Deck and Dockside Living

Our new dock brackets are a smart way to maximize the space on your dock or deck.

Mounting your dock boxes on the edge of your dock can free up a lot of space.

Your jetty or dock might look big – but throw a few chairs on there, a cooler of beer and a few friends and space is at a premium.

That’s why we’ve created these new Offset Dock Brackets – which give you the opportunity to enjoy all the storage versatility of our dock boxes without taking up valuable space on your dock.

The concept is simple: Screw the aluminum dock brackets to the outer edge of your deck or dock and then attach your dock boxes on top. Providing you storage solutions without wasting space.

This way they securely hang over the edge of your dock, safe and solidly supported, giving easy access to your fishing or boating equipment.

Easy to install, these mounting brackets add space and versatility to your dock or deck.

Aluminum construction means that these brackets are incredibly light, yet able to easily support the weight of your boxes and equipment.

They’re also resistant to rust and rot; ideal for mounting on both freshwater and seawater jetties.

And they’re not just for seafarers. If you use one of our boxes at home, on your deck or poolside, these dock box brackets can give you a wealth of mounting options to save space, clear clutter or just as a good looking new angle on the way your property is set up.

We’re already talking to customers who love this new product. If you decide to try them, be sure to send us pictures of where you install them – we’d love to showcase them here! Email info@deckanddockboxes.com.

Our new LED light brightly illuminates any of our polymer dock boxes.

If there’s one thing that never fails to astonish us here and DeckAndDockBoxes.com, it’s the many uses people come up with for our marine-grade fiberglass and marine-grade polymer boxes.

This is why we’re constantly expanding the range of accessories that are available for them – to meet the ever growing range of needs that we didn’t even realize existed beforehand!

One new gadget we’re particularly proud of is our LED light for Polymer Boxes.

Powered by just three AAA batteries, this LED brightly illuminates each box - and its contents!

Specially designed for our polymer deck and dock boxes, this LED light can be mounted on the inside of your boat box and illuminates it with bright, clear light at the touch of a button. There’s also a motion sensor option which will further save battery by turning on the light any time your box’s lid is opened up.

The advantage of this LED lighting option is that it’s powered by long-lasting AAA batteries; giving you hours of lighting before they need to be changed, and the flexibility of picking up spares in almost any convenience store.

The lights also emit very little heat; which is perfect when you’re using your box as a cooler to store fish, bait or even ice-cold cans of beer!

Our powerful LED Light for Polymer Boxes is available now, priced $27.20 - shop here

Fort Lauderdale resident Nico Giani got his first taste of scuba diving in East Africa.

Whether operating from the boat or the beach, Nico's scuba school relies on our deck and dock boxes.

“I was twelve years old,” he remembers. “My parents were missionaries and we were living in Arusha, in East Africa. I used to spend the summers on the beach with the other Americans and, one day, one of their parents showed us the basics. I was hooked.”

Fifteen years later, Nico is no less passionate about diving – and has turned his hobby into a profitable business by teaching scuba diving from his shop in Pompano Beach, FL.

“I get to do what I love every day,” he admits, “and it’s really rewarding to be able to share that with the students that I have. I’m PADI certified and considered one of the best instructors on the beach.”

To help him with his business, Nico invested in not just one of our boat boxes but several.

A Seat Top Storage Bench provides comfortable seating and a stylish storage option.

“I needed two right outside my shop,” he says. “One is your Seat Top Storage Box. It’s great for storing scuba gear, rope and tanks – but also makes a comfortable place to sit down, hang out and watch the world go by when it’s quiet.”

His other dock box is a Large Polymer Dock Box.

“It’s huge,” he explains, “which means I can use it to store tanks, masks – pretty much everything I need – within easy reach. I can lock it too, which is great peace of mind even in a neighborhood with a low crime rate like this one.”

Although they’re left out all year round – often in direct sunlight well in excess of 100 degrees – both boxes look brand new.

Our Small Polymer Dock Box is secure, yet versatile.

“It’s incredible. I have to repaint my chairs and table every year because of sun damage, but these boxes are clearly made to last.”

Nico also has a pair of Small Polymer Boat Boxes which he uses as storage solutions for his boat when taking students out on the water.

“They’re good for all sorts of things,” he explains. “I like to throw my student’s belongings in there – things like wallets, phones etc. That way they know they’re safe. I’ve also been known to use them as a cooler once in a while!”

