used on doors or windows that can be blown open by wind, draft or even during normal operation. They dampen doors/windows in the opening direction and limit the opening angle. This prevents doors and windows from swinging open without control, prevents damage and protects people standing next to the door.
Various models cover a wide range of applications: from lightweight interior doors and windows to very large/heavy doors with high loads. Many models can be used in combination with overhead door closers and are optionally available with an integrated hold-open in the open position.
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