With a hectic schedule and a constant stream of customers, Nico has this simple reason for choosing our products:

“The initial purchase cost might have seemed high, but they’ve lasted me for years. I can’t imagine what a hassle it would be to have to replace the boxes every summer, when they fade or crack because of the sun. I think I’d have spent much more on cheaper options in the long run.”

That’s a philosophy Nico learned from scuba diving:

“Always invest in quality equipment,” he says. “Because you don’t know where you’re going to be if the cheaper alternative craps out on you!”

The rules for hunting alligator vary from state to state – but essential tools like our boat storage boxes remain the same.

Alligator hunting boats need to be low and shallow; so dock boxes with a low profile help keep stability.

“Them guys in Florida,” said Baton Rouge resident Bill Reilly, “are a bunch of…”

He was referring to the Florida alligator hunters we wrote about last year; who snagged some of the most lethal reptiles on earth during the brief ‘gator hunting season in the Sunshine State.

“Here in Louisiana,” Reilly explained, “it’s a game for grown-ups.”

And Bill should know. Although he drives a truck for ten months out the year, his “real” job (as he calls it) begins in August; when he takes an unpaid vacation from work and heads out into some of the most dangerous and desolate swamplands in America.

“Hunting gator, I can make in two months what I make in the whole year driving a rig,” Reilly explains. “But we go at it full bore – not like they do in Florida. When I get a license for the season, it’s not for one or two of those suckers – I’m aiming for upwards of twenty.”

Long and low, with plenty of waterproof storage, our Low Profile Dock Box is perfect for Bill's needs.

One concession Reilly does make to his opposite numbers on the other side of the gulf is the hunting gear they use. Although they might not have access to a .3030 rifle and a 300lb fishing line, like gator hunters in the bayou do, Reilly admits Florida hunters have made a good choice with our boat storage boxes.

“I was out in Sarasota one year and a hunter there showed me the Low Profile Dock Box he took to the swamps each November. I was hooked.” Made out of marine grade fiberglass, our dock box was the tough, durable storage Reilly needed when he was out hunting.

“I use a shallow boat,” he explained, “so I need a low center of gravity. You spend a lot of time standing up when you’re hunting gator, and if you fall into that water, it’ll be the gator hunting you.”

“I picked the dock box because it was low and long – kept more of the weight on the bottom of the boat and gave me some added stability when I was peering over the edge.”

Inside Bill’s fiberglass box, you’ll find some essential alligator hunting gear – heavy duty hooks, durable fishing line and, of course, a big box of .3030 FMJ rounds.

“The box has got some heavy duty metal hardware,” he showed us the stainless steel hinges and clasps – still rust free after three years on the water. “That’s important because I don’t want anybody getting into it. I leave this box on the porch for ten months out of the year and I don’t want my grand-kids getting into the ammo.”

The stainless hardware and tough, durable construction are also vital in protecting the box – and its contents – from the elements.

“For three months out of the year, that thing’s going to be wet,” Bill admits. “And for the rest, it’s going to be baking in the sun.” The bayou features some of the most extreme elements in America, but our dock box has so far stood firm through all of it.

“Tell you what,” Bill admits. “That thing looks damn near as good as when I bought it – and that was more than sixty ‘gators ago.”

It’s no secret that New York has some of the best seafood in the world – but where to find the best of it is. In fact, secret crabbing territories are all over the shores of Long Island and New Jersey; but the best spots are jealously guarded secrets. One crabber refused to give up where he caught his king sized crabs; but did share how one of our dock boxes helped make his job easier.

As a boy, Sven used to catch crab off the coast of Norway.

Sven Solem was born in Stavanger, Norway – and remembers crabbing while growing up.

“It’s a huge thing in Norway,” he explains. “My father had a boat and we’d go out all day catching crabs. We’d anchor on one of the little islands on the coast and boil them over an open fire – it was lovely.”

Twenty years later, Sven is living and working in New Jersey – as assimilated an American as you’ll ever meet. But as soon as he could afford it, he bought a boat so he could keep his father’s crabbing tradition alive.

“There are various methods of catching crab” Sven explains. “The one I use is the most common – my dad taught me. You take a crab box and sink it in shallow water – then spring it when you feel movement on the line.”

A far cry from lobster pots and other passive traps, Sven’s method of crabbing more resembles real fishing; and requires the equipment and boat storage to match.

“My Small Polymer Dock Box is my best friend,” he says. “It’s what I keep all of my equipment in. Wire cutters, spare line and – most importantly – bait.”

Sven’s bait of choice is chicken neck: “Crabs love them,” he explains, “and they’re cheap to get from the butcher.” He baits his crab basket with a chicken neck and then diligently waits for movement on the line to indicate a crab is in place. “Then you snap the line up and the basket closes around them.”

Sven swears by our small polymer dock box

Carrying that bait, though, sometimes presents problems.

“I invested in a dock box because I was getting raided for my chicken necks,” he explains. “During the summer time, especially, I’d have seagulls swoop out of the air and literally snatch them from my fingers.”

His other bait boxes proved equally vulnerable.

“I had seagulls peck open Tupperware, tear through plastic – it wasn’t until I got a dock box that the crabs got a chance to eat the chicken necks instead of the birds!”

Made from heavy duty polymer, our dock boxes resist more than just seagulls – they are resilient against the elements, seawater, sun and snow as well.

“I’ve had mine on the deck of my fishing boat for a couple of years now,” Sven admits, “and aside from looking a little dirty, it’s still good-as-new.”

Depending on where you live, the bass fishing season might soon be open. Make sure you’re ready to bag some big ones by loading up your boat storage boxes with everything you need.

In some parts of the country, bass season is about to open up. Are you ready?

Bass fishing season starts at different times in different parts of the country – largely depending on when the Largemouths spawn. Down in Florida, it can be as early as February – but in northern Minnesota and beyond, it can be as late at May.

If you’re starting to plan for the season, here is a checklist of a couple of fishing accessories you might consider investing in – and the essentials you should fill them with:

A fiberglass fishing rod storage box is the perfect option for keeping your rods safe, secure and organized

Large Fishing Rod Storage Box – At eight feet long, this impressive marine-grade fiberglass fishing rod storage box is perfect for storing up to three full-length fishing rods, and all their accessories. It features three built-in rod hooks to hold your rods securely, plus stainless steel hardware to lock them away securely. The best part is the sandwich-core bench-like lid, which means this box is tough enough to be used as a seat as well as for storage.

Fill it with:

• 6’+ Fishing Rod, Graphite – The bass hunter’s most important tool, a good graphite rod will last you for years, and is considerably more sensitive to the bite of a bass than fiberglass alternatives. Choose a medium action rod and don’t go any shorter than six feet.
• All-purpose reel – Depending on your level of fishing experience, you’ll have to choose between a spinner reel and a bait caster. The spinner is more versatile and better suited to beginners, but many bass masters swear by bait casters.
• Fishing line – A 12 pound test is the minimum grade you should go for, but depending where you fish a 20 pound test might be a safer bet.

Tough and durable, a small polymer boat storage box is ideal for keeping bait, hoots and tackle within easy reach

Small Polymer Dock Box – Tough and durable, this boat storage box is an excellent choice for storing hooks, bait and other fishing gear. Made from Marine-Grade High-Density Polyethylene, it’s resistant to the elements and features stainless steel hardware and locking.

Fill it with:

• Hooks – You should always have a good variety of hooks to choose from, depending on the size of bass you encounter. Whether you use live bait, or plastic, a standard worm hook in variations of large, medium and small is a good set to begin with.
• Sinkers – Bullet sinkers are the classic choice for bass hunting, as they make it difficult for fish to detect them. Bring a selection – from quarter ounce all the way to eight ounce depending on the depth of your fishing area.
• Long nosed pliers – A fisherman’s essential. Make sure they have line cutters on them, so you can quickly and effectively trim the line when you reel your catch in.
• Bait – Purists still use real worms to catch their bass, but plastic is increasingly taking over as the sporting standard. It’s good to have a variety of baits to choose from. Don’t forget a top water lure while you’re at it – if you fish early in the morning, or late at night, top water lures are often the only thing a bass will bite at.

If you’re one of the first to hit the water this season, let us know how your experiences went – email your pictures to info@deckanddockboxes.com.

Entrepreneur Eileen Salkin operates her own health and fitness business, right out of our deck boxes!

Deck boxes make Eileen's fitness equipment easily accessible to class participants.

“I never thought I’d start my own business when I was in my sixties,” admits Eileen Salkin, a resident of a 55+ community in Coral Palms, Florida. “But it just seemed to happen. One moment I was moving into this community – the next I was hosting fitness classes right in the courtyard!”

Originally from Long Island, Eileen had been a fitness fan her entire life. “I got into it in the eighties,” she explains, “with all those Jane Fonda workout videos. I’d just had my daughter, and it was a great way to get back in shape.”

In the following three decades, Eileen kept herself in shape with pilates, yoga and calisthenics; developing her own fitness routine that shed work on every morning.

“When my husband retired, we decided to move down to Miami,” she explains, “and it was a real shock to the system.” Vibrant and active for her age, Eileen was shocked at the physical condition of many of the senior citizens who’d become her neighbors.

“There were women younger than me who were using walkers and wheelchairs,” she says. “It was like they moved into a senior community and immediately just ‘gave up.’”

In an effort to help, Eileen started introducing a few of her neighbors to her morning fitness routines.

“We’d do them on the grass in the courtyard,” she explains. “I’d get a little boom box out, some free weights and a few yoga mats and we’d work up a sweat together.”

Eileen had no idea how popular her impromptu aerobics classes would be.

“The next thing I knew, I had strangers in the community coming up to me asking to ‘join my class.’ I didn’t know how to tell them it wasn’t a class – it was just me and a couple of friends working out together.”

Things reached a head, though, when the community management themselves asked her to formally start classes. “They had heard good things about what I was doing, and wanted to open it up to the entire community.”

Today, she holds three classes a day – and has over thirty regular participants.

Our Specialty Deck Boxes keep Eileen's fitness equipment dry and secure in all weather conditions.

“What makes the whole project manageable are these two large Specialty Deck Boxes I bought.”

“I realized pretty much immediately that I couldn’t go bringing over a dozen weight sets back and forth to my apartment every time I had a class,” she explains. “So I set up these boxes in the courtyard to keep my equipment in.”

Made of durable polymer, they’re room enough to hold all Eileen’s equipment – and can be locked securely through the rustproof latch.

“That way, all the equipment I need is right where I need it – and the locked boxes mean I know nothing’s going to go missing.”

Eileen chose our fiberglass composite boxes not just because of their size – but also because they could stand up to punishment.

“They’re out there all year round,” she explains. “In the baking sun and even when the hurricanes hit. I bought those boxes so I’d know my equipment would stay dry and secure – and over a year later, they still look as good as new.”

And the boxes aren’t the only things that are looking great. Eileen is proud to say that her eighteen months as a community fitness coach have made a real difference.

“I’ve had friends be able to give up their walkers,” she says, “and others who’ve lost weight and feel better than ever. It’s funny to think that during my ‘retirement’ I’ve become busier than ever – and it couldn’t be more rewarding!”

Eileen uses two Specialty Deck Boxes, fully assembled and made in the USA.

For Gulf-coast resident Josh, sometimes the best ocean fishing doesn’t even require leaving home. That’s why he has one of our rod storage boxes set up at the end of his jetty; to make sure he never misses a moment’s fishing.

An old Jeep serves as a makeshift artificial reef; attracting fish like snook and tarpon.

“I don’t think the environmentalists would be very impressed these days,” writes Josh Bobov, who lives in a beachfront property on the gulf of Mexico that his grandfather built during the 1950s, “but the reason the fishing’s so good right here is because my grandpa sunk a couple of cars to make sure it would be.”

“Back in the 1960s, he read about how artificial reefs would help improve the fishing, so he took his old ’37 Chevy and a broken down Jeep and sunk them both off the end of the jetty. I remember swimming down to them when I was a kid.”

Today, those two old vehicles serve as underwater home to shoals of snook and tarpon – and are why Josh can enjoy incredible ocean fishing just steps from the back door of his house.

“You’ll find me right here most nights,” he explains. “I’ll have a cooler full of beer, a couple of lines set up and the barbeque ready to cook whatever I catch.” The fishing’s so good, in fact, that Josh has a Large Fishing Rod Storage Box set up right on his dock; so it never takes him more than a few minutes to set up ready for a day’s fishing.

The Large Rod Storage Box is perfect for storing Josh's fishing equipment right where he needs it.

“The box is great,” he explains. “I’ve had it here for two years now and it still looks brand new.” Built from touch, marine-grade fiberglass and finished with a UV gelcoat, the great-looking boat box is eight feet long and holds three full-size fishing rods, plus tackle and lines. “I keep it out here all year long – even during the hurricanes – and I’ve never lost a single rod.”

While Josh’s superb fishing set up is enviable, it doesn’t pose the question of why he doesn’t just invest in a boat and enjoy ocean fishing like most visitors to the gulf coast do.

“My grandpa set this whole thing up because he hates boats,” Josh explains. “He served in the army during World War II and was on one of those landing craft that stormed the Normandy beaches. His overturned and he nearly drowned. After that, he pretty much swore never to set foot on a boat again if he could help it.”

But Josh’s granddad had a tough time combining his Florida roots and his love of fishing with his new-found aversion to boating; which is why he decided to bring the best of the ocean right to his back door.

“He got fish almost as good as he would from a boat,” Josh explains, “without setting foot on the water.”

As for Josh?

“I’ve got no problem with boats,” he admits. “But when you’ve got such sweet fishing right in your backyard, I don’t see why you need anything else.”

Josh uses a Fiberglass Rod Storage Box, fully assembled and made in the USA.

Kodiak Island, Alaska, is one of the most beautiful and unspoiled areas in the United States. It’s also one of the most isolated – with a population of less than 7,000 people and no way on or off the island except by airplane or ferry. That makes visiting tricky – even for Santa Claus.

Mike Miller plays Santa every winter; delivering presents from one of our boat storage boxes.

But some enterprising folks from Kodiak have come up with a solution.

“At Christmas, Santa leaves the reindeer on the mainland and delivers presents by boat,” says Mike Miller, patriarch of the Miller family, who live in a series of houses and cottages on the northern coastline. “We pack up his gifts in a large polymer boat box and we’re good to go.”

Kate Miller, Mike’s wife, explains the tradition:

“It’s not easy growing up on Kodiak,” she says. “A lot of the things kids elsewhere take for granted – like going to the mall, or the movies – isn’t exactly easy when there isn’t anywhere you can get to except by boat.”

“Our Kodiak Christmas tradition is a way to bring some of the holiday magic to the Miller clan. Mike gets dressed up as Santa and we go from house to house, delivering presents to our grandkids and their cousins.”

The Kodiak Christmas tradition has been going on for over a decade now; and Mike admits that it’s the highlight of the kid’s year.

“Sitting on Santa’s lap at the mall is all very well; but this is something really special.”

But it hasn’t always gone according to plan. Mike and his son, Josh, decided that a boat box was in order after the “Santa tragedy” of ’03.

“We lost an Elmo, a couple of video games and a chocolate cake to a gust of wind,” he explains. “So since then, we’ve made sure to transport the gifts like the precious cargo they are.”

Mike chose our polymer boat storage box for a variety of reasons:

“First off, it was big. When we’re not delivering presents with it, I’ve used it for our fishing gear, our weekly groceries and even as a beer cooler.” Secondly, it was tough: “This thing’s stuck it out in all weather for over five years now. It hasn’t cracked or faded – and check out those hinges.” The stainless steel hardware still wasn’t rusted.

“I know our little Kodiak Christmas is just a family tradition,” Mike laughs, giving the boat box a thump, “but this box wouldn’t be out of place on the real Santa’s sleigh.”

October’s shocking nor’wester — which dumped more than ten inches of snow on the eastern seaboard — was a wake up call to many that it’s time to start packing up and winterizing their boat. We spoke to Pat Donnelly about how a dock box helped him get his Thompson 20ft ready for the snow and ice.

Pat relies on a boat box to hold all the equipment he needs to winterize his 20ft Thompson Carrera

“There are few places better for boating in the summer than Lake Michigan,” says Detroit native Pat Donnelly, “but the winters up here are brutal.” That’s why he makes sure to pack up his classic ’84 Thompson long before the snow and ice hits.

“Taking her out of the water is the easy part,” he explains. “I normally trailer her and she’ll sit under a tarp on my driveway until April or May.”

The challenge for Pat – and other boaters like him – is making sure the sub-zero temperatures don’t leave him with any headaches when his beloved boat comes out of hibernation.

That’s why he has a Extra Large Dock Box sitting on one side of his garage, for all the tools and equipment he needs to winterize.

“The box stays out there all year round,” he explains. “So it’s stood up to a lot of punishment. 100 degree heat in July, and -20 in February.”

Our Extra Large Storage box has an almost 60 cubic feet capacity - more than enough for Pat's winterizing equipment

His storage box is made from molded Marine grade fiberglass, sealed with a UV resistant gel coat for maximum protection against the elements. Even the latch and hinges are rustproof – so it is as easy to lock and as smooth to open today as it was when he first bought it.

“I have a gas tank in there,” he explains. “It’s empty most of the year, but when you’re putting your boat up for the winter you should always top off the tank to prevent moisture, so it’s as good a place to store it as any.”

Inside the massive box – which has almost 60 cubic feet of storage – you’ll also find canisters of 30-weight oil and antifreeze.